We have featured the Steamboat Tennis and Pickleball Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, on several occasions. It is one of the nation’s top pickleballing facilities and is renowned for its highly-rated camps, tournaments, and fundraising efforts.
A Shake-Up
There has been a shake-up at the center recently, with Loretta Conway and her husband Bill being relieved of their duties as executive director and concessionaires at the center. They had been managing the facility for the City of Steamboat Springs since October 2016, with Bill serving as the Director of Operations.
The decision to remove the Conways from their positions was made during a board meeting for the Court Sports 4 Life Foundation on Monday, February 12.
Steve “Moz” Modzelewski, the board chair, explained to Steamboat Radio that the center’s considerable growth, now boasting a $10 million capital base, necessitated new leadership. He cited the expansion of the facilities and the evolving operational challenges, which have transitioned from a smaller, city-managed operation to a more complex organization with substantial donor support.
“The board felt two things. One was that we felt that the work culture had gotten a little bit frayed, partially because of the second feature, which was that there has been tremendous growth in the facility over the past years and in no small part due to the efforts of Bill and Loretta, but it had grown from a relatively small mom-and-pop kind of thing that they managed, where the city owned all of the facilities, was responsible for all of the maintenance, and they were running the operations pretty much on a cash-in, cash-out basis.
“A Host Of New Challenges”
He added that the growth had “brought a whole host of new challenges with regard to financial reporting, management of this, etc. And we’ve also felt now that we need to move on to the next generation of leadership for the center to take it to the next stage.”
In response, Loretta Conway acknowledged the board’s decision and indicated that she and Bill are exploring new opportunities, both locally and elsewhere. Despite their departure from their former roles, the Conways remain committed to the facility’s activities and expressed gratitude for the community’s support.
The Conways played a significant role in fundraising for the new pickleball building, part of an $11 million Expansion Project supported by around 400 donors. The board acknowledged the difficulty of the decision to let the Conways go but emphasized its belief in the decision’s benefits for the community and the center’s future.
“A Wrenching Decision”
Modzelewski said, “This was a very wrenching decision. I told people it was painful. But we think that this will be for the best of the community and the center, and we’re incredible appreciative of all that the Conways have done for this community.”
Ricky Jenkins has stepped in as the Interim Executive Director, with the Conways assisting in the transition until a permanent replacement is found. The board plans to conduct a nationwide search for a new executive director promptly.
A Smooth Transition
In an email to members, Modzelewski outlined the organizational changes underway, expressing gratitude to the Conways for their contributions and announcing the commencement of the expansion project and leadership transitions.
He emphasized the need for a smooth transition and urged members to avoid speculation, trusting the board’s decisions as the facility enters its next phase of development. He finished by saying:
“The position of Director of Pickleball has been posted, and we are already receiving applications. If you know of any qualified candidates who would like to receive the job description, please contact Ricky Jenkins at [email protected]”.
