The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
BY POPULAR DEMAND
Erie Pickleball opening indoor complex on Tyler Boulevard
“The city has done a great job with the facility at Heisley, but we wouldn’t be investing over a halfmillion dollars if we didn’t believe that there is more than enough demand for indoor courts.”
— Chris O’Donnell
The growing popularity of pickleball is undeniable.
Chris O’Donnell and his wife, Kay, are leaning into that momentum and offering a yearround, climate-controlled way for players of all skill levels and ages a chance to enjoy the blossoming sport.
The O’Donnells are opening Erie Pickleball at 8020 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor this spring.
The six-court facility specifically dedicated to pickleball will be located in a building that is in a familiar spot to many Lake County residents with a large man-made lake in front of a main thoroughfare in the city.
The familiarity of the location is secondary to what Erie Pickleball has to offer as a specifically designated facility for players just beginning or those that are serious about the sport.
“The city has done a great job with the facility at Heisley, but we wouldn’t be investing over a half-million dollars if we didn’t believe that there is more than enough demand for indoor courts,” O’Donnell said. “Most of the other indoor play opportunities are in multi-use facilities such as the YMCAs, high school gyms, community centers and the like. While it’s great that these facilities are creating opportunities to play, they weren’t made for pickleball.”
“There are typically multiple game lines on the court as well as lighting and court surfaces that aren’t made for pickleball, not to mention limited hours that tend to fill up quickly,” O’Donnell added. “Our architectural partner, Hiti, DiFrancesco, & Siebold, is designing our facility specifically for pickleball. Not only will we have a top-quality outdoor court surface with a cushioned underlayment, but we will have common areas that will encourage players to take time to relax and socialize before and after their games.”
O’Donnell, born and raised in Euclid and still a resident in the Edgecliff area of the city, graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1987, Ohio University in 1991 and worked in his family business, Owens Flooring Company, in Willoughby with brother Matthew until 2023.
He stressed Erie Pickleball will have a user-friendly court reservation app so players can schedule playing time right from their phones and not have to worry about fighting for court time when they show up at the courts. There will be participant limits for open play and organized events so players will never run into a situation where they must play one game and sit out for two, which is not an uncommon occurrence at some gyms.
Players will also have the option to reserve private court time.
O’Donnell said the prime feature of the facility, besides the courts themselves, is the Community Room, which is a space for players to socialize before and after they play.
“We think this will encourage players to interact off the court and help foster a sense of community,” O’Donnell said. “This room will also be available for private events. If the Community Room is reserved there will always be space in the lobby,
which will include a pro shop for those who are not part of the private event to hang-out with each other after games if they so desire.”
Chris and Kay O’Donnell are both members of the Flats Platform Tennis center — another racquet sport. Kay played softball for many years in the Willoughby and Euclid leagues. Chris was into running and triathlons for many years until his joints started to fail him, so he has been more into cycling in recent years, completing several century rides in Ohio, Virginia and the Carolinas.
The impetus for Erie Pickleball started as a simple attempt at a new up-and-coming activity for the O’Donnells and now it is full-fledge business venture.
“My wife, Kay, who is also my business partner, started playing in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. I picked it up a year or so later,” O’Donnell said. “We noticed that there is a lack of indoor courts in Lake County, in particular in Northeast Ohio in general. We liked the idea of providing a place to promote the game of pickleball. We wanted to create a community of players that take advantage of all the social and physical fitness benefits that the game provides.”
“It’s fair to say that we are both mediocre players, but that is one of the great things about pickleball. Whether you’re a brandnew beginner or a top-level tournament player, you can enjoy the game,” O’Donnell added. “Because of the small court size, it is a very social game and one doesn’t need to be a great player to enjoy the camaraderie of the sport.”
O’Donnell is confident Erie Pickleball will be welcoming to all players and fans of the sport of all ages — whether novice or experienced.
“Most players we know absolutely love to play, and they want to play all the time,” O’Donnell said. “With Northeast Ohio weather being less than ideal for a large portion of the year, the only way to play is to have an indoor facility where the elements are not a factor. Even in the summertime, we have windy days, rainy days, and oppressively hot days, on which people would prefer to play indoors.”
“Some consider pickleball a sport for old people, which it can be, but you may be surprised to learn that according to the association of Pickleball Professionals the average age of a pickleball player is 34.8 years,” he added. “Not only that, but 70 percent of avid pickleballers are between the ages of 18 and 44 and 40 percent are between 25 and 34.”
O’Donnell said he can’t definitively explain the popularity of pickleball, but believes that a lot of people enjoy playing sports when they are young and stop the minute they graduate from high school.
“Pickleball gives them the perfect mix of socializing, physical fitness and a little bit of competitive spirit to fill that void even if in most cases, they didn’t even realize the void was there,” O’Donnell said.
Equipment will be available for rental for those players who do not have their own.
The facility will be staffed everyday, with hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays; 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays; and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Membership pre-sale with special offers start March 1. For prices go to eriepickle.com.