Pickleball: How Ireland’s fastest-growing sport is taking over Galway
By Dorottya Fejes
As you enter the Westside Community Centre on Thursday at lunchtime, you can already hear the sharp noise of plastic balls hitting hard paddles and the squeaking of trainers as players are hitting volleys.
Laughter and chatter fill the hall between quick rallies, giving the place an instantly welcoming atmosphere. A scene that’s become increasingly familiar around Galway in recent years.
“Pickleball is ideal for anyone who wants an easier sport for the body,” Teo, founder of the Galway Pickleball Club says. “Anybody can play at any level, at any skill they have.”
The popularity of the sport is often attributed to its inclusivity. Ron joined the club with his wife two years ago, despite never having played any sports before. It has since “taken over our life”, he laughs. “It’s a fantastic way to spend your retirement and you get fit as well.”
Paul, a yoga teacher, started playing after having recovered from heart issues: “I get the heart rate up, but it doesn’t feel like a workout.”
Danielle is one of the more than 440 active members of the club who enjoys its flexibility. “There’s (training) on every day of the week, so you can go any day that suits you. If you can’t get to morning one, you can go to an evening one,” she points out.
The Westside Community Centre is just one of the eight venues across the city where the Galway Pickleball Club hosts a total of 37 sessions every week.
The club operates a pay-as-you-go scheme, so players can “come whenever they feel like it (…) that’s the beauty of our club”, Teo explains.
A sport for everyone
While many believe that pickleball is a sport for only the elderly, Teo confirms that about 90% of the Galwegian club’s players are over the age of 60.
Initially, Paul also believed that pickleball was only a sport for retired people, though he soon realised that it’s not that ”it’s for older (people), it’s that it’s inclusive.”
“There are people I would not normally get a chance to engage with outside the sessions.”
“We all went on the journey together, so we all kind of learned together,” Danielle recalls after joining together with her husband. “It’s a common interest, so we really enjoy it.”
More than just a sport
Retirement often leaves many searching for something meaningful to spend their free time on. Playing pickleball allows many not only to keep themselves fit but also to socialise with others.
“It’s a very sociable thing,” Ron says. “You meet lots of people and make good friends.
“We have an hour of playing and then we go for coffee for an hour afterwards.”
For many, it’s the social element that makes them come back to the sessions every week. The friendly chats between rallies and after the sessions show that the sport has built a community that extends beyond the courts.
Pickleball competitions on the rise
Despite its social benefit, pickleball has also grown as a competitive sport. Back in September, the Galway Pickleball Club hosted the West of Ireland Open, which saw more than 300 players from across the country travel to the city.
Irish players have also started to appear at international games, although they are still trying to find their place on those levels. “They’re playing but they don’t win anything,” Teo explains. “It’s because there’s very little investment into the game (in Ireland).”
“It’s still the big countries like Germany, England and Spain that are winning. They invest more money in the sport.”
What exactly is pickleball?
Pickleball is a mix of tennis, badminton and table tennis and can be played in singles or doubles. The badminton-sized courts are either located inside or outside and have a shorter, tennis-style net in the middle.
All you need is a racket that is slightly bigger than a table tennis bat and a light plastic ball with holes in it, also known as a wiffle ball. The rules are quite simple, making it easy for anyone to pick up the sport.
History of the sport
The game was invented during the summer of 1965 by US Congressman Joel Prichard and businessmen Bill Bell and Barney McCallum on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The three dads wanted to play a game with their families but didn’t have a full set of badminton rackets. As a result, they came up with a new game, using an old badminton court, ping pong bats and some wiffle balls. Soon, the new game, known as “pickleball,” was born.
Sixty years later, there are around 4,000 players in Ireland in more than 120 clubs, making it “the fastest growing sport” across the country, according to Pickleball Ireland.
What started as a sport that many in Galway have never heard of has now grown into a thriving community that unites fitness, friendship and fun.
For more information on the Galway Pickleball club, check out their website or Facebook page.
