KAMSACK — Because of the sport’s “exploding popularity” and with top-level coaches, organizers of the Kamsack Duck Mountain Pickleball Lessons set for next month, are expected to quickly fill to capacity.
The lessons, which are geared for adults, are being held July 11 and 12 at the courts at Madge Lake, said Brenda Andrews, an avid pickleball player and organizer of the lessons.
Pickleball has become very popular and when similar lessons have been offered at other locations, the spots have filled very quickly, Andrews said, urging people interested to register as soon as possible in order not to be disappointed.
Reg Dumont and Karen Wallace, who operate The Pickleball Shop in Regina, where they offer lessons as well as sell equipment for the sport, will be the instructors for the lessons, she said. Both have international coaching certification and have instructed internationally, and Wallace is a member of Pickleball Canada.
“We decided to organize these lessons as a way of getting more people involved in the sport,” Andrews explained. “For some, it may be a bit intimidating to start, so with these lessons people will be able to readily gain the knowledge and the skill to play.
“Our ultimate goal is to start a club here in order to raise funds to improve facilities, provide an opportunity for players to compete at other levels and to obtain funding for the sport,” she said.
A member of the Yorkton Pickleball Club and a club in Arizona, Andrews said that pickleball is a sport that had its origin years ago, but is now taking off. Often tennis players graduate to pickleball because its court is smaller and is an excellent sport for people with mobility issues.
“In pickleball you don’t have to run as much as you do for tennis. It’s good exercise, a great social experience and is fun to play.”
At Kamsack, they’re looking at creating a space to play pickleball indoors during the winter and there are discussions regarding the possibility of an outside court, she said.
Dubbed Pickleball 101, the first session on July 11 will be an orientation to pickleball and will be held in two classes, at 10 a.m. to noon and at 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The classes cost $25 each per person.
This first day is for beginners, Andrews explained. The class will include an overview and then will deal with safety; paddles and balls and two different grips; the ready position; the non-volley zone; dinking and scoring; a dinking game (scoring and service order); the serve and different types of serves; ground strokes; forehand and backhand returns; mid-court strategic positioning, and play out the point.
Pickleball 201 on July 12, from 10 a.m. to noon and costing $25 per person, is designed for people with some experience and looking to gain more skills and learn the shots, she said. It will involve dinking strategically (corners); cross-court dinks; ready position; compromised; reset shots; drop shots; drive shots and block shots, and if time permits, the lob and how to retrieve a lob.
And then Pickleball 205 will be held that afternoon from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a cost of $15, and will be a session of coached round robin play that will include brief warm-ups and competition round robin play, and participants’ play will be assessed and feedback provided by the coaches.
Persons interested may sign up and make payment is online at pickleballshop-sk.com. Space is limited.
Participants are required to have their own court shoes or running shoes and bringing water and sunglasses is recommended. Balls, paddles and protective eyewear will be supplied for the classes.
Persons wishing more information may contact Reg Dumont at 306-216-7260.
