The Pickl'r

Pickleball, often described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton, is America's fastest growing sport.

Earlier this month, Laramie County residents Ray and Tanya Estes opened and now operate the Cheyenne pickleball facility "The Pickl'r'.  Located in the former Big Lots space on East Lincolnway, the 22,000-square-foot facility includes eight indoor courts with outdoor-style surfacing, a pro shop, private event space, and grab-and-go refreshments. Services will include court reservations, drills, league play, clinics, tournaments and open play.

Both U.S. Army veterans, Ray and Tanya see the new franchise as an opportunity to apply their leadership experiences in the business arena. Ray’s military tenure included serving at the U.S. Military Academy — also known as West Point — as a family and marriage counselor and ethics and leadership instructor. Tanya, a West Point graduate, holds a Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing and taught information technology and computer science at West Point for 13 years. A retired colonel, Tanya’s a former Apache helicopter pilot who is now a commercial pilot for United Express as part of CommuteAir.