The Rise of Pickleball in Calgary: More Than Just a Trend

Currently, Pickleball stands as Canada’s most rapidly expanding sport. The sport’s entry barriers are low and it attracts all walks of life. The Pickleball in Calgary community recently welcomed a brand new 15,000 sq-ft indoor facility – YYC Pickleball, boasting more participants to join over 1.37 million Canadians who are already in the game!

The Need for Infrastructure Growth to Meet the Demand

“There’s a large Pickleball community in Calgary and that was one of the reasons why we decided to build a dedicated Pickleball facility,” Gail Kwan, the spokesperson for YYC Pickleball, thinks that Pickleball is a very social sport. A dedicated facility like this would enable patrons to play and socialize.

Gail added that weather and quality are factors to influence participation, “there are long winters in Calgary, so we decided to open seven courts in this 15,000-square-foot facility with professional outdoor court surfaces and proper markings.”

It is certainly a response to the community’s enthusiasm.

A Newcomer's First Impression on Pickleball: Easy to Learn, Fun to Play"

“I didn’t know pickleball. It’s similar to tennis, but it’s a lot easier,” expressed Ella Liu whose parents brought her to play the game for the first time, “At first, it’s difficult, but once you get the hang of it, it’s quite easy.” The Liu family hangs out in the facility for about an hour and looks like everyone is having fun.

Pickleball was first played in the United States in the ‘60s, so it is not new. But not until recent years it has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world because the sport also appeals to a very diverse population.

“It’s certainly becoming more diverse, more age groups are playing, more people are learning how to play the sport,” commented Tony Tighe, former president of the Calgary Pickleball Club who is enjoying the playing time with his wife and other friends, “I think the thing that attracted myself and my wife to the sport was the social aspect. You don’t just play with the same two people all the time when you’re playing recreational pickleball. You get to meet new people.”

Pickleball for All: Breaking Age-Related Myths

Perception is not reality in the world of Pickleball as the sport is suitable for pretty much all walks of life. But still, Gail is typically proactive in breaking the myths in people’s minds, “Like when I first told people we were opening this dedicated pickleball facility, they’re like – ‘well, that’s for old people. I need to be like 50 plus. Do you need an I.D. to get in and so on,

I need to educate the public that the sport is a bridge between, I would say tennis, ping pong and badminton.”

From Novice to Pro: Learning Opportunities in Pickleball

Kim Layton, who earned her way to multiple podium finishes in the 2023 National Championships, is one of the few Pickleball professionals in Alberta.

“The growth has been crazy to watch in Canada. Like at the competitive level, we now have a few professional leagues in Canada.

While COVID has propelled the growth of the sport, Kim thinks technology also helps, “And I’d encourage anyone curious to look up online. In the United States, there’s the MLP which is a team-based league and there’s the PPA which is a partner-based league,

and then just so many beginners and people wanting to give the sport to try they go from well I’ll give it a try to now I want to play regularly.”

The Opportunities and the Challenges

The unprecedented growth of Pickleball presents both opportunities and challenges. Tighe thinks Calgary could eventually land a major Pickleball event but to realize that dream Calgary needs to be creative.

“In other places (facilities), you’re sharing the court with other sports which got lines on the floor. You can’t see where you’re going. The wooden floor bounce is different than an outdoor floor,

You need 20 courts or more (to host a major tournament). If you use these seven courts (at YYC Pickleball) and the 12 courts at the other facility that’s opened in the city, that gives you 19. If we can get a couple of more dedicated indoor and outdoor facilities with multiple courts, we can put on the big tournaments. We can bring in big stars from the US, the Canadian champions, and that’s going to make the game in Calgary just like any other sport.”

Lulu may not be the up-and-coming star yet, but she loves to play here for obvious reasons.

“Yeah, I would give (this facility) five stars. One is because it’s a nice recreation. Also, you get to move around and stuff and it’s very healthy and it’s fun.”

New Pickleball Facility in Calgary: YYC Pickleball

For anyone who wants to get a taste of the game of Pickleball, visit YYCPickleball.com for more information. Have you played before? Share your thoughts with FeverSports in the comment section below.