Sault hosts Pickleball Ontario Championship Series North Region Tournament

Sault hosts provincial pickleball tournament Organizers of the tournament say its success of the event points to a growing community of pickleball players in the north.

More than 100 pickleball players from across the province gathered at the John Rhodes Community Centre in Sault Ste. Marie for the Pickleball Ontario Championship Series North Region Tournament this weekend.

"It's gone really, really well," said Linda Marasco, president of Soo Pickleball.

"We have a 102 people from all over northern Ontario, some from Michigan, one came from Calgary, it's been great."

Marasco said while the sport itself has been around for a while, it's a fairly new local phenomenon.

"It was invented in 1965, so it's been a long time getting started, 2011 it came to the Sault," she said.

"It's a family sport, anybody can participate."

Marasco said the local club became affiliated with Pickleball Ontario and Pickleball Canada last year.

Since Soo Pickleball formed in 2019, it has grown to more than 400 members. With the sport picking up steam locally, Marasco said it's time for the city to consider an indoor, multi-court pickleball facility.

For more information on Soo Pickleball, visit their Facebook page.