YORKTON - Pickleball Yorkton President Ken Kolisnek is excited about the 2023 pickleball season.
The club has some great things coming up for club members this season, and hopes to attract more players to the game throughout the season with learn-to-play clinics and events.
Pickleball Yorkton registered 112 members in 2022, and many of them were introduced to pickleball by attending a Learn-to-Play Pickleball Clinic.
These clinics teach the basics of the game; the rules, the scoring and how to serve and return.
Many beginners found these clinics very beneficial in acquiring the skills to come to regular club Drop-in Sport spots at the Gloria Hayden Community Center.
The first Learn-to-Play Clinic is Jan.14, starting at 1:00 p.m. and running until 4:00 p.m. The space is limited to 12 participants and registration is online on Pickleball Yorkton.
The Pickleball Club has also set the dates for the ‘Pre-Intermediate Clinic’ along with a ‘Intermediate Clinic’. These clinics are focused on skill development of the more experienced player and a player looking to dominate the courts at the local level. These clinics also have limited spots open to players.
The club has also created the ‘Player Development Program’ which is aimed at bringing dedicated players to a competitive level.
“It's exciting to see the level of skill these players have shown improvement on. Their strategic game and teamwork is amazing! It will be interesting to see how these players will do at tournaments this coming year," stated David Weimen.
Pickleball Yorkton will be hosting its own local tournament Feb. 11, at the Gallagher Center.
The tournament will be a one-day event from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and the club hopes to attract teams from our club as well as around the area and Regina and Saskatoon.
There will be three categories, men's, women's and mixed. There will also be some exciting games as the day goes along and the finals finish with gold, silver and bronze in each division.
The five pickleball courts in the Flexihall will have some great games under way at the same time and the balcony will be open to the public to watch all the action.
This will be Yorkton's Pickleball Club first major tournament on a larger scale and will provide an opportunity for our competitive players to compete.
The club invites anyone interested in seeing pickleball played, to mark Feb. 11, on their calendars.
Pickleball Yorkton's Club will also be hosting a ‘Ladies Only’ Pickleball Tournament on April 1, at the Gloria Hayden Community Center. The tournament goes 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and is open to ladies from the local club as well as the surrounding area.
Yorkton's Pickleball Club has six coaches that host the beginner clinics along with the Pre-Intermediate Clinic.
The focus is on building the membership in both numbers and skill level. The coaches have been heard to say that all of the players that have only begun a short time ago have improved very well and they hope to help others come and enjoy the game of pickleball as much as they do.
For more information on events or tournaments go to Pickleball Yorkton website or email pickleballyorkton@gmail.com or contact via text 306-621-8926.
