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Keeping Players Cool: The Critical Role of Shade Structures in Pickleball’s Rise

William Attardi on August 8, 2025

Pickleball is more than just a fleeting trend. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, pickleball participation increased by 51.8% from 2022 to 2023 and by 223.5% over the last three years, with increased participation from every age group.  As a result, the demand for new courts is skyrocketing, with cities, park systems, and private developers working to build facilities catering to both recreational players and elite competitors. However, one major factor is essential to these outdoor spaces’ long-term success and usability: protection from extreme heat.  The trend of courts with shade structures reflects an industry-wide shift toward more innovative and safer designs. aces’ long-term success and usability: protection from extreme heat.Shade Structures Play A Critical Role In The Rise Of Pickleball

 

Pickleball & Tennis Court Illumination by U.S. Architectural Lighting

William Attardi on May 2, 2025

U. S. Architectural Lighting recently introduced Baseline – Pickleball & Tennis Court Lighting. Designed specifically for the court, Baseline uses a Type IV CL precision optic designed especially to meet IESNA / USA Pickleball / USTA Standard Performance Criteria for court photometrics. The luminaires distribute uniform light across the court surface without creating hot spots. To minimize glare, the light is directed at a low angle onto the court surface avoiding direct glare into the eyes of the players to prevent discomfort or distractions during play. The Baseline is available in five sizes in wattages from 85W to 550W, with up to four fixtures per pole, in parallel assembly arrangements, allowing a wide range of lumen packages. https://usaltg.com/product/bas/

 

The Genesis of the U.S. Space Force – On December 20, 2019, President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2020, officially creating the United States Space Force, a new and independent branch of the U.S. military. The establishment of the Space Force marked a historic shift in how the U.S. views and manages its military operations in space, reflecting the growing importance of space as both a domain of strategic competition and national security. The Space Force is tasked with ensuring the U.S. maintains its superiority in space, focusing on both the defense of space assets and the development of offensive capabilities. Its mission includes:

  1. Space Operations: Overseeing space-based systems, such as satellites, that provide essential services to the U.S. military, including communication, reconnaissance, and missile defense.
  2. Space Security: Protecting U.S. space infrastructure from threats, including anti-satellite weapons, cyberattacks, and other potential forms of disruption by adversarial nations.
  3. Space Research and Development: Developing and deploying cutting-edge space technologies, including space-based defense systems, that ensure the U.S. maintains an edge in space exploration and military operations.
  4. Supporting National Defense: Integrating space capabilities into broader national defense strategies, ensuring that U.S. forces can operate effectively in space as part of a multi-domain approach to warfare.

The Space Force is designed to streamline and strengthen the U.S. military’s space operations, which were previously under the purview of the U.S. Air Force. By separating space operations into a distinct branch, the government hoped to increase focus on space as a critical area of national defense and enhance the U.S. military’s ability to respond to emerging threats. Source: Day in History