Low-barrier sport a hit among seniors

Vikki Hui VHUI@RICHMOND-NEWS COM

No one knows when pickleball first landed in Richmond, but the sport has exploded in popularity in the city

According to co-founder Gordon Farrell, the Richmond BC Pickleball Association’s (RBCPA) membership has grown from around 100 to almost 600 since it was established in 2019

Farrell came to learn about the sport through word of mouth a few years ago when pickleball enthusiasts played at community centre gyms during “sporadic times of the day ”

The lack of dedicated courts or even outdoor courts never stopped the enthusiasts, and the high demand and desire to bring the sport to the city’s attention were what inspired the formation of RBCPA

The city eventually took note of the pickleball hype and managed to convert nine tennis courts into dedicated outdoor pickleball courts by 2020 just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic

A simple way to describe the game, according to Farrell, is that you ’ re playing table tennis while standing on a big table

“So, the ball moves and has the same sort of sounds, and the paddles are similar but much larger,” he added

The result is an addictive and strategic game, much like chess, that isn’t as physically demanding as similar sports such as tennis or racquetball

Richmond is only one of the many cities across B C experiencing the pickleball boom One major factor contributing to the sport’s popularity is the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Farrell Many gravitated to the outdoor sport during lockdown

The sport is also inherently inclusive: it’s a good cardio workout and requires strategy but puts less stress on one ’ s body, allowing players of all ages, especially seniors, to participate

“Our youngest member is 12, the oldest member is 86 And it’s not unusual to see them all playing together in the same court,” said Farrell, adding those who played other sports such as squash, racquetball and tennis often pivot to pickleball as they get older.

Pickleball games are more social as well, he said, as the learning curve is quick and games can be short, and players can enjoy the game even when they’re playing with people of different skill levels

“I’ve met people and learned more about other communities Pickleball brings down barriers, language barriers, and preconceptions of people and stuff like that,” he said.

Having a small court also means you don’t have to scream across the court “So you ’ re able to talk as you ’ re playing back and forth, and it’s much more fun and laughing ”