Local social media was abuzz with residents trying to figure out what is going on at the Roadside Park tennis and pickleball courts. The consternation? Windscreens, the black plastic fiber material that is hanging on the fences around the pickleball courts.
The windscreens were installed by volunteers and purchased by both the Hastings MN Pickleball Association (HPBAMN) and Hastings Tennis Association in conjunction with the City of Hastings’ Community Investment Fund.
The windscreen has been in the plans as part of the renovation of the courts to help with a few things. First, they help reduce the amount of wind that reaches the courts. Having the windscreen up does not completely eliminate the wind, in fact, a quick test on a windy night proved that wind does still reach the playing surface. However, the windscreen does severely reduce the effect the wind has on the ball.
Second, they also help significantly reduce the noise of the paddles striking the ball from reaching the nearby homes and dampen the sounds of the traffic from Highway 55 on the courts.
The third thing the windscreen does is help with the depth perception portion of seeing the balls during games.
As Steve Black jokingly said in his update on the Hastings MN Pickleball Facebook Page “OK, no more excuses for missing that shot!!
Since the installation, the number one complaint has been that passers-by can no longer see the courts in use. The common, paraphrased complaint? ‘I love driving by and seeing everyone play, it always put a smile on my face.’
The remainder of the windscreen should be in place around the tennis courts by the time this article is published with a planned installation date of Tuesday, August 13th.
Folks will notice that the screen has small, half circles cut into it. These circles help reduce the sail effect that can happen during stronger winds. That sail effect would break the zip ties easily without the pressure release flap.
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the US and it is a great workout for players of all ages, to learn more about the Hastings MN Pickleball Association, visit www.hpbamn.com.