Sun City Hilton Head (SCHH) is a 4,300 acre Del Webb/Pulte Home Community in Bluffton, SC., with approximately 6,800 homes and 13,000 residents with anticipated growth to 8,200 homes. The community also boasts a 4.5 acre Community Recreation Campus featuring the multi-million dollar Magnolia Hall theater, a brand new croquet court and expanded bocce ball courts………….and 4 pickleball courts.
John Huber, USAPA Ambassador, is a resident of SCHH and the current president of their Pickleball Club. For the past 6-7 months the Pickleball Club has been directing efforts to convince the developer and their Community Association Management Board (CAM) to help with land acquisition and court construction costs for four more courts. Finding a place to play the game they love has been a long “court” battle that’s not over yet.
Pickleball was first introduced to the community by John and Darlene Prest early in 2005 on a makeshift court shared with the basketball players.
By January of 2006 club membership was up to 145 and they were still playing on the makeshift court. Club president Brad Buck began negotiations with Del Webb/Pulte Homes. They agreed to build three new courts. This was great news; membership was increasing fast. The new courts opened in December. The club continued to use the courts despite the fact that the overall court length was too short, the paint was flaking off, there was no fencing to prevent balls from running into the lagoon and after just a few months the courts were cracking from the water pressure below and from very poor construction. Before the end of the year, safety concerns resulted in permanently closing the courts. The club now had to use two temporary courts shared with the basketball players near the softball field and a short time later two more temporary courts were set up in the parking lot of the old sales center.
In the meantime the club had petitioned the builder and the CAM for four new courts; club membership had surpassed 500. They were successful, and on August 29, 2008 the four courts were opened for play.
Today, a club membership 865 strong, continue their quest, hoping for the completion of four more courts during 2009. With the current economic conditions Del Webb/Pulte Homes will not build additional courts. The club has secured the land but needs to raise $65,000 to complete the construction. A membership pledge drive has raised nearly $45,000 and the club continues with fund raising efforts for the remaining $20,000. They are even selling T-shirts and sweatshirts printed with the slogan “Four More Courts”. They continue to receive and solicit donations to complete their mission.
Despite the “court” situation the SCHH Pickleball Club was successful in getting their club chartered. They have progressed from scheduling court time manually to a web based process. Under Joe’s leadership they successfully hosted the inaugural Beaufort County Senior Games in 2007, and again in 2008. They implemented “Meet and Play” for new players and thanks to Phil Worley and his committee, the 2008 Fall League Play was organized. And would the club have accomplished all of this without some FUN!!! Kudos to Jean Paul Fauser and his committee numerous social events filled with food, music, dancing, prizes, raffles and plenty fun were planned, including Summer Socials and the inaugural League Banquet where the League Championship awards were presented.
Truly an amazing group of people – a club dedicated, a club determined.
There are so many individuals who played a significant role in the building of this club and the pursuit of courts. Here is a link to that complete story as prepared by Joe Huber.
History - SCHH Piclkleball Club
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