Pickleball is growing in popularity, and Woodlands residents now have the chance to play the sport close to home.
A new pickleball club has started in Woodlands. Sessions are hosted every second Monday beginning Jan. 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Woodlands School
Hosted by the Woodlands Rec Club, pickleball sessions will take place every second Monday beginning Jan. 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Woodlands School.
Woodlands Rec Club board member Maegan Sigurdson spearheaded the program alongside Kassy Martin and Carly Howelko after receiving a request from a community member who frequently travelled to neighbouring communities to play pickleball.
“We really wanted to help bring this closer to home,” Sigurdson said. “At the rec club, we’ve been working really hard to bring the community together as a whole.”
Through the Healthy Together Now grant, Sigurdson was able to purchase three nets, several sets of paddles and balls for the program, as well as host a free pickleball clinic led by Kim Ezzard of Pickleball Manitoba for interested participants.
“Bringing pickleball to a small community like Woodlands really means a lot to me because I’m actually from a very small community myself,” said Ezzard, who lives in East Selkirk. “When I first started playing pickleball, it brought so much into my life, and that’s a big reason why I became an instructor.”
Ezzard said she loves how the sport is accessible to people of all ages and athletic abilities.
“It’s easy to learn, really fun and honestly kind of addictive,” she added.
Pickleball has given Ezzard much to enjoy, and she is passionate about giving back to the community. That passion inspired her to join the Pickleball Manitoba board as director of coaching and become a National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) certified coach.
“It’s something that’s genuinely important to me and something I truly love sharing with others,” she said. “Huge kudos to these girls for bringing this to the community — what they did was pretty brave.”
Sigurdson hopes to offer ongoing pickleball sessions on Monday evenings. While she would eventually like to see the program expand to weekly sessions, she is currently eager to see how the biweekly program develops.
For a $5 drop-in fee per session — which helps cover gym rental and equipment wear and tear — participants need only bring a water bottle, appropriate clothing and a positive attitude.
No prior experience is required, and experienced players will be on hand to offer guidance when needed.
“It’s a great opportunity to get out of the house, bring the community together and meet new people,” Sigurdson said. “It’s important to the rec club that we continue finding ways to promote healthy lifestyles in a community environment.”
In the future, Sigurdson hopes to host tournaments and divide courts into beginner, intermediate and advanced play. For now, she said the focus is simply on enjoying the game together.
“People loved our first session,” Sigurdson added. “There was a lot of excitement in the room, and I’m excited to see how the club grows.”
She encourages community members with recreational programming ideas to reach out to the Woodlands Rec Club through Instagram or Facebook.
“We are always hard at work giving the community what they feel is beneficial,” she said. “The more support we get, the more events we can put on in the future.”
Other upcoming Woodlands Rec Club events include:
• Sunday Pilates classes beginning Jan. 31
• Sunday kids hip hop classes beginning Jan. 31
• Babysitters course on Feb. 2
• Adult Galentine’s bingo on Feb. 7
• Country line dancing on Feb. 20
• Yoga and sound bath on Feb. 27
For more information on Woodlands Rec Club programming and registration, visit their social media pages.
