10 News Media Feature Story IV

Pickleball has been one the fastest growing sports in the world over the past few years, so much so that new leagues and uber rich celebrities have invested in the game and its teams as a clear opportunity to make money over the course of the next decade or so.

However, for the people of Vancouver, the game means so much more. As cliche as it sounds, it really holds true in a city as vibrant and diverse as this.

It is a fun activity, a breath of competition, a way of mingling, meeting, familiarizing and making friends from people of different cultures and backgrounds.
Pickleball is also a tool of survival, to navigate tough times and get a new beginning after a difficult past.

Funny how a game that wasn't well-known a decade ago has been able to create such emotions in its players. But that is the power of Pickleball - a simple game played between something like an elongated Table Tennis racket/paddle and a plastic ball - and the community it is helping serve and build.

There is no discrimination, no barriers to entry, be it age, weather or even skill.

The homogenous quality of this game is one of the main reasons the sport is growing at a rapid pace.

And finding a soft spot in everyone's hearts.

An enthralling rally between Pickleball enthusiasts at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Queen Elizabeth Park

One of the most prominent and popular areas to play Pickleball in Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Park is almost always bustling with sporting energy. If it is a nice day out, the courts are always full, and sometimes even bad weather wouldn't deter the people from getting a quick game of Pickleball in. From senior citizens to pre-teens, everyone wants to get a piece of the action, so much so that players want more space to be able to accommodate everybody interested.

A close game of Pickleball being contested at Queen Elizabeth Park.

A common plastic Pickleball ball which is used to play the game.

Pickleball instructor Mona Lee guides her trainees during a skills and drills session at Kitsilano Community Center.

Pickleball paddles kept as a sign for the queuing system at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Pickleball paddles kept as a sign for the queuing system at Queen Elizabeth Park.

Age is just a number, especially in Pickleball

Kazuko Yamane
65

Says the game makes her feel young and helps in socializing.

Trish Duffney
52

Says Pickleball "changed her life" and helped her lose about 25 pounds.

Winston
9

Finds the game fun as the court is shorter than in tennis and he can play with his father.

Brad Lloyd
65

Credits the game with bringing together different cultures and people in a diverse city like Vancouver.

Pickleball instructor Mona Lee speaks about how she started playing the game, why she coaches it, the growth and demand for the sport as well as the slight resistance from the Tennis community and the need to collaborate with them.

FIRST-PERSON PICKLEBALL POV

@Kitsilano Community Center

A fun thing to experiment, as I was enrolled in a free lesson to learn Pickleball. The challenges of shooting a first-person point of view shot while playing Pickleball without an action/non-handheld camera like a GoPro was difficult to achieve but was exciting to try.