Pickleball, that strangely named sport invented in the United States just over 50 years ago, has not left Moreton Bay behind.
Local pickleballers are busting a pickley move regularly at courts in Morayfield, Deception Bay, Redcliffe and Bribie Island, with some enthusiasts even putting up a net and playing in their own back yards.
“The game, which is a rough combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is most popular with two different age groups in its home country: over 60’s, and 18-35 year-olds.”
The game - played on a badminton-sized court, using paddles and a hollow “wiffle” ball - is easy to learn, and affordable.
Players say the game is addictive, being easy to pick up, but challenging enough to keep people coming back to improve their game.
The game was invented in the United States by three dads to amuse their bored offspring, in 1965. There are around 46 million people playing the game regularly at over 4000 different locations across America. While Moreton Bay offers far fewer pickleball opportunities than that, there are enthusiastic adherents playing multiple times a week at local pickleball clubs, with some also traveling to tournaments.
The game, which is a rough combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, is most popular with two different age groups in its home country: over 60’s, and 18-35 year-olds.
Nathan Grady from Moreton City Pickleball Club said 28 players attended a recent Tuesday evening session. The club is also sending sixteen pickleballers to a tournament at Noosa Heads on May 30th, where they will compete among 130 other doubles players.
The Pickleball Association of Queensland lists three affiliated Pickleball venues in Moreton Bay: Bribie Island, Morayfield and Deception Bay. In Redcliffe, Focus Tennis Academy also offers social and teen pickleball games at the Redcliffe Tennis Centre.
Most people want to know why it is called Pickleball. Some say it was named after a much loved dog owned by one of the three inventors, whose name was Pickles. Others say it was a boating reference, named after what was known as a “pickles” rowing crew; a combination of oarsmen leftover after the other boating crews had been selected.
It is certainly a pickle of different sports, attracting fun-seekers of all ages and abilities.
Try Pickleball in Moreton Bay
Deception Bay/Mango Hill
Moreton City Pickleball
Morayfield/Caboolture
Morayfield Pickleball Club
Bribie Island
Bribie Pickleball Club
Redcliffe
Redcliffe Tennis Centre