ABOUT US

River Valley Pickleball is a group of community folks ages 10-80 years from Buffalo City, Cochrane, Fountain City, Alma and Waumandee. The group welcomes anyone who loves the game of Pickleball or wants to learn how to play. The group is all about building a strong, healthy community by bringing folks together through the game of pickleball.  

Go back 13 years. A few local residents got together at the Winona YMCA to learn how to play this new-to-them court game with a silly name – Pickleball. They had great fun that day and kept going back. Then, players pooled resources to purchase movable nets and equipment and began playing regularly closer to home at the Fountain City Auditorium (currently under renovation) and the Cochrane - Fountain City School. Their numbers grew from a few to several, and then many. 

Today, fair weather brings pickleball players to modified tennis and basketball courts in Alma and Buffalo City. They set up temporary nets and chalk their own surface lines. The condition of these outdoor courts is a bit unforgiving, with uneven surfaces, cracks and fissures, thus increasing the opportunity for injury, yet the group makes due. But ideas began brewing….

River Valley Pickleball became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit in October 2025 with the intention of building a two-court dedicated pickleball surface on land designated by the City of Buffalo City Council in the Buffalo City Community Park. The cost is substantial for this project – upwards of $85,000+ - and River Valley Pickleball is turning to our communities for support. 

River Valley Pickleball participants are the same folks you will find actively volunteering at local food shelves, supporting fire and rescue, serving on local boards and councils.  We are all deeply dedicated to our communities.

River Valley Pickleball is not a club.  There are no memberships, dues or restriction of any sort. All interested in playing Pickleball or just learning about this phenomenally popular sport are welcome to join and play with the group. If you’ve never played before, show up and we will gladly hand you a paddle and teach you. It’s an easy game to learn and play. And exceedingly addictive in a good way.

We receive much encouragement from community members regarding our efforts to bring the sport of Pickleball to our residents and had success with our first fundraising efforts this fall with holiday porch pot sales. Other fundraising events are in the planning stages and we encourage folks to check our River Valley Pickleball Facebook Page for upcoming events.