Seniors develop pickleball in Châteauguay

Recognizing a growing interest for pickleball, a racket sport mixing tennis, badminton and table tennis, the City of Châteauguay has recently invested in the sport’s infrastructures. It was thanks to a group of seniors, active not only on the court, but also in the community, as they campaigned to make the game more accessible.

The troop of players aged 55 and over meets at Châteauguay’s Agora three times a week to play pickleball. These are action-packed mornings: balls flying across the courts, rackets slicing through the air, people chatting and laughing as they wait their turn.

Gail Walker has been organizing the sessions for a year. “I see a lot of seniors wanting to have a better life. Here’s an opportunity [to do so],” she told Le Soleil. “We want to enjoy the rest of our lives.”

It all started when her husband John and brother-in-law Gordon wanted to get some exercise during the pandemic. Walker invited a few friends on social media and a group of eight to 10 people quickly took shape. Today, about forty seniors play pickleball at the Agora.

Ina Ross, who regularly attends the gatherings, especially appreciates their social aspect.

“After two years of being locked-up, we need a place to let out frustrations out and all our worries, she said. It’s both a French and English group and we all get along. We all understand each other. We’re learning French and we’re learning English.”

Pickleball for all

Players have practiced the sport indoors for a few years. Between 16 and 25 people play per day, five times a week, at the Sportplex. Club FADOQ, an organization dedicated to seniors, welcomes at least 60 pickleball enthusiasts a year in its premises on Principale Street.

Yet few places were available to play outdoors in Châteauguay until last year. The City has several tennis courts, but these didn’t have pickleball lines, which are different.

In addition, there were no windscreens to protect the balls from wind interference, pointed out Claude Cardinal, the former director of the Sports and Outdoors Division at the City of Châteauguay and a pickleball fan, during the May council meeting.

It was Gail Walker’s efforts, supported by the 55 + pickleball community, that convinced the Municipality to invest in the sport. Lineage was done for ten pickleball courts on the City's territory, including six at the Agora, at a cost of $15 000. Windscreens, worth a total of $ 20 000, have also been ordered, Nicholas Bleau said, who is the director of the Sports and Outdoors Division.

Pickleball mornings at the Agora are action-packed. (Photo : Le Soleil – Denis Germain)

In collaboration with other cities, Châteauguay has launched the Omnisport program to introduce children aged 8 to 12 to different sports, including pickleball. Seniors who play at the Agora will help the kids as they learn to play.

The next step for pickleball in Châteauguay: to form a member association of Pickleball Canada, which will be open to people of all ages, Walker believes.

Pickleball in a nutshell

Pickleball is played on a court with dimensions similar to that of badminton (20' x 44') with a rigid racquet smaller than the one used to play tennis. Its perforated plastic ball looks like floor hockey’s.

The object of the game is to send the ball into the opponent's area without them being able to return it, so as to score as many points as possible. As it is less demanding on muscles and joints than other racquet sports, it is popular among people of all ages.

(Source : La Fédération québécoise de pickleball)

En français : Des aînés développent le pickleball à Châteauguay