Home Court Advantage

There’s no doubt about it. Pickleball is sweeping the nation. From youngsters to oldsters, it is the game of choice in many areas. You’ll find both public courts and some private ones.

Fairly new to the robust scene are home courts. One such court belongs to Adam Rothert and his wife, newcomers to Des Moines in the past couple years. “We moved here from Portland, Oregon, for a job transfer, not knowing a thing about Iowa or the city. We have been pleasantly surprised, particularly about the reasonable housing prices as compared to the West Coast.”

Adam grew up playing tennis. In fact, he was a Division I tennis player at Portland State University. When the pandemic hit, tennis courts shut down, but not pickleball courts. So he changed his focus a bit. The property the Rotherts purchased had an unusable space in the front yard, just right for a pickleball court.

They contacted Keegan Lare, landscape architect with Ted Lare Design + Build, about adding a pickleball court to the front of their property. “First, of course, we had to decide if there was enough room for a full court,” Lare points out. “The area in mind was sloped, so we had to figure out if it was possible to build a court.”

640 Tons Of Dirt

After determining it was possible, 32 truckloads of dirt—640 tons!—were delivered to the property to build up and prep the land. Outcropping stones were used to create a retaining wall below the court. A mixture of stones measuring 18 inches wide and 9 inches tall and 2 feet deep were used.

Near the street a grouping of Green Giant arborvitae creates a natural barrier. Other plantings include two types of Japanese maple trees, a few redbud trees, boxwood, and hydrangeas. Irises, catmint, and other perennial flowers add texture, color, and seasonal interest.

“We also incorporated a wide stone stairway to serve as extra seating for group events, similar to a small amphitheater,” Lare points out. The whole area is outlined by a decorative black iron fence.

And come they do to Adam’s lessons. He offers various packages of 10 lessons each, including for up to four players. Classes include Introduction to Pickleball, Doubles Skills and Tactics, Singles Strokes and Tactics, and Personal Training. There have been groups of men, groups of women, and mixed groups taking lessons throughout the year. Adam says there is a group of women who drop off their kids at school and then stop by his court to have lessons, making it a convenient use of time. For information, contact 515Pickleball.com.

How Curious

The court has become a point of curiosity. “People walking along the street move very slowly, trying to figure out what is going on here. Others in vehicles slow down to watch when classes are going on,” he says with a chuckle. “It has made us much more social.”

In the Des Moines neighborhood, natural observers often gather to watch, too, such as owls, foxes, and deer. “We love it,” Adam says.

And in the winter? When the snow and cold weather take over, pickleball players move indoors to Dinks Pickleball with courts in the remodeled Kohl’s store at Merle Hay Mall.

Getting Started

How did the popular sport get started? Adam says it began in the mid-1960s on Bainbridge Island, Washington, when three fathers developed the concept for their kids, who needed a new diversion.

The court is the same size as a doubles badminton court and measures 20×44 feet. The paved surface measures 32×64 feet. It is similar to a tennis court with striping and right and left service areas.

Players use a smooth-faced paddle to hit a perforated hollow plastic ball. The U.S. National Pickleball Championships take place near Palm Springs, California, each year.

Says Keegan Lare: “This project was so much fun to work on, and it turned out really great.”

Adam agrees: “We just love Des Moines. We have always heard about Iowa Nice. It’s true.” •