It’s the fastest growing sport in America with famous fans including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian and George Clooney.
A mash-up of tennis, badminton and table tennis, pickleball has proved popular in the Granite City, especially at Ferryhill Community Centre where Anna Mauchline holds coached sessions for people of all ages.
“Pickleball is huge in America and it’s starting to get really big in Scotland as well – it’s a wonderful game,” says Anna.
“It’s a sport for all ages, there’s kids playing it, there’s women in their late eighties playing it because it’s a game that you can adapt to any speed.”
Anyone can play pickleball
Throughout her life, Anna, who is originally from Forres but now lives in Aberdeen, has always played tennis competitively until a sore back forced her to give it up.
As tennis was such a massive part of her life, Anna, 62, felt rather lost until she discovered the joys of pickleball.
“Pickleball saved me because when tennis was taken away from me I felt lost,” says Anna.
“Although I still work and I have family, I needed something else.
“Pickleball is my social network as you get to meet lots of people.”
Fun game for all ages and abilities
Invented by three dads on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, in 1965 for their children, pickleball can be played by singles or in pairs either indoors or outside.
The aim of the game is the get the ball over the net and prevent your opponent from hitting it back with players using hard paddles and a light plastic ball called a wiffle ball to play.
“It’s straight forward to play,” says Anna.
“When you’re serving you can only win a point when you’ve got the ball so when the ball goes over to the opposing team you can’t score a point until you get that ball back.
“The paddle is very light, like a table tennis bat and we use under arm serves which means you’re not stretching or hurting any part of your body.
“The beauty is that you can play the sport as fast or slowly as you like so the younger generations can play it harder while older people can take it at their own pace – it’s a sport for everyone.
“It’s also great for your mental health too as you’re playing with your chummies.”
Pickleball classes in Aberdeen
After experiencing the physical, mental and social benefits of the sport herself, Anna decided to roll it out in Aberdeen with weekly classes for all abilities at Ferryhill Community Centre.
“Barry at Ferryhill Community Centre has been amazing as he gave me a court to use,” says Anna.
“So I run a class every Monday for beginners and one every Thursday evening for intermediate players and also an advanced class.”
Pickleball can take you across the world
In fact, it has proved so popular that Anna is now looking for more courts to play on.
“I would love to get more courts if I could,” says Anna.
“Albury Community Sports Hub have kindly put pickleball lines down for me so we hope to play outside there during the summer.”
For Anna, who does part-time agency work in the sales sector, pickleball has also taken her around the world.
“It’s such a sociable sport as there’s pickleball festivals all over,” says Anna.
“I was recently in Edinburgh and I also went to Luxemburg to play at a festival.
“Luxemburg was a fabulous experience as I made friends with a lady from America who I’ve kept in touch with and I met loads of people from Belgium who were encouraging me to play at upcoming festivals in Spain and Amsterdam.”
With a dark winter ahead, Anna says now is the time to give it a go, especially those who may be on their own.
“There can’t be anything worse than being alone and lonely at any age,” says Anna, a mum of two.
“I’m not married, I’m single so for me it was a great way to socialise and meet new people.
“I would encourage people to give pickleball a go as it’s so welcoming, friendly and so laid back – it’s just great.”
Anyone who is interested in pickleball can email Anna on anna.mauchline@gmail.com or send a message via the Ferryhill Community Centre Facebook page @ferryhillcommunitycentre
