Pickleball a hit in Heathcote

LOCALS and club members attended the inaugural Come and Try Pickleball session held at the Heathcote Tennis Club last weekend.

Pickleball is a hybrid of tennis, ping pong and badminton, first introduced to Australia in 2017.

“It was great to see so many new faces either willing to give it a go or just sit and watch,” said club president Marion Smith.

The group was led by competitive Pickleball player Paul Henshall from Bendigo who is ranked sixth in Australia for doubles in his age group.

Mr Henshall’s sister Maree Bell, a local Heathcote tennis player, also attended to try the sport.

“Maree, along with many interested locals picked up Pickleball in no time,” said Ms Smith.

“The 90-minute session covered explanations on the history of the game, set up of the court, rules, techniques, scoring and tactics.

“Everyone got to have a go and some of the points were quite competitive.

“We will be offering casual Pickleball sessions at the club every Sunday morning from 9.30am along with the opportunity to have a hit of tennis.

“Come and see how much fun it is.”

The sessions will be free for club members, and $5 a day for casual players.

If there is enough interest, the club is hoping to introduce weeknight Pickleball, and field a team in local competitions.