Dave Leaderhouse
Special to the Herald
What can only be described as a phenomenon of sorts, the sport of pickleball has taken off globally and it is no different in Prince Albert as local enthusiasts got together last weekend for an “informal” tournament at the Alfred Jenkins Field House.
“Once you’ve played two or three games, you’re hooked,” notes Prince Albert Pickleball Club vice-president Audrey Thomas. “We started as a small group a few years ago and it just grew.”
“It is an attraction mostly for seniors, but we have some younger members,” adds Thomas. “At first the older members were upset when the younger ones showed up, but they soon realized there was nothing wrong. It’s just a lot of fun and a great way to meet new friends.”
Compared by some as a form of table tennis or badminton, pickleball is attractive for its simplicity. It is also affordable.
“The city allots us time on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and we as a club manage it,” explains Thomas. “It is kind of a drop-in type of schedule, but after you play two or three times we encourage you to join the club.”
Membership to the local group, along with provincial and national membership fees, amounts to about $30/year plus taxes. These fees help to offset any costs that might arise such as nets or other required equipment. Each player is responsible for their own paddle and personal gear.
There are approximately 150 members in the local club with time available at the field house year round while in the summer months some of the members prefer to play outside where courts are set up at Carlton Park Community Club and Midtown Community Club.
Most of the local group are just recreational enthusiasts, but there are some who are at a more advanced level and those players utilize the old Rivier Academy facility on Mondays and Wednesdays. The more advanced players travel to out-of-town events and some even compete at national championships.
The event last weekend attracted about 30 recreational members and 20 more competitive players. Two separate draws were held with bragging rights and small prizes at stake.
As the sport continues to grow the local scene will have a new attraction later in the year as Thomas indicated that the former Prairie Meats building on 40th Street East has been purchased by a local businessman and is being converted into a pickleball facility.
“That will enhance the club to offer the opportunity to play 24/7,” says Thomas.
As it presently stands drop-in times are from 1-3 p.m. on the allotted days at the field house, but Thomas says there are times when other users of the facility give up their scheduled times so on short notice the word is sent out to members that another opportunity to play has become available.
Communication is generally done through the local group’s Facebook page, but word-of-mouth is still a common form of getting the word out.
People are always looking for ways to stay active and from the looks of things pickleball has found an audience. In Prince Albert that audience continues to get bigger.
