Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in Saskatchewan.
There are already 1200 players in Regina, and in Yorkton are growing, including a full house Saturday for a beginner’s workshop on the sport at the Gloria Hayden Centre.
The reasons for the growth are varied, said Dave Weiman, a director of Pickleball Saskatchewan who was one of the event instructors.
“It’s senior friendly,” he said, adding one does not have to be athletic to participate in the sport.
For those unfamiliar with pickleball it is a paddleball sport combining elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis.
Two or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a wiffle ball, over a net.
The sport shares features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules somewhat similar to tennis, with several modifications.
Pickleball was invented in the mid-1960s as a children's backyard game.
“It’s a well thought out game,” said Weiman, who noted when playing doubles the on-court movement is not extreme, again making it ideal for mature players.
“There’s lots of volleys,” he added, which means you don’t require on power to be good at pickleball as is the case in a sport such as tennis where a power serve can be dominating.
Weiman said as an association they really are focused on attracting players at around 55 years of age. He said they can learn the game and have many years still to play.
And, in Yorkton there is a great opportunity to play, with drop-in sessions at Gloria Hayden Tuesday and Thursday evening, and Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning from 10 a.m. til noon. The cost is only $5 a session and paddles are provided.
“Yorkton has been very kind to us,” said Weiman, adding in the summer they take pickleball outside too.
Or more information on the sport check out pickleballsaskatchewan.weebly.com
