Fast growing sport of pickleball comes to Guernsey

The racquet sport has enjoyed a dramatic surge in popularity internationally, particularly in America, but now Sarnians have a chance to partake in the boom following the introduction of four courts at the Guernsey Table Tennis Association Centre.

For the uninitiated, pickleball shares characteristics with tennis but uses several different rules, alongside smaller courts, light paddles and low-bouncing, plastic balls, making it very accessible. It can be played in singles or doubles.

GTTA president Derek Webb has been the driving force behind the new sport’s introduction, but even he is unsure what now lies ahead.

‘It’s new, it’s exciting, and we don’t know all the answers yet,’ he said.

He recalled a conversation at the Island Games with international referee Jonathan Whittaker, who mentioned pickleball being played on his home turf in Scotland.

Webb more recently was left pondering: ‘I wonder if we could try that here?’

After all, the eruption of padel has set a precedent for what is achievable in accessible racquet sports. The Guernsey Padel Club was opened in 2017 and the sport has achieved great participation across the age groups, with Island Championships, inter-insulars and international meets providing a target for more ambitious players.

Webb is mindful of this and also hopes pickleball can become a competitive focus.

‘What would be good would be to have a pickleball championships every year, which would include men’s singles, women’s singles, you know what I mean,’ he added.

‘And who knows? From there it might grow down to junior tournaments.

‘It could even grow to be an inter-insular, because I noticed in Jersey they are playing it.’

However, he is conscious about limiting clashes with table tennis, which remains the focus at the venue.

The pickleball courts can be installed in the space normally occupied by tables, before being packed away and the venue quickly returned to its usual purpose.

Webb has already been hosting fun camps for children during half-term, but he is now encouraging people of all ages or abilities to come along for taster sessions on the next two Sundays, 29 October and 5 November.

He has his eyes on introducing a booking system in the near future.

‘We’re excited, the place is being used more, and it’s a new sport to Guernsey – that to me is going to be a good selling point.’

• The free Sunday sessions will take place between 2pm and 8pm. For more information, contact Derek Webb via derekwebb@cwgsy.net or on 07781 140280.