Popular new family sport is gaining ground in Pretoria
One of the world's fastest growing sports codes has also now properly established itself in Pretoria and it is developing rapidly in terms of structure and participation.
What is the fastest growing sport in the world?
There is no definitive answer to this question, because there is no specific research on the subject yet. However, it is safe to say that Pickleball ranks in the top five in terms of sporting codes that are currently the fastest growing and expanding worldwide
So, what is Pickleball? It is a new sport that has recently emerged and is growing daily in popularity. Pickleball combines table tennis, badminton and tennis, making it even more enjoyable. The game can be enjoyed by anyone in any age group, hence its growing nature. Players use a paddle that is reminiscent of ping-pong paddles, but is bigger and usually made of more advanced materials.
You can play indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a net similar to a tennis net.
The racquets resemble table tennis, with a plastic ball and a tennis-like net and court.
Pickleball is still so new in South Africa that there are not many sports clubs in a big city like Pretoria that are interested in practicing it.
Photo: Koos Venter
In a remarkable way, however, this sport became very popular in the Moot area of Pretoria in a short time. The biggest growth took place at Munies, as the Pretoria Municipal Sports Club in Annie Botha Avenue in Riviera is commonly known.
The Munies Pickleball club is already officially affiliated with Pickleball SA, which in turn is a member of the International Pickleball Federation.
There are currently also other clubs in the Moot and Centurion areas, as well as other areas in Gauteng where the game is played. An official league is being planned and clubs are already playing against each other in a structured way.
Currently, tennis courts at these clubs are being converted to accommodate Pickleball.
Munies already has six courts and Pickleball is played on Wednesday evenings from 17:00 on a social level, while official matches – in which other clubs are also involved – take place on Saturdays from 08:00.
Those interested in becoming part of Munies’ Pickleball club can contact Marius Engelbrecht at 082-821-5217.
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
