FORT POLK, La. — Fort Polk has a population of people who are passionate about pickleball. The challenge for the community of players was not having enough space to play.
Jessica Cobb, one of the spouses who originally started playing pickleball at Fort Polk, said they had been playing for more than a year, and their small group of four women soon grew to about 16 regular players.
She said Fort Polk’s command group opened up indoor play in the gym to help out, which she said was phenomenal, but soon one court was no longer enough.
So, the spouses continued communicating with command through ice comments and the Army Housing Survey — encouraging them to create more courts.
“The command team and Corvias really made magic happen. We couldn’t be more excited to have more courts so even more people can play!” Cobb said.
Melody Moreno, another spouse who plays pickleball, said “We thought the pickleball courts would be beneficial for the whole post and command listened.”
Then Chris Brown, Corvias Operations Director, came to watch the spouses play and talk to them about what they needed. He recognized immediately that this was an opportunity worth pursuing.
“The spouses were enthusiastic, passionate and clear about what they wanted for their community. For us, that kind of direct resident feedback is invaluable,” Brown said. They were central to the initiative that has been the partnership with the Fort Polk spouses, whose advocacy helped turn the idea into a reality.”
When residents feel heard and see results, trust is built and that benefits everyone, said Brown.
“That is what this partnership is about, active listening, working within our budget to deliver resident satisfaction and creating a positive experience for everyone on post,” he said. “I am proud of the way this came together and grateful to the spouses for their energy and advocacy.”
Corvias heard that message and acted on it. Fort Polk now has four active pickleball courts, located in the Dogwood Terrace neighborhood on Seay Court, open to residents, enabling more people to play simultaneously.
But pickleball is so much more than just a game.
Cobb said, as an Army wife, life can feel constantly changing — deployments, training rotations, new duty stations, and starting over again and again.
“Pickleball became a place where people connect no matter their age, background, rank, or season of life. Some days we play with our husbands, and other days we show up for each other while they’re away training. Either way, the court becomes a community. It gives us laughter, competition, exercise, stress relief, and friendships when we need them most. In a military lifestyle where goodbyes happen often, it creates connection and consistency. No matter where we move, there’s usually a court, a paddle, and people ready to welcome you in,” Cobb said.
Moreno said, “Since I started playing, I have built some of the best connections with this group of spouses than I have in the two years I have been here. Our group has a diverse group of players that include spouses of every age, their husbands, kids and even single Soldiers. It’s fun, good exercise, easy to pick up and makes you feel young again. It’s joyful,” she said.
Sophia Hargett, a young spouse who was curious about the women playing pickleball, decided to check it out.
“They have been so kind and welcoming. I don’t know how to play yet, but they are willing to teach people. It’s such a friendly and fun way to meet other people.”
Rosanna Mason, another spouse, said she mainly heads to the pickleball courts for socialization, but the game was easy to pick up.
“I’m not an athletic person, but I feel like I can do this and be fairly decent at it. We have people show up all the time that have never played before. We are happy to teach them. I recommend people come out and have fun,” Mason said.
Cobb said pickleball has such a positive effect on Soldiers and their families in regard to their quality of life.
“It gives them a healthy outlet to decompress from the stress and demands of military life. Whether they’re coming off long training days, field exercises, deployments, or being the new spouse at a new duty station, the court becomes a place where they can relax, compete, laugh, and reconnect with people outside of work responsibilities. At the end of the day, improving quality of life isn’t always about big programs — sometimes it’s about creating spaces where Soldiers and their families feel welcomed, supported, active, and connected. Pickleball does exactly that,” Cobb said.
| Date Taken: |
05.12.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
05.29.2026 11:16 |
| Story ID: |
566417 |
| Location: |
FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: |
17 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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This work, Fort Polk command partners with Corvias to provide pickleball fun for spouses, by Angie Thorne, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
