The Sarah Vande Berg Tennis & Wellness Middle has solely been open since September, however it has shortly proven to be a success amongst Zephyrhills residents and outsiders alike.
The $4.9 million complicated at 6585 Simons Street has already begun delivering on its promise to herald large-scale racquet sports activities tournaments, due to its portfolio of 11 tennis courts, eight pickleball courts and 4 padel courts — plus a definite mixture of peak efficiency therapies in the way in which of a contemporary health heart, cryotherapy, salt room remedy and sports activities counseling.
The complicated hosted a weeklong pickleball event from Dec. 7 by means of Dec. 11, adopted by a weekend padel event Dec. 12 and Dec. 13.
The pickleball occasion attracted over 200 individuals, making it one of many largest within the state for the complete yr, based on Zephyrhills Planning Director Todd Vande Berg, who up to date the Zephyrhills Metropolis Council on the ability’s happenings at an everyday assembly final month.
Meantime, the padel occasion’s 118 individuals made it one of many largest padel tournaments held in the US, the planning director mentioned.
The padel occasion alone attracted a large contingent from Miami and the South Florida space, whereas others got here in from as distant as Houston, Las Vegas, New York and even California. It’s believed a complete of 11 states had been represented in all.
“They had been coming from all around the nation to be right here in Zephyrhills to play in that padel event,” Vande Berg mentioned of the brand new however fast-growing racquet sport popularized in Mexico and Spain.
And, extra big-time tournaments in Zephyrhills are deliberate within the new yr.
The power will host a $25,000 skilled girls’s tennis event bringing in a number of the top-ranked gamers on the planet, from Jan. 28 by means of Feb. 1.
Vande Berg additionally famous “there’s doubtlessly a really giant event that’s within the works of being investigated that will be tremendous thrilling if we’re capable of get that, however we’ll proceed to speak about that if that continues to drag by means of.”
Elsewhere, the ability’s youth sports activities coaching program — referred to as United International Academy (UGA) “is rising like loopy,” Vande Berg mentioned.
“Each time you go on the market, you see new children which are coaching there, both on a full-time or afterschool foundation; however simply the whole lot we’re listening to from dad and mom which are coming in is, ‘An incredible facility,’” he mentioned.
Even within the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Vande Berg mentioned the tennis heart basically has produced “optimistic outcomes so far,” additionally mentioning that its common Sunday Brunch has develop into “very profitable.”
The complicated is owned by the Metropolis of Zephyrhills, however privately managed and operated by famend tennis teacher Pascal Collard, who’s held comparable posts on the Saddlebrook Tennis Middle and The Merion Cricket Membership in Haverford, Pennsylvania.
It’s named in honor of former Zephyrhills Excessive Faculty district champion Sarah Vande Berg, who turned a scholarship participant on the College of South Carolina Upstate girls’s tennis group.
Sarah, the daughter of Todd Vande Berg, died in an vehicle accident on the age of 21 in October 2015.
The power celebrated a comfortable opening in September and a grand opening in October, greater than a yr after a July 2019 groundbreaking on building.
Revealed January 06, 2021
