Paddle Up, Shreveport! Why We Could Be America’s Pickleball Capital

Pickleball has quickly become an incredibly popular sport across the United States. Now, Shreveport might have a chance to lead the nation and cash in on the sport. Some officials within Caddo Parish are making a bold play to become a national pickleball center with brand new facilities.

The proposal to create a 19-court pickleball center in Shreveport is being spearheaded by Patrick Wesley, the Director of the Caddo Parish Parks and Recreation Department.

Wesley is pushing the Caddo Parish Commission to strike while the iron is hot, with support from groups like USA Pickleball, Visit Shreveport-Bossier, LSUS, the Caddo Parish Department of Juvenile Services, and countless more local figures. With so much local support, Shreveport has a chance to capitalize on pickleball's growing popularity and win a massive economic opportunity.

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The proposal asks for $10 million to build a 19-court pickleball complex on the south side of Shreveport in a partnership with the YMCA. The YMCA of Northwest Louisiana had its CEO voice his support to the Caddo Parish Commission and offered that the YMCA would be willing to manage the facility.

Pickleball isn't the most popular sport in America, but it is quickly growing in popularity, and with that growth comes a big chance for economic development. The sport has withstood the test of time, proving it's not a flash-in-the-pan trend but something long-standing Shreveport could hang its coat on reliably for years to come.

As pickleball continues to grow, having an advanced and modern facility that is fine-tuned for the sport right here in Shreveport could put the city on the map for a sport with national attention.

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