May 19, 2023

The largest dedicated pickleball complex in South Dakota has opened in southwest Sioux Falls.

Avera has opened a new outdoor pickleball court facility at the Avera on Louise Health Campus at 69th Street and Louise Avenue.

The Linda Erickson Pickleball Complex includes 12 regulation-size courts, as well as a large parking lot and public restroom for players.

Courts are open to the public for free, and memberships are available on four of the outdoor courts to give players the opportunity to reserve a court up to a week in advance.

“Generous community members made this project possible through their philanthropic support,” Dzenan Berberovic, Avera chief philanthropy officer, said in a statement. “Families who enjoy the sport collaborated with us on this project, and this new complex is the exciting result. We are grateful for their generous support.”

Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport, with over 4.8 million players nationwide.

The courts complement programs at the Avera on Louise Health Campus, including orthopedics and sports medicine. Orthopedics is among key specialties at the Avera Specialty Hospital and Avera Medical Group building, and the Avera Human Performance Center is home to sports medicine, performance training, orthopedic urgent care, physical and occupational therapy, and other support programs. The Avera Human Performance Center also offers memberships for indoor pickleball play.

“All the expertise, technology and state-of-the-art equipment related to orthopedics and sports medicine on this campus are here to help people enjoy strength, agility, along with improved health and wellness throughout a lifetime,” said Dr. Ron Place, regional president and CEO of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. “The new pickleball courts are an important outdoor extension of that, so we’re thrilled to open these to the public.”

Linda Erickson of Sioux Falls is a pickleball enthusiast who plays both recreationally and competitively.

“Pickleball is something you can play at any level; it’s a multigenerational sport,” she said. “Getting out to the pickleball courts is not only an opportunity for good exercise, it’s a social event. I’m excited that more people in our city can now enjoy the benefits of getting out and moving, just as I have enjoyed as a tennis player and now a pickleball player.”

Hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Four courts are reservation-only for members, and eight are open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. For memberships, call the Avera Sports Institute at 605-322-3278.

“Our team at Avera Orthopedics and Avera Sports is happy to get behind anything that gets people out, active and enjoying life,” said Dr. Jonathan Buchanan, an orthopedics, sports medicine and internal medicine physician with Avera Orthopedics. “Sports medicine is for everyone because at some level, everyone is an athlete, whether that’s walking in the mall, jogging, swimming, team sports — or a friendly game of pickleball.”