Instead of Sunday brunch, some Singaporeans now opt for a game of pickleball

Straits Times

2 days ago

Video game producer Janine Campbell plays pickleball twice a week - once during a group lesson with Performance Pickleball, and the other with her family and friends. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
Instead of Sunday brunch, some Singaporeans now opt for a game of pickleball
SINGAPORE – Once a week, video game producer Janine Campbell picks up a paddle, grabs her visor and wristband and heads for a pickleball lesson after work.
After her husband introduced her to the sport, she enrolled herself in group lessons at Performance Pickleball , an indoor facility in Punggol, in January.
'It's fun and I really like the sport,' said Campbell, 45. 'I'm at my desk constantly and pickleball lets me get some fresh air, laughter and exercise in a really fun way.'
She is among many Singaporeans who are picking up this racket sport. The sport – a cross between tennis and table tennis, played on a badminton-sized court – was invented in the United States in the 1960s, and is known to be popular among seniors, due to its low-impact nature.
Now, pickleball courts are frequented by the young and old for corporate bonding sessions and as a Sunday family activity. Professionals, hobbyists and businesses have observed an uptake in interest and participation in recent years.
'In the past, youth described pickleball as a sport for seniors, but it is now described as the 'in' sport,' said president of Singapore Pickleball Association Lim Ee Kiong , adding that this can be attributed to the sport's social nature.
Pickleball is also easier to pick up than other racket sports, said founders of Performance Pickleball and former national tennis players Jeremy Soh and Jeovanne Poernomo .
Performance Pickleball founders Jeovanne Poernomo and Jeremy Soh have grown the community to one that has more than 5,000 members.
ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
'The court is smaller, the ball is slower, and the paddle is lighter – it's a lot easier because you don't have to wield a long racket,' said Soh.
'Compared to padel and tennis, the risk of injury is a lot lower, the explosiveness required and the strain on your joints is a lot less.'
Soh and Poernomo opened the sports club and facility in July 2024, and it now has over 5,000 members.
New joiners can opt for a one-day course – which is possible since the sport is easy to pick up – said Poernomo, and the club also offers group and private lessons as well as court bookings.
'There's a real community spirit and vibe. Through classes and games, finding people to play a game with is much easier, especially since the sport is quite popular now,' said Campbell.
Its popularity has spread islandwide – there are currently over 5,000 active players, and more than a fifth of them compete in tournaments.
Bookings at the 30 public pickleball courts have more than tripled since 2023, said a spokesperson for national sports agency Sport Singapore. Public interest groups at ActiveSG sport halls in neighbourhoods such as Jurong West, Clementi and Bedok have more than 2,000 members, added the spokesperson.
One of these members is Chua Cheng Yao, 25, who joins a group in north-eastern Singapore for weekly sessions at community centres or outdoor courts. She also plays with a regular group of friends about thrice a week, usually at the tennis court of a condominium.
She picked up pickleball, which she said seemed 'less intimidating' and social, in 2024 as she wanted to continue playing sport after graduating from university.
'Pickleball is easy to start but hard to master, and that's what makes it so fun and addictive,' she said.
Businesses ride the trend
Tennis players have been flocking to courts on the rooftop of Suntec City since sports club MBP Sports opened a facility there in 2005.
In 2022, paddles joined tennis rackets as the club started offering pickleball memberships after noticing interest from both locals and expatriates.
'It's going crazy, especially with the corporates, and families are picking it up too,' said founder Chris Mullins .
Pickleball court bookings are almost full during after-work hours on weekdays and throughout the day on weekends, and MBP hosts about two corporate sessions a week, he added.
Businesses are capitalising on the boom – retailers are stocking their shelves with equipment and coaches are offering more lessons.
At sports retailer Sportsshop SG , shelves were reorganised to make room for pickleball equipment in 2023, following requests from customers. The retailer, which has two stores in Singapore, has since more than tripled its product offerings for the sport.
Sportsshop SG has more than tripled its product offerings for pickleball since 2023.
PHOTO: SPORTSSHOP SG
It decided to bring in products catering to all levels, from beginners to competitive players, after they noticed that Singaporeans were looking for variety and quality, said a spokesman.
Even eateries want a piece of the pie: Bubble tea chain PlayMade expanded their brand offerings beyond drinks, and started selling pickleball equipment online in 2024.
Playmade's team designed and produced three types of paddles meant for different skill levels, and even submitted the model for professionals to USA Pickleball for certification.
The chain has also organised pickleball tournaments and open play sessions, handing out drinks or drink vouchers to participants.
The bubble tea chain PlayMade has organised coaching clinics, leagues and open play sessions since it piloted its pickleball project in early 2024.
PHOTO: PLAYMADE SINGAPORE
Growing the sport here
Soh is convinced that pickleball's loyal following is here to stay, but acknowledges that support is needed to grow the sport through programmes, facilities and tournaments.
He said: 'A lot of what we do, we don't do it for profit and we're really trying to create a better community. It's about the laughter and fun, it's about having to chill, hang out and de-stress after work.'
The Singapore Pickleball Association organises and funds multiple tournaments, such as the Pesta Sukan and Singapore Pickleball Open, despite having to fork out money as it is 'impossible to break even', said its president Lim.
He added: 'As the national sports association, we recognise that tournaments are instrumental... We hope more sponsors would be able to support the sport financially. Our current objective is to establish a lively culture based on sporting values.'
The association has been working with schools to incorporate the sport in the physical education curriculum, and it has organised competitions such as the inter-school pickleball tournament on May 10, which featured 13 teams from nine schools.
Students from River Valley High School look on as their schoolmate plays in a match at the Inter-School Pickleball Tournament on May 10.
PHOTO: SINGAPORE PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATION/FACEBOOK
But the sport has yet to be recognised as a co-curricular activity and make its appearance at the National School Games, which is what the association hopes to push for, said Lim. He hopes it will also eventually be among the sports included in the direct school admission programme.
For pickleball athletes such as Soh, having the sport featured on a bigger stage would be a sure-fire way to make its mark.
'I hope to see the sport in the SEA Games soon,' said Soh, who has competed in pickleball tournaments abroad. 'Asians are generally pretty good at sports played in smaller spaces.'
'I think Asian pickleball will eventually match up to that of the United States and Europe, and even surpass them.'
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