ENOUGH TO MAKE RACKET OVER
AN exciting new game is tipped to explode in Tasmania and it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen here before.
The oddly-named Pickleball is like playing table tennis on a badminton-sized court with Totem Tennis bats and a hard plastic ball.
Unlike conventional tennis, Pickleball requires little running, just good eyehand coordination and reasonable reflexes.
It can be played by anyone from kids to spritely types aged in their 90s. Kingborough Sports Centre has just installed Pickleball specific courts to ride the sport boom, which has seen it grow from a handful of players when it first appeared in October 2019, to 58 registered players today.
“It’s played on a badminton-sized court with hard bats and a hard ball and it is really great fun to play,” said KSC manager Scott Wade. “Just about anyone can play it.
“It’s the fastest-growing sport in America, it’s indoors and it’s a game that you can play without taking it too seriously.”
With the Kingborough courts full of Pickleballers demonstrating their sport at yesterday’s launch, former Parliamentarian-turnedtennis player said he Peter Hodgman was “hooked” on it.
“In politics, you look at your opponents and feel they are hostile toward you, and on the Pickleball court they are all friendly, nice people — it’s a good life after politics,” he said.
“I’m hooked on it.
“I play tennis and a lot of us went along and played Pickleball.
“And we all enjoy it. “It’s just a great game. It’s for all ages, all abilities, and it’s just a lot of fun.”