SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Pickleball is widely recognized as the fastest-growing sport in the United States, which wouldn’t be possible without increased accessibility.
In Sioux Falls, Remedy Brewing Company opened its Pickleball Pub in January 2024, and it’s quickly become a popular destination among players.
It’s a Monday morning at Remedy Pickleball Pub and the four courts are full, which isn’t uncommon.
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“I love Pickleball. I think it’s rare to find a sport that you can be competitive at this stage in my life,” Sioux Falls resident Jessica Graeber said.
Jessica Graeber first picked up a paddle two years ago. She’s among a growing number of Pickleballers who play as often as possible at Remedy.
“The people here are friendly, there’s always an opportunity to play pick-up games, it just has a really great atmosphere and vibe, I like it,” Graeber said.
“Just trying to make it social, stand out a little bit where 100% the focus is Pickleball but we can offer a lot more too with our brewery and food and our patio scene,” Remedy Brewing Company co-founder Tyler Jepperson said.
Tyler Jepperson is the co-founder of Remedy, which offers everything from Pickleball camps for kids to tournaments to open play for all ages and skill levels.
“Over-55, ladies’ night, we do come on over and hang out for newbie night, where it’s super informal, meet some new players,” Jepperson said.
In addition to providing a space for players, Remedy has signed a partnership with one of the game’s largest equipment suppliers, Joola Pickleball.
“You learn real quick what your players want, what the expectation of play is, and our partnership with Joola has really helped us up our game and drive it to the next level,” Jepperson said.
“They know so much about the sport, they have such a rich history with the sport that they’ve been able to come alongside us and guide us and help us in lots of different ways,” Pickleball manager Geneva Olson said.
Geneva Olson is the Pickleball manager at Remedy, where the collaboration with Joola has already resulted in new nets and equipment.
“For a lot of people, Remedy is home for where they play Pickleball and so seeing these upgrades, they’re just as exciting to them as it is to us,” Olson said.
Olson is also a Pickleballer. In fact, she’s headed to Texas this week to attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the longest marathon playing Pickleball doubles.
“The current record of 34 hours and 5 minutes and 55 seconds and it’s held by a team in the U.K., and so we’re attempting to bring that record back to the United States or the home of Pickleball,” Olson said.
But it’s not all about bragging rights.
“I met a guy in Missouri who was actually traveling to all 50 states in 50 days to raise awareness for mental health,” Olson said.
His name is Chong Kim, or C.K. for short.
“He had a buddy, a Pickleball friend that had committed suicide and so it was a way to honor his memory and just kind of raise awareness for something that isn’t talked about a whole lot,” Olson added.
And it’s a topic that hits close to home for Olson.
“I had a brother that committed suicide as a teenager and so that really connected with me, and I connected with him and after he was successful in his fifty states, fifty days, he contacted me and said ‘hey, I’ve got this crazy idea and I think you might be the right person to come alongside with me’,” Olson said.
The record attempt is in support of mental health awareness. Any money raised will benefit a nonprofit in Texas providing grief support to organ & tissue donor families.
Record or no record, Olson hopes to see Pickleball continue to spark friendships in Sioux Falls.
“I think people keep coming back because of the relationships they have, not necessarily just because of the game, so the more we can create an environment that’s welcoming and friendly and encouraging those relationships, the more the sport is going to grow, the more Remedy is going to grow,” Olson said.
And that falls in line with Jepperson’s plan.
“Continue to evolve and listen to what our community wants and adapt basically,” Jepperson said.
“They really want to make it a state-of-the-art facility, a fun place for people to come. It makes me eager to want to be a part of it and play here as much as I can too,” Graeber said.
Olson, C.K., and their team of four will attempt the Guinness World Record beginning at 6:00 a.m. Saturday in a suburb of Dallas, Texas.
If you’d like to reserve a Pickleball court at Remedy Brewing Company, click HERE.
