Pickleball club has a smashing time at Masters Games

THE Drysdale/Clifton Springs Pickleball Club is less than a year old but has already made its mark on the sport across the nation, winning 35 medals at the 2023 Australian Masters Games.

Held this year in Adelaide from October 7-14, the mass particpation event describes itself as “a week-long festival of sport that brings together weekend warriors from around Australia”.

The Masters Games does not impose qualifying standards other than age limits – with a minimum age of 30 used as a general guide – and features participants from around the world.

A combination of tennis, table tennis and badminton, pickleball is the world’s fastest growing sport, and made its debut in the Australian Masters Games this year.

Drysdale/Clifton Springs Pickleball Club publicity and promotions officer Fiona Bond said her club originally formed on November 30 with 14 keen Drysdale-based pickleball players who previously played at the Ocean Grove Pickleball Club, but the club had grown very quickly to more than 170 members, making it Victoria’s second-largest pickleball club.

“I used to joke to everyone ‘I may as well live in Ocean Grove’ as I was travelling there five times a week,” Ms Bond said.

“It was rather amazing how rapidly we did it all.

“The Bellarine is the centre of pickleball for Geelong – since we started, there’s a now group in Leopold that play, and Queenscliff has started up their own club.”

As well as the 35 medals for pickleball at the Australian Masters Games, Drysdale/Clifton Springs Pickleball Club representatives won another three medals for petanque, two for golf and one for tennis, bringing the haul to 41.

Ms Bond said more than 35 of her club’s members made the trip to Adelaide.

“It was pretty amazing.

“It was more of going for a bit of a trip and a holiday.. a lot of us haven’t played in tournaments before, because most of them are new-ish anyway, but it’s a really good experience, and everyone was surprised with the haul.”

She said pickleball was a sport for all players of all ages, as it was very easy to pick up and learn.

“A lot of us are ex-tennis players, so there’s a natural progression with hand-eye co-ordination, but we have a number of people who’ve never played a sport in their life, and they’re in late fifties or sixties, and they just love it, because in one session you’re hitting balls over the net and making winning shots.

“It’s called the addictive sport – and it is, trust me – and it’s also renowned for being fun and very social.”