Pickleball player experiences growth of sport in real time

By Mohamed Hamza

Karen Farnhill experienced the growth of pickleball in real time as she competed at the sport's biggest-ever national championships in Bolton.

The Ribble Valley native first picked up a paddle when back problems put paid to her tennis and badminton pastimes, with pickleball infinitely more accessible for the 60-year-old.

And having played at every edition of the Skechesrs English Nationals, Farnhill was delighted to renew acquaintances and meet new friends from all over the country.

“It's been such a good tournament," the Read local said. "I've met lots of new people and seen lots of people I've known for a long time. It's been great.

“I used to play tennis and badminton a lot but can't play either sport because my back was too bad.

“I went to see a starter session run by Elaine Shallcross [Pickleball England north-west regional director] and that's where it all started.”

Pickleball gets its name from its American founders, with the family game created in 1965 and named after their pet dog Pickle.

The game has surged in popularity in recent years, with over 30,000 people now playing it in England.

It is a racket sport which sees players compete using paddles and a perforated plastic ball.

It can be played both indoors and outdoors by all ages and abilities, and the inclusive nature of the sport has seen a record 1,111 players descend on Bolton Arena for four days of high-level competition.

She added: “The sport's growing and it's massive now. The tournament's twice the size of previous ones, there're a lot more categories and the standard's increasing massively.

“There's more training and support for people as they start the game and as they improve so it's great and a lot more clubs are being introduced.

“All age groups and all abilities can play, it's a really inclusive sport.

“It's a bit like football. You only need a few basic things and you can play and I think it could be a really good game for a future Olympics if it gets a chance.

“It's great for everybody because it's good for your physical health, mental health and for families as well.

“Anybody can have a go.”

Pickleball England has announced a record number of over 1,000 players competing at the 2024 Skechers English Nationals. The tournament takes place from the 31st October - 3rd November at Bolton Arena and is the second largest national pickleball event. For more information, visit www.pickleballengland.org