By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Racquet center sport membership is down 30% in Ocean Pines, per a review of the homeowner association’s unaudited April financials conducted by the community’s budget and finance committee last week.

The committee observed the 30% decrease, which was noted as a significant decline compared to an increase in memberships among the other amenities. The racquet center was the only item where a registrant drop was seen.

The group noted that the decrease in racquet sport members could be due to an “aversion to the new rate schedule.”

Earlier this year, the Ocean Pines Association eliminated the single-sport choices and offered a bundled three-sport annual fee for pickleball, tennis, and platform tennis. The decision was controversial with OPA residents.

At the neighborhood’s budget town hall in February, the racquet sports director, Terry Underkoffler, presented the new rates with price comparisons. Underkoffler noted at the time that the entry fee into the facility for resident individuals would be $295, and resident families would incur a cost of $495. The membership fee for a nonresident individual would be $370, and the rate for nonresident families would be $590. The resident junior cost would be $70, while nonresident juniors would pay $90.

Community officials said the change was necessary to avoid the logistical headache of offering too many membership options and to account for increased costs like staff wages, utilities, and maintenance. Racquet center goers argued it was unfair to be required to pay for three sports when most only participate in one.

Still, OPA maintained the combo package was most economical. This decision may have hurt memberships, but OPA’s Budget and Finance Committee Chair Doug Parks assured that while the fee change could be responsible for the decline in registrants, many other factors are likely at play.

“It could be that people moved out of the area,” Parks said. “… Or they just decided that their buddies play in Ocean City, so they went to play with them. It could be any number of reasons.”

Parks said the next move is to monitor the racquet center membership rate going forward and potentially make recommendations to the OPA Board of Directors during the budget process for fiscal year 2027, which begins in September.

“What’s done is done,” the committee chair said. “The board passed that particular rate structure … It’s not up to us to promote. We let the board know we noticed this downturn in the membership with racquet sports, and maybe we can see if there’s any reason to relook at it again for the following fiscal year. It’s informational at this point.”