By Staff
June 6th, 2024
BURLINGTON, ON
Pickle Ball has become the rage for those who want exercise and fun with their friends.
The Burlington Pickel Ball Association is hosting an open house Learn to Play Pickleball drop-in for youth and their family members this summer! We invite ages 8 to 14 to come out and learn how to play the world’s fastest growing sport.
Paddles provided, but we encourage you to bring your own. All youth must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
The event is on July 14th, (yes this is early notice) at the Haber Community Centre in gyms 5/6 from 10:00 am through to noon.
Pickel ball isn’t as challenging as tennis.
Those between 8 to 14 are invited to to come out and learn how to play the world’s fastest growing sport.
Paddles provided, but we encourage you to bring your own.
All youth must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
An article in the New York Times provides some background on the growth of the sport.
Pickleball, often described as a combination of tennis, Ping-Pong and badminton, grew nearly 40 percent between 2019 and 2021, making it America’s fastest-growing sport.
The sport is now attracting younger people as well.
Joanne Miller picked up pickleball two years ago after a friend needed to round out a foursome. Now she plays twice a week and hopes to play even more once her backyard court is complete. “We know if we have people over and we have paddles, everyone can go out and hit the ball,” she said. “Not everyone’s going to put a swimsuit on at 60.”
The sport has trended older in the past — half of all serious pickleball players (those who play eight or more times a year) in 2021 were 55 and older, according to the USA Pickleball Association. But the vast majority of casual players are under 55, and the fastest-growing segment of all pickleball players are under 24.
How is the sport able to appeal to both retirees and younger devotees? And regardless of your age, can you actually work up a sweat? Here’s what the experts say.
Many municipalities are adding new pickel ball courts; Burlington finds that it can’t keep up with the demand.
Many racket sports have a steep learning curve, even at the beginner level. “In tennis, the balls are all over the place,” said Ernie Medina Jr., an assistant professor of public health at Loma Linda University and pickleball coach who was introduced to the game in 2016 by his mother.
Bigger paddle, shorter handle and a ball that does fly through the air as fast nor does it bounce all over the place.
“In pickleball, you’re hitting a plastic wiffle-like ball, so it’s less bouncy and doesn’t fly as fast through the air. And the paddle is much easier to handle because it’s shorter and lighter than a tennis racket.” You also serve underhand in pickleball, and underhand serves are easier to hit and return.
Besides being easier to learn than tennis, pickleball is also slower paced and there’s less ground to cover; you could almost fit four pickleball courts onto one tennis court, and most picklers play doubles. Some research suggests that it may be safer than tennis for people with heart issues as well.
