Pickleball remains one of the fastest-growing sports in America, across every region and age range. The sport’s mass appeal is attributed to being easy to learn and accessible for all fitness levels. As new courts and facilities open to allow for year-round play, the right court can make a big difference for players and facility owners. Pickles and Play is an indoor pickleball facility with three locations in North Carolina that all feature Action Herculan courts. Players can feel the difference and it keeps them coming back!
Pickles and Play Member Feels the Difference on Action Herculan Pickleball Courts
Charles Lewis, a 72-year-old former tennis player, transitioned his game of choice to pickleball due to its booming popularity leading to more court availability nearby. In addition to playing multiple times a week, Charles is a certified instructor, hosting a free clinic once a week to help introduce more people to the sport.
Pickles and Play is the first and largest indoor pickleball facility in the Triangle Region of North Carolina, with locations in Wake Forest, Chapel Hill and Garner. The facility’s goal was to provide members access to courts that they craved and an elevated experience that would keep them coming back.
Before joining Pickles and Play, Charles would frequent local outdoor hard courts, made with acrylic coatings. With a lot of cumulative wear and tear on his body, he could feel the impact of his frequent play on his joints. This would force him to cut his sessions short and he needed to get injections in his knees several times a year.
When he joined Pickles and Play, it took him a few weeks to notice that he was playing longer every session and that his knees were feeling better than ever.
Not All Courts are Created Equal
The difference was the flooring system. Pickles and Play installed Action Floor Systems Herculan PB Pro 7+2, which has up to a 35% shock absorption. Coming from no shock absorption on concrete courts, players can feel the difference in their bodies. However, the play of the ball and grip of the court is not impacted, so people accustomed to a hard surface court won’t notice the difference in their game.
Combining high performance and durability, the Action Herculan PB Pro Series consists of a recycled rubber base layer covered with an elastic polyurethane wear layer and is finished with a special structured polyurethane UV top-coating. The system can be used indoors or outdoors and can be resurfaced economically throughout its lifetime.
Worth the Investment
Lane Ethridge, co-founder and CEO of Pickles and Play, knew that quality was paramount to the experience he wanted to offer at his clubs. The pillars of success for their facility focus on lighting, space, climate, and courts and investing in the Action Herculan court system has made a difference in their business.
“People comment on it all the time – whether it’s members or players who are in for tournaments. The quality is unmatched, and people feel the difference. This helps us retain and attract members and sets our business apart as competitors try to enter the space. It’s a bigger financial decision, but we saw it as an investment, not an expense, and it’s truly paying off.”
Lane even keeps a sample of the court structure on display to help answer questions and showcase the difference to potential customers
Not Slowing Down
Charles doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon thanks to Action Floors. He’s playing as often as he can and even going longer between his knee injections. “When you deal with joint issues as you get older, it’s hard to quit because of physical pain. This court has been a blessing to keep me and many others playing the sport we love.”
Are you adding a pickleball court to your facility?
Action Floor Systems has indoor and outdoor solutions to help you create a pickleball court built to last and exceed expectations. Get started by contacting our team today!
