“We just really wanted somewhere for people to go,” said Brittini Long, who owns the facility with her husband, Casey. “We live in the middle of the country. There’s not a lot of recreational activity out here.”
Her goal was to create a safe space for the community to come and have fun, while also getting a little bit of exercise.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
“People still need to connect,” Long said. “I think we’re still coming out of the repercussions of the COVID pandemic and we still need social connection.”
What to expect
Long’s Sideout Sports & Spirits features an indoor lounge area with a bar consisting of beer, seltzer, wine slushies, mocktails, lemonade and iced coffee. They will have food trucks on site.
The facility has six outdoor pickleball courts with plenty of shaded seating.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Long’s Sideout Sports & Spirits is hoping to offer a variety of leagues such as men’s, women’s, coed, mixed doubles and seniors. They also want to have a lunch league on Wednesdays.
“We’re hoping to have enough teams to offer leagues every evening, but it’s just going to really have to depend on the response,” Long said.
Leagues cost $50 per person for eight weeks.
She described the leagues as beginner to intermediate with not a lot of high caliber players signed up at this time.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
In addition to leagues, open play is available 3-5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Membership is not required. Cost is $5 per person for a two-hour session.
Reservations are also available.
“Whether you’re new to the sport, it’s definitely a safe space where you can come and play without judgment and hopefully make some new friends in the process,” Long said.
They do have paddles and balls available if someone wants to try pickleball for the first time.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
In the future, they hope to have clinics and lessons for beginners.
What’s next?
“We have a vision as business owners, but we want to meet the community where they are,” Long said. “We’re open to feedback. We want people to tell us what they like, what they don’t like (and) what they want to see in the winter.”
The owners are in the midst of planning recreational activities to offer indoors this winter such as ping pong, cornhole, darts, music bingo or trivia.
Credit: Natalie Jones
Credit: Natalie Jones
Long’s Sideout Sports & Spirits is planning to keep the outdoor pickleball courts open as long as possible — pending the weather.
In spring 2026, they hope to add two sand volleyball courts and pickleball classes for adults with disabilities.
They hope to have a total of four sand volleyball courts and indoor pickleball courts within the next five years.
MORE DETAILS
Sideout Sports & Spirits, 1395 U.S. 42 S., will be open 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.
The facility is open to partnering with nonprofit organizations and other businesses for fundraisers and community events in the space.
For more information, visit longssideout.org or the venue’s Facebook (@longssideoutsportsandspirits) or Instagram (@longssideout) pages.
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