‘A form of exercise that you don’t think of as exercise’
Pickleball gaining popularity across Atlantic Canada
SALTWIRE NETWORK
Pickleball is the fun game with the funny name, with nary a pickle in sight.
This sport has been around for over 70 years but has really taken off in the region over the last decade; first with seniors, and now all ages are getting in on the fun.
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in North America. It is a cross between tennis, badminton, and pingpong, yet it has its own unique set of rules. It uses a speciallymade paddle and players hit a wiffleball (not a pickle) during the game.
The game is most often played as doubles and it can be played on a badminton court. Serves are made underhand and points can only be scored by the serving team. Games are played to 11 points, with a win by two points, averaging about 15 minutes per match.
Any fan of racquetball sports can usually catch on to pickleball quickly, although the overwhelming opinion is that it is a sport easy to understand and suitable for all ages and skill levels.
Players say it’s a great way to stay active and connected.
‘A SPORT THAT SUITS EVERYBODY’
Ginny Conrad started playing pickleball about seven years ago at the urging of a friend who had played in Florida. At that time, the only option in the city was at the St. Margaret’s Bay Centre in Tantallon. Conrad learned to play there but then she and some friends decided to set up a venue closer to her Dartmouth home.
She’s now the HRM area rep for Pickleball Nova Scotia and the region is home to over 20 venues and has the largest population of players in the province.
One of the wonderful things about the game is that it’s suited for almost anyone, as the only thing needed to start to play is a pair of sneakers. Most locations have paddles, balls, and nets available to borrow.
“You don’t have to be highly skilled to have fun playing pickleball, it’s easy,” Conrad says. “It’s not overly strenuous but it is what you make it. You can have some really long rallies that make it more strenuous, but you can also have short rallies that make it less so.”
Conrad is a retired physical education teacher and an advocate for keeping active. She says pickleball is a great way to stay fit.
“This is a sport that suits everybody, particularly older people. I’m in my 70s and there are people playing in their 80s. It’s a game you keep on playing,” she says.
“It’s not that difficult to learn, it’s a lot of fun to play and it’s a very social game.”
SMALL TOWN FAVOURITE
Many small towns are also embracing the sport. While the HRM may have the greatest number of players, the secondlargest area is in the Highland region.
Ian Macdonald of Arisaig, N.S. is president of the Arisaig Pickleball Club and a Pickleball Nova Scotia Highland Region board member. The club in his community started in January 2018 with one member and now there are over 150 members in the region.
“Generally, the bug bites you pretty quickly and you want to play all the time,” he laughs.
The club has received support from local and provincial organizations and opened outdoor pickleball courts this past summer. It also hosted the first International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association workshops last February and the area is now home to five of the eight Nova Scotia level one certified instructors.
Macdonald says while he enjoys the exercise in the sport, it’s the camaraderie that keeps him coming back.
“It’s the only sport I know of that when you make a good shot the other team congratulates you,” he says. “The chatter going on in this sport is complimentary … We’re all competitive but everybody’s laughing and having a good time. If you miss the ball, so what? You get to play again.”
‘FORGET EVERYTHING AND PLAY’
Becky Heim of Bridgewater is in her 50s, works from home and describes herself as an emptynester. When pickleball was just starting at the Michelin Social Club, her husband encouraged her to try it out. After playing her first game, she was instantly hooked.
Heim loves the mental and physical elements of the sport, comparing the strategy element to chess. She looks forward to her pickleball break each day.
“When you go play pickleball, you can forget work, you can forget everything. It’s two hours out of my day where I can just go and forget everything and play,” she says. “It’s a form of exercise that you don’t think of as exercise because it’s so much fun.”
Heim hosts a popular annual ladies-only tournament in Bridgewater. It has the tonguein-cheek name of Pickleball Snob and sees players from all over come to play.
One of her favourite things about pickleball is the support and friendship she gets from the other players.
“You get to know everybody; I’ve met hundreds of people through playing pickleball,” Heim says. “This isn’t just about being the best, as most sports are. This is a sport for every level. As long as you can stand up, you can play pickleball.”
HOW TO GET STARTED
Pickleball is open to all ages and skill levels. It’s recommended that interested individuals first check out the pickleballnovascotia.com website to find locations that offer the sport, then sign up for some beginner lessons to learn how to play safely.
The only equipment needed is sneakers, preferably court shoes to accommodate the range of motion in play; a pickleball paddle; nets; and a pickleball. Most centres that host games have badminton nets on-site that players can use, and a doubles badminton court can fill in for an official pickleball court. Many clubs also have loaner paddles and balls for new players to try out.
Pickleball games are often set up as drop-ins and players can just show up and join in the fun wherever a game is happening.