The Black Hawk Tennis Club was started 45 years ago and is still Cedar Valley’s best kept secret! In the late 60’s and early 70’s, a group of local businessmen and professionals decided to support the idea of a place where people could exercise indoors during the cold Iowa winter season. These tennis enthusiasts funded the construction of the original Black Hawk Tennis Club. Ground was broken in 1970 and the club was open in November of 1971. Now, forty-five years later, it is only fitting to remind ourselves that Waterloo did not always have the luxury of indoor tennis.
The tennis facility is situated at 1005 Black Hawk Rd, just east of Ansborough Ave, in Waterloo. This great facility boasts six indoor, climate-controlled courts, six outdoor courts and experienced USPTA and instructors who are ready to help take your game to the next level. From junior tennis programs, to adult leagues and private lessons, the Black Hawk Tennis Club has a program available for you! The Black Hawk Tennis Club is also home of the University of Northern Iowa woman’s tennis team and a proud supporter of UNI athletics.
PICKLEBALL EXPANSION
In 2021, the former owners son, Dan Delorbe presented the idea of taping pickleball lines on the two tennis courts in the back room. Dan was persistent that this was the up incoming sport and that we should make this move. With his help, we taped courts, and started taking reservations shortly after.
On Nov 12th we took our first official court reservation for Pickleball. Shortly after the Black Hawk Tennis Club celebrated our 50th Anniversary with the Delorbe family introducing tennis and now pickleball to the club, friends and family.
Dan was instrumental in getting pickleball started at the Black Hawk Tennis Club and honestly without his persistence we probably would have continued for several more years the way things were. Dan and his friends played several times a week at the club on Court 2. The group was super consistent playing pickleball as often as possible and always could hear lots of joy on their court.
On Saturday, March 26, 2022 Dan and his friends played on their court and Tara was teaching tennis lessons on court 6, and she recalled thinking they always have so much fun, not knowing this was his last game here on earth.
The very next day, March 27th we all got the shocking news of Dan’s passing. Dan was taken way too soon, at the young age of 42, from his wife, parents, siblings, family, co-workers, friends and this community.
Dan Delorbe has touched so many people’s lives, the outpouring of stories and memories of Dan and his impact on our community is amazing.
As pickleball continued to grow at the tennis club over the next few years, we had decided last summer to paint the pickleball lines on the courts in the back room and to purchase better nets, making improvements to the space. In August when I was painting lines, I had this overwhelming feeling and I just started crying. I was taken back to the countless hours of taping lines with Dan and it hit me hard. I thought, it is now time, we have to do something. I want to put up a picture in his honor. If it wasn’t for Dan we wouldn’t have had the many new people coming through the door and playing on these courts..
Immediately we contacted Dan Oltrogge of Print Innovations and I told him the idea and so the process began. I reached out to Devin Degeeter at Bankers Life where Dan worked for 14 years and Devin so generously offered to sponsor and pay for the sign. Brian Gilbert of G & R Construction donated the use of his lift and Print Innovations designed and installed this amazing sign from my drawing that I texted to them.
Dan found a passion for pickleball, and wanted to help the pickleball community find an indoor place to play, laugh, compete and network. And what better place than the business his dad spent his life building, and Dan and his family called home for so many years. Chris and I would like to dedicate the pickleball room, as the Dan Delorbe Memorial Courts, making it a place that friends, family and the community can enjoy but also honor Dan Delorbe.
In addition the facility also boasts six outdoor premium sand volleyball courts and hosts league play for all levels May-September.