Ever since the Grande Prairie Pickleball Club was founded in 2017, interest in the sport has grown locally.
There are indoor courts at the Dave Barr Community Centre, outdoor courts at Legion Field and Muskoseepi Park, and the ability to use the Activity and Reception Centre for the sport. President Clarence Lindblom says it’s great to see.
“It’s one of the fastest-growing sports in North America and it’s exceeded our expectations since we founded the club. We currently have 140 members at the Grande Prairie Pickleball Club”
Lindblom got involved and passionate about the sport because he felt it was a great way to engage with people.
“It’s such a social sport where you can meet many different people. It’s the only sport I know that you can spend ten minutes getting to know someone and play a 15-minute game,” he says.
The sport sees many different age groups participate locally, according to Lindblom.
“It really varies in terms of people that are members of the club. We have 20-year-olds and also 80-year-olds, and anything in between.”
A tournament was held over the weekend, right next to Grande Prairie Composite High School. Lindblom was pleased with the turnout.
“Things went very well with our first tournament. With over 60 participants, it was a great event to bring the club together. We had people coming in from Peace River, Whitecourt, Beaverlodge, and Spirit River join us,” he adds.
The club is planning on holding another tournament this coming September and also hopes to host a provincial event in June of 2023. Anyone interested in joining the club can reach out to them on Facebook.