Pickleball is a Smash Hit throughout the Midwest

Take a trip with Pickleball in the Sun to Des Moines, Iowa, where we share the latest and greatest from the Midwest’s up and coming Pickleball community.

The sport of Pickleball is officially reaching every corner of the United States and growing in popularity more each day. Pickleball has been wildly popular in states such as Florida and California for some time, mainly due to the consistent warm weather that allows players to enjoy the game year round. That said, pickleball is making its way throughout the rest of the United States, most notably in the Midwestern portion of America. Specifically, Des Moines, Iowa, has seen a boom in pickleball growth with clubs opening up all throughout the city. Follow along as Pickleball in the Sun takes you on a tour through Smash Park Pickleball Complex in the heart of West Des Moines, Iowa.

Welcome to Smash Park, a dedicated pickleball facility that caters to the family-friendly side of the game. The facility boasts opportunities for families to play a plethora of games (including pickleball, of course!), get together for dinner and drinks, or even host private events or parties. When Smash Park opened its doors in West Des Moines, Iowa, in 2018, the idea behind the new “eatertainment” venue was to create memorable experiences. Pickleball provided the perfect centerpiece around which to build the concept.

Smash Park CEO, Monty Lockyear, saw pickleball’s surging popularity around the country, and discovered the sport has a community full of enthusiasm, passion, and social connection. “Our idea was always to bring people together around food and social activity,” Lockyear said. “Pickleball was a perfect activity to incorporate because the skills are easy to master and it’s a lot of fun. It’s an activity for all ages and lifestyles. You can take a light-hearted approach to playing, or make it more competitive and vigorous.”

Most notably, Smash Park is home to pickleball courts for all patrons to enjoy. With 4 indoor courts and 2 outdoor courts, the park caters to players all year round as well. The courts at Smash Park are available to players on a reservation - basis, 7 days a week. With an unlimited number of players per reservation (3-hour maximum per court, however),the Park encourages families to bring friends along and engage in the social aspects the game has to offer as well.

For those seasoned or well-established players, Smash Park has leagues and tournaments each month for players to work on skills and sharpen their game. Each league takes place on Saturday and Sunday nights, and players must be at least 21 years old to participate. The Park holds a wide variety of leagues for players to choose from, including: 

Men’s Social Pickleball

Men’s Intermediate Pickleball

Men’s Competitive Pickleball

Women’s Social Pickleball

Women’s Competitive Pickleball

Mixed Social Pickleball

Mixed Intermediate Pickleball

Mixed Competitive Pickleball

Pickleball fans will find something at the West Des Moines location that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. “Big Blue,” certified by Guinness World Records as the largest pickleball paddle in the world, was commissioned by Smash Park and resides proudly on its wall. Measuring 4.1 meters (13’6”) tall and 2.05 (6’9”) wide, Big Blue was created in conjunction with premium pickleball paddle-maker Paddletek.

Finished a game and looking to grab a post-game meal? Head to Smash Park’s full-service, on-site restaurant with scratch-made food in a welcoming and lively atmosphere. The restaurant houses a full menu with everything from shareables, full entrees, a kids meal, and an adult-only section full of craft cocktails and beers on tap. The park is fully family-friendly and also accommodates larger groups with both indoor and outdoor seating options available, weather permitting.

With the addition of Smash Park, the pickleball scene in Des Moines will continue to grow into a community that will be hard to beat. Based on the popularity of its West Des Moines location and combined with the lack of quality pickleball courts in other Midwest metros, Smash Park has begun to expand its presence. A second Iowa location will open in Pella, Iowa in the spring of 2022, and two locations will open in the Twin Cities in 2023 and 2024. The company also plans to open a venue in the Omaha metro.

For more information on the park and its pickleball offerings, head to https://smashpark.com/

Have you been to Smash Park yourself? We’d love to hear about your experience! Tag us on Instagram in your Smash Park photos at @pickleballinthesun for a chance to be featured.