‘Beautiful thing’: Why the sport of pickleball is so popular for many in Saskatchewan

Esteban and his wife, Yenny Lam, opened this facility just over a year ago and have 2,000 members already. (Carla Shynkaruk/CTV News)

There’s one sport in North America that is causing a racket – or rather, a racquet – because interest is growing faster than most other sports. Despite what some might think, it’s not just serving up fun for older folks; that sport is pickleball.

Thirteen-year-old Devin Green has been playing pickleball since he was 11. While he plays other sports, like basketball, which he admits is still his favorite, he’s really good at pickleball.

“I just like hitting the ball really hard,” Green told CTV News.

He’s from Moose Jaw and traveled to Saskatoon for a tournament this past weekend. His doubles partner is his dad.

They’re expected to win it all because their skill level is so high, however, their winning tactic is not something they’ve really planned.

“They think he’s an easy target. Usually, they’ll try to pick on him, and then, after a while, they realize he’s better than he looks. Then they start to pick on me, but it’s too late, usually,” Rob Green said.

About a hundred competitors from across Saskatchewan came out for the second annual tournament at Topzpin Hitlabs.

“The beautiful thing about pickleball, and why it’s growing so fast, is because the skills are transferable from other sports. Badminton players make great smashes. Ping Pong players have fast hands. Tennis players can hit hard from the baseline,” Lester Esteban, co-owner of Topzpin Hitlabs, said.

Esteban and his wife, Yenny Lam, opened this facility just over a year ago and have 2,000 members already.

The reason it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in North America, according to Esteban, is that almost anyone can do it, and learning how to score is easy.

“So, in about half an hour, most people can get to the funnest part, which is hitting it back and forth,” he said.

The social nature of the game creates a real sense of community, which is a big draw of the game.

“It can be competitive enough, too. It can satisfy your competitiveness in sports. So, I think that’s why a lot of people like it. And it gets addicting,” second-year player Justine Reyes told CTV News.

Reyes and Green are part of a shift for pickleball, according to Esteban.

“It’s a new generation coming in. I would say it’s going to be an Olympic sport soon. So, now we need a new generation of players, a new talent to come into that.”