Donald
Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE Feb. 23, 2018
Local athletes looking to keep their tennis arms in good shape through the winter have a similar sport to check out, with games offered three times a week at the Shawville United Church Hall.
Pickleball is the name of the game, and the Shawville club is looking to grow their numbers. Offering tennis pros, badminton addicts and even ping pong experts a bit of something different, the club is open to anyone interested in getting a low-impact workout without competition.
The peculiarly named sport has it’s own paddles and net, with two teams of two facing off to be the first to 11 points. There’s some specifics on winning, serving and returns, but those are best learned through firsthand experience.
“It doesn’t take long to learn and the point of it all is to get out and get some exercise,” said Debbie Howard, a founder of the local club and weekly organizer.
First starting in January 2014, the Shawville Pickleball Club was started by Howard, Margaret Howard and Carole Valin, with equipment costs provided by the town. The club continues to meet at the church on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 to 4 p.m., plus the night owl game time on Fridays, from 7 to 9 p.m.
They generally meet from September through to June and it only costs $3 each day attended – making it one of the most affordable activities to attend in the Pontiac.
Though the club was initially intended as a seniors’ sport, they’ve since decided to open up the restriction and allow anyone to play. Not taking their games too seriously – holding the exercise and fun over their competitive spirits – there aren’t any differentiating levels in terms of experience to the club at this time.
“If we have more people, we may sort different levels,” said Debbie, adding that larger clubs across Canada and the U.S. do have sorting based on skill levels.
Those interested in checking out the niche sport are encouraged to bring their runners, and maybe a water bottle, to the church hall on any of their scheduled days in order to see what it’s all about.
