Hoops at home: Marion family adds a half-court to their backyard

When people think of remodeling a home, they often envision a modern kitchen, a luxury bathroom or an open-concept floor plan. But for some sports lovers, a dream home may include something a little bit different. And no idea is too big.

For Pete and Ashley Messerli of Marion, basketball is a fundamental part of life. That’s why, when they decided to invest in their home, a basketball court moved to the top of the list.

“We’ve always been involved and interested in basketball,” said Pete Messerli. “I am the head boys basketball coach at Marion High School, and my wife is a big fan of the game as well. Last year, we added a 44-by-27-foot basketball court in our backyard. It’s about a half-court.”

The Messerlis, who are parents to two daughters, ages 5 and 3, have owned their home off Alburnett Road in Marion for about six years.

Family fun

Pete Messerli said the at-home basketball court has created a great place to bond as a family and enjoy their time at home.

The family goes outside and plays basketball as often as they can and hope that it will get even more use as their daughters grow.

“We envision that down the road it will give our kids an opportunity to play, practice and have fun,” Messerli said. “Hopefully, it will be a place where the neighborhood kids can play.”

The court itself is one-of-a-kind and well-suited to endure long-term use.

“It’s a cement surface, and then we had a custom basketball surface placed on top of it,” he said.

While the work itself only took a few days to complete, the idea had been brewing for a while.

“My wife Ashley was pushing for this for the last two years or so. Then, all of the sudden, the pandemic and quarantine happened. So last year, we ultimately decided to move forward with the project,” Messerli said.

Contractor help

The Messerlis worked with Corby Laube, owner of Snapsports of Eastern Iowa & Western Wisconsin, to create their backyard court.

“We install flooring and sports components for a wide range of activities including basketball, tennis, volleyball, pickleball, shuffleboard, badminton, soccer and more,” Laube said.

To start the Messerlis’ project, Laube helped them decide exactly what they wanted for their basketball court and then came up with the plan.

“They broke ground on a Monday, and we were able to get on the court by Wednesday,” Messerli said.

The concrete surface was installed by a Homestead company. Once the concrete set, the court was ready to get its custom flooring.

Laube helped the Messerlis select the finishes and the hoop that transformed their property from a typical backyard to a high-end sports facility.

“I’ve shot on many different indoor and outdoor courts over the years, and ours is such great quality,” Messerli said. “We have the best line of hoop there is, and the surface really takes it to the next level. I’m proud of it, and it’s just so fun to be outside playing.”

Good investment

All told, the Messerlis are happy with the investment they made — about $15,000 — in their home. And they’re in good company.

“We are seeing a lot of families building small indoor gyms when building new homes,” Laube said.

“Whether indoor or outdoor, the demand and priority for families to have their own safe place for family time, practice, fitness and fun is on the rise,” he said/ “Basketball and volleyball courts are very popular, and pickleball is increasing in popularity.”

For Messerli and his family, “it’s been great. We’ve been home and able to use it quite a bit, so it’s getting a lot of use,” he said. “It’s the perfect way to get outside and have fun as a family. Who doesn’t want that?”

When people think of remodeling a home, they often envision a modern kitchen, a luxury bathroom or an open-concept floor plan. But for some sports lovers, a dream home may include something a little bit different. And no idea is too big.

For Pete and Ashley Messerli of Marion, basketball is a fundamental part of life. That’s why, when they decided to invest in their home, a basketball court moved to the top of the list.

“We’ve always been involved and interested in basketball,” said Pete Messerli. “I am the head boys basketball coach at Marion High School, and my wife is a big fan of the game as well. Last year, we added a 44-by-27-foot basketball court in our backyard. It’s about a half-court.”

The Messerlis, who are parents to two daughters, ages 5 and 3, have owned their home off Alburnett Road in Marion for about six years.

Family fun

Pete Messerli said the at-home basketball court has created a great place to bond as a family and enjoy their time at home.

The family goes outside and plays basketball as often as they can and hope that it will get even more use as their daughters grow.

“We envision that down the road it will give our kids an opportunity to play, practice and have fun,” Messerli said. “Hopefully, it will be a place where the neighborhood kids can play.”

The court itself is one-of-a-kind and well-suited to endure long-term use.

“It’s a cement surface, and then we had a custom basketball surface placed on top of it,” he said.

While the work itself only took a few days to complete, the idea had been brewing for a while.

“My wife Ashley was pushing for this for the last two years or so. Then, all of the sudden, the pandemic and quarantine happened. So last year, we ultimately decided to move forward with the project,” Messerli said.

Contractor help

The Messerlis worked with Corby Laube, owner of Snapsports of Eastern Iowa & Western Wisconsin, to create their backyard court.

“We install flooring and sports components for a wide range of activities including basketball, tennis, volleyball, pickleball, shuffleboard, badminton, soccer and more,” Laube said.

To start the Messerlis’ project, Laube helped them decide exactly what they wanted for their basketball court and then came up with the plan.

“They broke ground on a Monday, and we were able to get on the court by Wednesday,” Messerli said.

The concrete surface was installed by a Homestead company. Once the concrete set, the court was ready to get its custom flooring.

Laube helped the Messerlis select the finishes and the hoop that transformed their property from a typical backyard to a high-end sports facility.

“I’ve shot on many different indoor and outdoor courts over the years, and ours is such great quality,” Messerli said. “We have the best line of hoop there is, and the surface really takes it to the next level. I’m proud of it, and it’s just so fun to be outside playing.”

Good investment

All told, the Messerlis are happy with the investment they made — about $15,000 — in their home. And they’re in good company.

“We are seeing a lot of families building small indoor gyms when building new homes,” Laube said.

“Whether indoor or outdoor, the demand and priority for families to have their own safe place for family time, practice, fitness and fun is on the rise,” he said/ “Basketball and volleyball courts are very popular, and pickleball is increasing in popularity.”

For Messerli and his family, “it’s been great. We’ve been home and able to use it quite a bit, so it’s getting a lot of use,” he said. “It’s the perfect way to get outside and have fun as a family. Who doesn’t want that?”