There’s a new racquet in town — well, technically, it’s a paddle.
The Sarnia-Lambton Pickleball Club is looking for members as it looks to grow the game, locally.
Registration for the club opened this month, and a $70 membership includes access to certified coaching, ladder tournaments as well being associated with Pickleball Ontario and Pickleball Canada, which provide provincial and national tournaments. It also provides a place for many to come and experience the game and meet others, said club director Mike Baron.
“It’s a very social game,” he told The Journal, noting the game has been growing in the community since around 2016. There’s about 19 courts within the city — including six beautiful courts at Blackwell Park, he added — and a Sarnia Pickleball Facebook group boasts about 1,000 members.
“We felt that over the last year, Mike VanHemmen and myself decided to talk to the city and put together a club,” Baron said.
So, what is Pickleball?
According to Baron, it’s a mix of ping-pong, tennis and badminton; players use a wiffle ball, on a court about half the size of a tennis court. Much like tennis or badminton, Pickleball can be played as singles and doubles matches, with the scoring typically going to 11.
“You don’t have to have athleticism,” Baron said, adding that a smaller court size means there’s not a lot of running — though it’s still great exercise.
“You can get a good workout, just being on your feet, going back and forth, coming to the net, picking up the ball and playing the game,” he said.
Baron, who often plays in London, said that while there are some great outdoor courts in the city, he would like to see some indoor facilities as well, to keep people playing through the winter months.
In the meantime, they’re testing the market with some indoor courts set up at Degroots Nursery.
“John [Degroot] and his family and the team have done a great job — being able to put those courts together for us and for the community is phenomenal,” Baron said, adding that he hopes to introduce the sport to more residents, and set up some tournaments in the spring.
Plans are also in the works to partner with Lambton College to host a spring tournament.
“The club wants to raise money, but we also want to give back to the community,” said Baron, who also heads up the Sarnia Community Foundation. “We’ve talked about, if the tournament was successful, we could turn back to the community,” he said. “Whether it be to affordable housing or the Inn of the Good Shepherd, or to some other group in the city that requires some support.”
He added that, members will be able to compete at a provincial and national level through Pickleball Ontario and Pickleball Canada.
“Last year was the first year the province ran a series of tournaments,” Baron explained. “There were five or six throughout the province. Then they had a final culminating event in Collingwood.”
There was also a national tournament final held in Kingston; according to Baron, the host rotates around the country each year.
Whether you are looking to play at a higher level and compete nationally, or just come out for a social gathering and play for fun, Baron says that Pickleball is a game for everyone, in all age groups.
“You can be seven and play, or 71 and play. And if seven plays 71, you don’t even know who’s gonna win.”
For more information about the Sarnia Lambton Pickleball Club, email [email protected].