The love of Filipinos for sports is once again shown by playing an innovative sport that mixes badminton, table tennis, and tennis features.
It is now enjoyed in various parts of the country where local government units including Baguio City, Asingan, Pangasinan, and Cebu are showing incredible support.
Pickleball is a sport played with a ball and paddle over a net and close to the size of a badminton court, with regulations that are similar to tennis but with a few differences.
It was first played in 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington. It is now drawing international interest as a result of worldwide tournaments and championships
Shana Upperman, founder of Pickleball Philippines said that her purpose in creating the group is to primarily introduce pickleball from the United States to the Philippines.
In November 2015, a Florida-based manufacturer of pickleball paddles, Pickle Pro donated to them 22 paddles to support its cause of teaching the game in the country.
Birthplace in PH
On February 11, 2016, pickleball began in Cebu, Philippines.
Shana, a Filipino who lives in Tennessee, recruited Doug Keener of Pickleball Spring and Sara Ash, a fellow Filipino who lives in Arizona to teach the sport in Barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue, Cebu.
“The event was facilitated by Jessie Perez. Donated paddles brought from the US were used in teaching pickleball. It paved the way in teaching pickleball in various schools and universities in Cebu City,” Uppermann said.
In June 2017, Shana and her daughter Sophia taught pickleball at the University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) in Cebu.
Pickleball was eventually included as part of the PE curriculum at the junior high school of USPF under Ms. Mabet Pacifico, the MAPEH Coordinator.
“People embraced pickleball because it is easy to learn. It is good exercise and keeps you physically active while having fun. Its surging popularity is because it is really fun,” said Uppermann.
Jonathan Jover, President of Asingan Pickleball Club (APC) in Asingan, Pangasinan said that pickleball helps to cope up mentally with the effect of the pandemic, since it is a non-contact sport, the possibility of being infected is lesser than other activities.
“Since popular sports are prohibited, it allows other non-contact sports like pickleball to be known. Pickleball is a rising sport. Having an established club or organization that promotes this sport in our locality is a plus factor that the LGU partners with us to conduct tournaments, which promote sportsmanship, teamwork, and camaraderie among participants.” Jover added.
Uppermann added that the sport is accessible as using simple chalk to make lines, badminton and you can convert an existing basketball, tennis or badminton court into a pickleball court.
She said that promoting the sport will have the potential of having pickleball as part of the Physical Education curriculum in schools, and the game being played in every barangay in the country.