Pickleball is booming across the United States. Sources close to the sport report that 14% of American adults played pickleball at least once in 2022, and that USA Pickleball’s membership increased by 30% in 2022 (that’s a lot of pickling). But for many players and fans, pickleball is more than a hobby or a workout. It’s a can’t-miss social event, and one that is an essential part of an outgoing, active lifestyle.
Enter Rally Pickleball, a North Carolina-based pickleball-meets-social club that’s on the forefront of a new kind of pickling lifestyle. They’ve taken the growing sport far outside the lines of playing on damaged, aged public park courts—Rally’s stylish facility includes a café, fine dining options, courtside bar, VIP lounge, fire pit, and indoor and outdoor pickleball courts.
These aren’t your average pickleball courts, either. That’s because we stepped in to play as the manufacturer and installer of eight top-performing synthetic sports surfaces at their space in Charlotte. We are proud to have Action Herculan PB Pro named The Official Surface of Rally Charlotte Pickleball Courts. Our pickleball flooring system makes a radical difference for players of all ages and skill levels. Read on to discover how.
The Serve: Connecting with Rally Pickleball
Rally Pickleball was the brainchild of Megan Charity, an internationally ranked pickleball player and coach, and her co-founder, Barrett Worthington. With Charity’s well-known name attached, Rally got media coverage right from the start.
After reading about Rally, Action Floors President Tom Abendroth reached out directly to express his excitement about the project and how Action Floors could help. Luckily for both parties, Charity had already played on Action’s pickleball surfaces at Life Time fitness club in Charlotte—and she remembered her experience as being remarkable for her quality of play.
Rally had several requirements for a pickleball surface partner in addition to offering a high-quality flooring system. They also needed a partner who could work closely with a general contractor, and one that carefully adhered to their timeline.
Action Floors proved to be up to the task, and brought our experience, skill, and top-notch surfacing materials to Charlotte to begin an exciting installation.
In Play: Installation and Overcoming Challenges
As the team kicked off the installation of eight courts, four indoor and four outdoor, a couple of speed bumps emerged. This is to be expected with any project, but the takeaways are that Action and Rally’s teams collaborated effectively to overcome these challenges.
For instance, the space was being remodeled from an existing building (vs. new construction), creating special flooring considerations. The existing indoor flooring was concrete, raising concerns about flatness and potential contamination from the building’s previous tenants. We were happy to investigate that. As for the outside, the previously paved asphalt was laid incorrectly, which required flattening and leveling.
The Stats: Details About Rally’s Pickleball Courts
- Rally Pickleball’s eight Action Herculan PB Pro courts totaled 15,000 square feet, with a 7+2 profile.
- They were installed in four custom colors, with the outdoor courts in a two-color scheme of turquoise and coral, and the indoor courts in a two-color scheme of cream and coral. When we say they were custom colors, we really mean that—the palette was carefully matched to specifications provided by Rally’s designer.
- A rubber mat was installed first, followed by a layer of polyurethane. Lastly, a final coating (with color added) was poured. This system type is also called “pad and pour.”
- The top layer added was our Standard “Court S” polyurethane, a water-based coating with fine silica sand that makes the surface non-slip.
The Win: A Game-Changing, Injury-Preventing Pickleball Surface
With an inferior pickleball surface, players are subject to muscle damage, forceful impact on joints, and the danger of slips and falls.
Action Herculan PB Pro is designed to provide comfort, uniform play, and most important of all, unparalleled safety. Here’s why more pickleball lovers and pros alike choose Action courts:
- Comfort: The cushioned court provides up to 35% shock absorption, enabling easy, enjoyable play for pickleballers of all ages and abilities.
- Uniform play: We’re not talking about what you wear on the court (although, have you seen the stylish outfits players are wearing?)—we mean the consistency of the polyurethane used. It’s soft but rebounds, boasting uniform support and ample ball bounce. It’s not too hard or too soft, but instead a perfect balance of the two.
- Safety: Because Action Herculan PB Pro is cushioned, highly shock-absorbent, and non-slip, players are less likely to tear muscles or slip and fall, and if they happen to hit the ground, the surface’s cushion offers much more forgiveness than a hard asphalt court.
- Eco-friendly: The base of the court is recycled, an attribute our green-minded facility owners and homeowners love.
- Easy to clean: The only cleaning regimen required is a weekly vacuum plus wash and a monthly sudsing with an automatic scrubber.
- Durable: The surface is designed to be weather and water-resistant and stands up to harsh UV rays, so longevity is the name of the game.
Advice for Installing a Pickleball Court at Home
After installing eight courts for Rally and many more for facilities big and small across the country, we have one key recommendation: work with the right partners. Find a contractor/installer and surface provider who can match their skills and products to meet your space’s unique issues.
For instance, your pickleball court’s subbase is critical to the success of the installation and the final quality of your court. If your subsurface isn’t flat, it can cause moisture buildup, bacterial contamination, and cosmetic and structural damage. The right contractor and installer will work with you to find solutions to spot and solve issues before a single drop of your court is poured.
Helping Provide Years of Safe, Enjoyable Play for North Carolina Pickleballers
Unlike crack-prone asphalt and delicate acrylic courts, Rally’s Action Herculan PB Pro synthetic pickleball courts will require minimal maintenance outside of basic cleaning and minor repairs over the next decade or more. These surfaces are made to last and continue performing, providing maximum return on your investment.
Explore more of our successful pickleball court projects, like this one in Lake Odessa, Michigan, on our website. Or, if you’re ready to get started on your own pickleball project, get in touch with our team of experts.
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