The demand for pickleball courts is booming in Hampton Roads, and now enthusiasts can find more places to play.
An estimated 48.3 million American adults — nearly 1 in 5 — played pickleball at least once in the 12 months ending March 2023, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals. And USA Pickleball, the national governing body for the sport, said it added over 2,300 new locations to its Pickleheads database in 2025, bringing the total to 18,258 locations to play nationwide.
Mike and Kristen Proskine said they found so much fun and connection while playing pickleball they wanted to open a place once he retired from the Navy. The couple had been playing the sport for over five years with their four children.
“It became an obsession,” Mike Proskine said. “We would play as often as we could.”
They opened Hampton Roads Pickleball Club, featuring eight indoor courts, at Warwick and Denbigh boulevards in the DW Center of Newport News in September. The pickleball club offers lessons for beginners, clinics, drill sessions and lots of fun round-robin style games based on skill levels. The climate-controlled facility has a members lounge, pro shop, demo paddles and is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Palace of Pickleball is scheduled to open its indoor courts at 4239 Holland Road in Virginia Beach in late February. The new facility will have seven regulation-size courts with CushionX surfaces, keyless entry for VIP members, locker rooms, a party room for events, and grab-and-go food options. It offers multiple membership options.
Owner Lisa Cardona said she had a hard time finding dedicated indoor courts in the area, so she realized the community needed a space.
“I fell in love with sport, but even more than that, I fell in love with the way it brings people together,” Cardona said. “The Palace of Pickleball is about creating a space where community can connect, stay healthy and feel like they belong — all under one roof.”
Palace of Pickleball is scheduled to open its indoor courts at 4239 Holland Road in Virginia Beach in late February. (Courtesy/Palace of Pickleball)
Norfolk Indoor Sports Turf, located at 202 W. 22 St. in the Ghent area of Norfolk, offers one official pickleball court that is available 24 hours a day for $20 per hour, according to 757pickle.com. The facility also has indoor field turf for other pickleball training activities. It has adult pickleball skill classes on Mondays and kids skill classes on Tuesdays.
This summer, The Pickle Pad plans to open at Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News with a 22,000-square-foot layout. It will feature multiple tournament-ready courts, social yard games and Crave Social Eatery with a full bar. Diana Jacobson, company spokesperson, said by email that the venue will be more than a series of courts: It’ll be a social scene for the community.
Lee Belote, jlbelote@verizon.net
https://www.pilotonline.com/2026/02/23/pickleball-hampton-roads/
