I've never met a pickleball player that I didn't like. Everybody is so friendly, warm and so helpful. So, if anybody just wants to come on try it out. It's a great thing to start out with.”

Christy Versland, local pickleball enthusiast

I am thrilled because now we have enough courts that we can all play pretty much at once, and we get a good rotation in, the courts are level, the nets are the right height and it's perfect. So, thank you very much city.”

Carol Jacoby, local pickleball enthusiast

The group has a Facebook page called “Hastings MN Pickleball” where players can chat about equipment, organize times for getting together to play and other things related to Pickleball in the area.

Monday morning, I stopped down to check out the new pickleball courts and to chat with the players using them and one thing is very clear, the players absolutely love their new courts. At the time I arrived, around 10:45 a.m., there were about 15 people still playing.

Carol Jacoby was the first to chat on the record.

“I am thrilled because now we have enough courts that we can all play pretty much at once, and we get a good rotation in, the courts are level, the nets are the right height and it's perfect. So, thank you very much city,” she said excitedly.

Jacoby is part of the Hastings Pickleball group that has plans for additions to Roadside Park Courts.

“We are working on a 501c so that we can do fundraisers and collect donations to do some of the extra expenses apart from the city paying for stuff,” Jacoby added.

They are looking at adding some picnic tables on the grassy area to the north of the courts with shade so that players can have a comfortable place to wait for their turn to play. They are also looking to add a paddle rack that indicates who the next group is to play once a court opens.

The group has a Facebook page called “Hastings MN Pickleball” where players can chat about equipment, organize times for getting together to play and other things related to Pickleball in the area. The group is exploring an app for organizing matches too. There is an app used for nearby facilities where a player can say ‘I’m looking to play around 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, anyone want to join?’ and other players can set parameters to be notified of these opportunities. This is something online gamers have used for years call LFG or Looking for Group. It is neat to see that concept and technology come to real life applications.

Pickleball is an interesting sport, it is basically ping pong made larger. The rules are essentially the same as ping pong and they are very easy to pick up quickly for beginners. It is very entertaining to watch and the more you watch, the more you want to try it.

The good news is, Pickleball players are super nice, and many will let you use their gear for a game or two to get in the mix and try it out. If you are the kind of person who would rather show up with their own gear, you can get starter stuff for around $40.

After chatting with the players that gave even more of a rundown on the gear that is available including outdoor or indoor balls and paddles that can cost in excess of $200. Some places even have classes or clinics for those that want to master the skills of Pickleball. More people began to open up about the new courts and how thankful they are that the city invested into a great community asset.

“I'm so excited to have these courts available to us. It's a long time coming,” said Christy Versland. “I moved here a couple of years ago and came from Prior Lake and they had an established court system there and not having something here was kind of very sad and now that we've got it it's like I've got everything I could ever want here.”

Versland is a nurse at Regina, and she cannot wait to spread the word about the new courts at Roadside Park.

“Pickleball is the new up and coming thing, everybody should be doing it. It’s great exercise and it really is for all ages. Where else can you see grandparents actively participating in a sport with their grandkids? It’s fantastic,” added Versland

Versland really stressed that the sport is for everyone regardless of age, ability and even many health situations. It is a great sport to help get your body back into a healthier shape if that is something you need.

“I've never met a pickleball player that I didn't like. Everybody is so friendly, warm and so helpful. So, if anybody just wants to come on try it out. It's a great thing to start out with,” she said.

The new court configuration at Roadside Park has seen a lot of use already since opening Oct. 6, and expect the park to be packed once the weather turns nice again in 2024. For those of you who play tennis, no worries, there are still three tennis courts available at Roadside Park that were also rebuilt, so they are just as brand new as the eight pickleball courts.