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Redlands Pickleball Club History

It was during the summer of 2019 when Ron and Louise Jackson were visiting a friend at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast that the conversation turned to the fascinating new sport taking over America. US professional tennis players and celebrities alike were investing heavily into the game known as Pickleball.

It was at that moment the friends decided to try a game of Pickleball in the garage of the Palm Beach home. Ron and Louise were both instantly intrigued and convinced that the game had some merits.

When they arrived back home in the Redlands, they decided to try Pickleball at Coorparoo Indoor Cricket Centre. After just one session, they fell in love with the game. Little did they know that this simple act would mark the beginning of something extraordinary.

The dilemma for Ron and Louise was to travel the 45kms round trip each week for one game or start a casual Pickleball session closer to home in the Redlands area. As luck would have it, the Jackson's would soon cross paths with another local lady, Jan Doran, who, with a group of friends, was already playing Pickleball at the Chandler Sporting Complex. The newly formed group agreed to meet the following Wednesday evening at the Thorneside Tennis Courts.

And so, with borrowed equipment from Brisbane Pickleball Club, the small group started playing. It was their laughter filling the air, that captured the attention of others passing by. One person after another, approached them, intrigued by the unfamiliar sport they were playing. Newcomers were introduced to the basics of Pickleball and before they knew it, a small community of Pickleball enthusiasts had formed, bonding over their shared love of the sport.

Play continued until the end of 2019 with the group growing to about 30 players; their initial equipment loan was now fully paid off and the group of friends celebrated their first year and a half playing Pickleball with an end of year Christmas celebration.

It was not until February 2020 that the Redlands Pickleball Club Inc. (RPC) was officially formed with a mission to promote and grow the sport of Pickleball by providing a safe and inclusive environment for players of all ages and skill levels.

The Redlands Pickleball Club’s mission also encouraged a sense of community and sportsmanship among its members, while promoting physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. Through coaching, tournaments and social events, the club’s aims were to enhance the skills and enjoyment of the sport for its members, and to raise awareness and accessibility of Pickleball in the local and broader community.

It was at this time, commercial negotiations were taking place with Ormiston State School, resulting in Wednesday evening session play on four inside courts in the school Hall.  The line markings were taped with masking tape.

The school undercover area adjacent to the hall, soon became available to RPC for Sunday morning sessions. A small group of members marked permanent lines for four Pickleball courts including, at the school’s request, several handball courts for the children.

Further negotiations with the school led to the club adding LED lighting to the outside courts.  The agreement was in exchange for free rent, RPC would add LED lighting to the outside area, repair the leaky roof and upgrade the old mercury vapor high bay lights to LED in the School Hall.

The club was successful in obtaining a $5,000 funding grant from Redlands City Council to pay for part of the installation with the other 50% of the funds loaned to the club by an anonymous club member.

News of this exciting new game spread like wildfire throughout Redlands City.  The success and growth of Pickleball in Redlands City was unprecedented.  Soon players of various ages and backgrounds were reaching for their paddles and engaging in friendly matches. Families played side by side with retirees, and newcomers were welcomed into this tight knit community with open arms.

Covid struck in 2021/22 and affected everyone with lock downs and restrictions but the club continued to grow and soon learnt to play with the Queensland Government, Health and Safety protocols in place. RPC now had 8 courts all undercover.

At the end of 2021 the school kindly added permanent Pickleball court lines to the inside courts, which meant the club members no longer had to tape up the inside courts each week. During this marking process, unfortunately one less court was available to the club.

The club, however, was in great shape with a growing membership base and seven all weather undercover courts.  A Monday night session was added to cater for the growth of the club membership which was now above 150 and climbing.

In 2022, each of the three sessions at the Ormiston School were well supported, but the demand for the game exceeded the current supply of facilities. The committee has been, and still is, lobbying with the Redland City Council for permanent playing facilities.

By September 2022 the club successfully negotiated with council to add, at the club’s expense, Pickleball court lines to one of the under used tennis courts at Wellington Point. Tennis players and Pickleball players could now happily co-exist at this Redlands City sports venue.

The newly marked Pickleball courts at Wellington Point Community Tennis Courts have now become the second home of Redlands Pickleball Club. In 2023, a Friday morning and Friday evening session were added to the playing schedule at Wellington Point with an additional session scheduled for 2024.

Seeing the positive impact this sport has had on the community, local schools have begun introducing Pickleball to their physical education curriculum, allowing the sport to reach the younger generation. It has become a means for fostering teamwork, coordination, and healthy competition among students.

Pickleball has grown from an unknown, to an inseparable part of Redland City’s identity. The Redlands Pickleball Club, now with a 250 strong membership and another 40 casual players, enjoys the support of Redlands City Council and in particular, Cr Wendy Boglary, who believes that people from all walks of life have found common ground on the local Pickleball courts, forging connections and friendships that go far beyond the game. Redlands Pickleball Club has become a symbol of unity, growth and community in Redlands City, Brisbane, Queensland.

As Ron, Louise, Jan and her group of early adopters, reflect on their journey, they can’t help but feel a sense of pride and fulfilment. Their initial curiosity has ignited a Pickleball revolution in their city, leaving a legacy for generations to come.