APPLETON, Wis. — Jake Woodford was walking around City Hall in Appleton, not expecting to see a soul.

He had just started his first term as mayor in 2020 and the month before, COVID-19 had sent most everybody home.

“I ran into a constituent in City Hall, which at the time was really unusual because people just weren’t out and about,’’ Woodford said. “And it was the first piece of constituency feedback I got. And he said to me, ‘We really need pickleball courts in the city of Appleton.’ I said, ‘What’s pickleball?’

“So he explained what pickleball was, and I said, ‘OK, it’s on the list.’”

Tuesday at Telulah Park, the mayor could officially cross that wish off his list.

Thanks to a $500,000 gift from local philanthropist Mary Beth Nienhaus, an eight-court pickleball complex, the largest in Northeast Wisconsin, was open for business.

“I can tell you, this would not be possible without her contribution,’’ Woodford said of Nienhaus.

The Mary Beth Nienhaus Pickleball Complex will eventually include lights, a filtration station and additional landscaping.

“People have asked me, ‘Why are you involved with this project?’” said Nienhaus. “It’s a perfect fit for me. My entire life has been involved with lifetime sports and fitness. I was a physical education teacher for 33 years. So I certainly know the importance of physical fitness. And I actually, believe it or not, taught pickleball in my classes many years ago.

“And everybody knows that pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, for all ages.”

According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball participation surged nearly 40% between 2019 and 2021 to 4.8 million players.

The sport is a combination of badminton, tennis and ping-pong and has become especially popular in the over-50 crowd, offering the opportunity of aerobic activity with a lower risk of injury.

Pete Prast of Combined Locks, and a member of the Fox Cities Pickleball club, was a happy camper when he stepped off the court Tuesday after working up a good sweat.

“This is very important,’’ he said. “There are hardly any courts available, and with this facility, there’ll be a lot more opportunities for all levels of play.
These are fantastic courts. They did a really awesome job putting them together.”

Julie Van Sambeek is the founder of Fox Cities Pickleball and formed the club four years ago. She knows the new complex will mean an opportunity to grow the game further.

“Very excited,’’ she said. “It’s a beautiful facility and a nice new place to play, a place to meet more people, hopefully help more people if people are open to tips and ideas to improve their play.”

She hopes it will one day be a home for league play. Currently, she runs leagues at Verhagen Park in Kimberly, where two tennis courts were converted into six dedicated pickleball courts last fall.

The addition of lights and two additional courts makes the Mary Beth Nienhaus Pickleball Complex an attractive option.

“Well, if the city of Appleton works with us to provide court time for free leagues, I will definitely help,’’ she said. “I’m not in the business of collecting money to pay court fees. Everything I do is volunteer."

“We run five leagues at our park right now. That could happen here. We just can’t send 32 people out here to play for a league and then have six courts filled with other players and not be able to play. So, we need the dedicated time spots for our leagues.”

As the morning wore on, all eight courts filled with players young and old, veterans and beginners. It was exactly what Woodford and Nienhaus envisioned when they walked the grounds two years ago.

“I definitely want to thank Mayor Woodford for saying yes to this project,’’ Nienhaus said. “And this speaks well of Appleton’s commitment to making its family friendly parks welcoming to all ages.”

Made possible by Nienhaus’ generosity.

“While money is certainly important,’’ said Woodford, “what I really want to celebrate, Mary Beth, is your heart for this community. Mary Beth cares deeply for our community and we can see that in all the good work that she helps support and make possible."

“And I can tell you, this would not be possible without her contribution.”

Story idea? You can reach Mike Woods at 920-246-6321 or at: michael.t.woods1@charter.com