Pickleball has been a massively growing sport in the Okanagan over the past 10 years.

The same is true for the sport in the 55+ BC Games, which concluded this past weekend in 琉璃神社.

At nearly 500 athletes, pickleball had one of the highest turnouts for the games, and the biggest in the history of the 55+ BC Games.

Two Okanagan pickleballers celebrated their first-ever games this year.

Jerry and Terri Draude, from Penticton, were happy to play close to home and weren鈥檛 surprised by the big turnout.

鈥淧ickleball has been growing by leaps and bounds, this turnout does not surprise me,鈥� said Terri, who entered in the pickleball doubles competition at Parkinson Recreation Centre.

鈥淭he games are a great opportunity to meet other players and to see what the sport means in other communities across B.C.,鈥�

READ MORE: 琉璃神社 Rockets GM anxious for season鈥檚 start

READ MORE: Okanagan table tennis players thrive at 55+ games

David Graham, the 55+ BC Games president, said 琉璃神社 was well-suited to host the large amount of pickleballers due to the surplus of outdoor courts, something not all communities have.

鈥淭he sports been growing and has been hugely popular in 琉璃神社,鈥� said Graham.

鈥淚t reminds me of racketball in the 鈥�80s; it grows and next thing you know, it鈥檚 everywhere.

鈥淚t can be indoor, outdoor and modified from tennis courts. That鈥檚 the beauty of pickleball.鈥�

There were great turnouts in hockey, track and field and dragon boating throughout the games, but the pickleball crowd brought out plenty of avid fans to watch the spectacle and cheer during the championships.

With the success of 琉璃神社鈥檚 first hosting of the 55+ BC Games and the large pickleball turnout, the sport鈥檚 popularity shows no signs yet of slowing down.

鈥淭he games bring more exposure, it brings more encouragement and motivation and trying to excel at the sport,鈥� said Draude.

鈥淚t鈥檚 also a lot of fun.鈥�

To report a typo, email:
newstips@kelownacapnews.com.

newstips@kelownacapnews.com
Like us on and follow us on .