BONNYVILLE - On July 20, local pickleball enthusiasts gathered to participate in the Eastbourne Community Association Summer Bash, at the Eastbourne ball diamonds and pickleball courts.
Organizer Chris Church describes the game of pickle ball as being inclusive, affordable, social, and accessible - and encourages everyone interested to come and try it out.
Despite the smoky conditions, participants showed up to enjoy the festivities, and play in the fun tournament, showing that this growing sport has kept its momentum.
“It’s pretty easy to catch on to. It's like a combination of badminton and table tennis. Children can play it, we have quite a few seniors into their 70s that play it. It’s just for everyone. And you can play with two, three or four people, there’s lots of different variations of the game,” said Church
“It’s a lot of fun. I hear people say, ‘Oh It’s an old person sport,’ and then they play and get totally hooked,” continued Church.
She reports that there is a thriving pickleball community in the area, and lots of opportunities for beginners to join.
“There’s quite a few people that play in the area, and there are pickleball courts now at Eastbourne, at Northshore Heights, Pelican Narrows, and in the Town of Bonnyville behind [Bonnyville Centralized High School], across from the ambulance hall,” said Church.
“Evening plays are usually more available for people who are beginners. There’s always room for them to come and join a group and learn... You can buy paddles and balls at Canadian tire or any sports store. It's pretty reasonable,” said Church.
She explains that during the week, there’s a mixed group of players that play in the evening after working hours, but the retirees who can play any time of day tend to play in the mornings - and are more advanced.
“Our evening group that plays in town mostly, Mondays and Wednesdays, is a real social group and it’s getting to be quite a large group of lots of different calibers of players. We all play together, and we all have a really good time getting to know one another,” said Church.
Church reports that there are many ways to get involved, and suggests contacting anyone you know who plays, or reaching out for a lesson. She expressed a real sense of comradery and merriment around this growing sport that makes it welcoming to beginners.
“Linda Eyles is usually there in the evenings. She's a certified coach and is really good at teaching beginners. There are several different people in town that are pickleball coaches... there’s lots of opportunities,” said Church.
Eyles says “Pickleball is very easy to learn. It’s a great sport for families to play together. It appeals to all ages and skill levels.”
Explaining the sport further, Eyles says, “Pickleball is played on a badminton size court, with a net similar to tennis and we use paddles similar to ping pong. Players are coming over to pickleball from all of these sports. It’s very addictive but most of all it’s very social and a lot of fun.”
