Most of us enjoy playing more than one sport. Those who like basketball may also like pickleball, badminton or a good tennis match. Playing different sports keeps you active and you never get bored playing the same old game. Area parks usually have some kind of court for basketball and another court for tennis or pickleball perhaps. A family visiting a community park might want to shoot hoops then get in a doubles game of pickleball. This is when a multi-use sports court comes into play.
For those with a backyard court designed for multiple sports, it keeps everyone active while improving at their chosen sport. At first it may seem tricky to turn one court into multiple courts, but it is becoming more popular and manageable with the right planning. There are considerations when installing a multi-use court, like if you want actual regulation dimensions or if you will scale it down depending on the area it will be built on. Having a court with multiple use options really helps to get the most value out of a court.
Multiple Sports On One Court
If you intend to combine basketball, tennis and pickleball then a full size regulation basketball court would need to be at least 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. These dimensions will give you the room to include a tennis court and multiple pickleball courts all in one court. This is done with a customized line configuration so you can easily use your new game court for several different sports.
Fitting Pickleball Courts into A Basketball Court
Believe it or not you can fit 3-4 pickleball courts sideways inside a basketball court. Having 4 pickleball courts makes it really tight between each court but 3 courts gives you more breathing room to run around. Because a basketball court is over 90 feet long and 50 feet wide, this is enough space to place the baseline of a 44 foot long pickleball court along the sidelines of a basketball court.
Pickleball courts are only 20 feet wide so you will have ample room to stack 3 courts comfortably side by side. Using different colored lines to designate a pickleball court within a basketball court is important. The boundary line colors you choose can be up to you but be sure to make the different court colors stand out from each other. Because you are combining multiple courts into one space, you will need to use mobile nets for the pickleball courts. These nets are easy to move since they are relatively light and have wheels. Many community parks also use mobile nets for their pickleball courts.
Bonus Badminton Court
Badminton courts have similar dimensions to a pickleball court. In fact, a pickleball court’s dimensions are the same as a badminton’s doubles court. This means you can add yet another sports court to your multiple sports court set up! All you need to do is swap out your pickleball net for a badminton net and you’re in business. Since you can fit 3 pickleball courts sideways inside a basketball court, this means you could designate one of those courts solely for badminton if you have a big enough group of people gathered together. The dimensions aren’t exactly the same but are so close you can make it work. Bonus fun!
Tennis Anyone?
A tennis court works like a pickleball court but on a much larger scale. The two games are played in a similar manner just with tennis having more ground to cover. Tennis courts typically are 78 feet long and 36 feet wide, giving you plenty of space to fit it inside a basketball court which is 94 feet long and 50 feet wide. You can use the same center line for both tennis and basketball courts.
One key element to consider is the basketball nets themselves. A tennis court is 78 feet long and a basketball court is 94 feet long. This leaves 8 feet on each side of the tennis court. Much of tennis is played far beyond the baseline during a rally. Having basketball nets that can be rolled out of the way for tennis will eliminate obstacles for the tennis players. The nets you use should be heavy enough to stay in place but still light enough to be handled and removed for a tennis match.
Once again using different colored lines to mark the tennis court dimensions versus the pickleball courts all within a basketball court would be beneficial for those playing. Having a tennis net, you can remove and set up again will make it easy for when people want to play pickleball, badminton or basketball. Talk about getting the most out of a single court!
Full Use Basketball Court
Up till now we have done quite a lot with a simple basketball court. With some good planning and different color line paint you really can combine multiple courts into one. We have covered the ways to use pickleball courts as a badminton court and how to play tennis inside a basketball court all while keeping the basketball hoops stored out of the way for unlimited play and safety. There are other sports you could include like volleyball, street hockey and even lacrosse. It really comes down to imagination and planning.
Conclusion
By installing a multi-use court in your backyard or community park you automatically increase the value of the property. If you have a sports court at your house your family will stay active and healthy. If you have a promising athlete in the family, they will also have unlimited access to court to improve their game.
Community courts are a safe place for families to gather and socialize with other people in their neighborhood. Having a sports court makes an area more desirable for parents looking for a place to raise their family. Sports courts in local parks are a great way to introduce different sports for youth athletics. The best part is how healthy regular exercise is for people of all ages.
So, for those considering getting the most out of an investment like a sports court, think about the added benefit of turning one court into multiple courts. It’s very attainable with the right planning and right outlook.
