Stephanie Detweiler: A Voice of the Valley

I am a Boomerang. Not in the literal sense (a curved throwing tool that comes back to you when you throw it), but in the metaphorical sense. I am someone who left the Cedar Valley to explore, grow, and see the world. I lived in other places (Los Angeles, the Quad Cities and Chicago) but I always knew I would come back because the Cedar Valley is my home and the place I wanted to build my family. I just needed to experience other things before I settled back here.

There are so many other people who live in the Cedar Valley and had similar experiences. They left to go to college, live in a big city, travel, see the world, and experience different cultures, but then they also came back home.

We are called “Boomerangs.”

When I moved back home 14 years ago, the biggest thing on my mind was, “How am I going to find a job that I love and that uses my talents?” I knew we were a heavy manufacturing community, but that wasn’t where my passion was. Fortunately, I was really lucky to find a job I loved in human resources, which eventually led me to Grow Cedar Valley.

I would guess there are many people from the Cedar Valley who moved away and would love to come back, but they have the same question I did 14 years ago: “What kind of career can I have in the Cedar Valley?”

That’s exactly why the Population Study mattered.

I had the opportunity to serve as the project manager for the Cedar Valley Population Study over the past year and a half, and it became one of the most meaningful projects of my career because I have lived this experience myself.

Count Me In: Population Study Reveal

Through the study, we found that many young people are leaving for cities like Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Chicago, and Minneapolis because they are looking for stronger career opportunities, higher wages, and more options for growth. Our consultants interviewed hundreds of former residents, many of whom actually wanted to stay in the Cedar Valley. But the most common reason they left was simple: they didn’t believe they could find the opportunities they were looking for here.

That should matter to all of us.

Because this community has so much to offer. We have incredible employers, innovative industries, and people who genuinely care about making this region better. Part of the challenge is visibility. Many people simply don’t realize the opportunities that already exist here.

But the study also challenged us to think bigger. If we want to attract and retain more people, we have to continue evolving. We need more high-paying career opportunities, more innovation, more technology, and more pathways for people to grow professionally without feeling like they have to leave to do it.

And honestly, I believe we can do that.

One of the most encouraging parts of this process was seeing how many people care deeply about the future of the Cedar Valley. There are creative, passionate leaders across this region who want this community to thrive and are willing to work together to make it happen.

The Population Study gave us more than research or data. It gave us direction. It gave us a shared understanding of where we need to go and what kind of community we want to become.

A place where people can leave, grow, explore, and experience the world if they choose to, but still see the Cedar Valley as a place worth coming home to….just like me.

How CourtWorks Will Change the Game

For many Cedar Valley families, youth sports mean loading up the car before sunrise, spending weekends in hotels, and driving for hours to tournaments. Soon, some of those game days could happen a lot closer to home.

Scheduled to open in early 2027, CourtWorks will bring a 100,000-square-foot indoor sports facility to Waterloo, creating space for basketball, volleyball, wrestling, gymnastics, pickleball, and other events. The facility will feature eight full-size basketball courts that can convert into 16 volleyball courts, making it one of the largest youth sports venues in the region.

During a recent episode of the Cedar Valley Podcast, Waterloo Development Corporation Vice President Jim Miller shared how the project is taking shape and why it could have a lasting impact on local athletes and families.

According to the Aspen Institute’s Project Play initiative, families spend an average of nearly $1,500 annually on a child’s sports participation, with travel often being one of the largest expenses. As youth sports continue to grow, CourtWorks represents an opportunity to bring more tournaments, events, and recreational opportunities to the Cedar Valley, helping local families spend less time on the road and more time enjoying the experience.

Keeping Competition Close to Home

Youth sports have become a major part of family life, but participation often requires a significant investment of time and money.

 Tournament weekends can mean hotel stays, takeout, gas, and registration fees that quickly add up. By bringing more tournaments and events to Waterloo, CourtWorks will create additional opportunities for local athletes to compete close to home while expanding access to practices, camps, leagues, and skill development throughout the year, making it easier for more young people to stay involved in sports.

For Cedar Valley families, that means more opportunities to participate, more chances to build connections through sports, and more young people benefiting from the experiences that athletics can provide.

Miller sees CourtWorks as an investment in the next generation, sharing research provided by the facility’s management team showing that young people who participate in sports and other activities are more likely to attend college, perform better academically, develop healthy habits, and remain engaged throughout their lives.

The impact extends beyond the athletes on the court. Local tournaments mean grandparents can make the game, classmates can stop by to cheer, and friends don’t have to follow the action through photos and text messages.

For Waterloo West sophomore and club volleyball player Kennedy Crawford, that’s one of the biggest advantages. Volleyball has taken her across the Midwest and as far as Florida, but having tournaments closer to home means more opportunities for family and friends to be there in person. As Crawford put it, “I’ll be able to have more family come and watch.” For many young athletes, that’s what they’ll remember years later – the packed bleachers, the familiar faces, and the feeling of competing in front of the people who matter most.

Bringing Visitors to the Cedar Valley

While CourtWorks is designed to serve local athletes and families, it is also expected to bring thousands of visitors to Waterloo each year. Those visitors will stay in hotels, visit restaurants, shop at local businesses, and spend time exploring the community between games. Project leaders estimate the facility could generate between $10 million and $15 million in annual economic impact during its first five years.

For the Waterloo Development Corporation, that regional draw was one of the factors that helped move the project forward. Miller believes the influx of visitors can play an important role in supporting local businesses, particularly as downtown Waterloo continues to evolve and grow. By attracting events from across the Midwest, CourtWorks has the potential to create year-round activity that benefits businesses throughout the region and helps strengthen the local economy.

Interested in following the progress of CourtWorks? Learn more about the project, view updates, and explore the vision for the facility at waterloocourtworks.com