Pickleball takes place on a badminton doubles court, with players using large wooden paddles to hit a hollow plastic ball back and forth across a low net.
The game is a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis but some notable rules are that serves are under-hand or a drop serve and the ball must bounce once on the opponent’s side after serving.
Pickleball players in Whanganui are applying to become an incorporated club which could help lift their player capacity.
Shmitt said the group would explore a range of venues to increase the number of nights members could play and the number of players able to join each session.
“Sport Whanganui is helping us as much as they can but, because we are not an incorporated club, they can’t go full steam.”
In their existing location at Faith City Church, only 16 players can be on the court at one time. Shmitt said some nights 20 players would be wanting to have a turn and interest in the sport was growing.
Schmitt said a mixture of male and female players of a wide range of ages attended each session, the youngest being 23 years old and the oldest 65-70.
“We want older people to play because it’s so gentle on the joints and the cardiovascular system, it’s a healthy, positive sport.”
Pickleball was invented in America by Joel Pritchard for his family. The sport was brought to Whanganui by Heina Petzold and Eva Bush.
To try out a pickleball session contact the Whanganui group at rivercity.pickleball2022@gmail.com.
