Pickleball dilly of a game for Terwillegar seniors

The game has a ridiculous name, but pickleball is a serious game for players in their golden years.

At the Terwillegar Recreation Centre, Friday afternoon is crunch time for pickleball players in South Edmonton.

It's a racquet sport played with paddles very similar to ping pong paddles. The net is the height of a tennis net and is played on a badminton court; however the area in front of the net, referred to as the "kitchen" is off limits. Players are not allowed to stand there and "dink" the ball, or smash it into the opponent's side. The ball has holes in it, like a whiffle ball, which makes it a slow ball but not always an easy ball to hit.

The name "pickleball" has no vertified origin. But the game itself originates back to 1965 when a group in the Seattle area made up the game to pass the summer-time vacation hours away. A legend surrounding the game suggests that someone's dog kept stealing the ball away, and the dog's name was Pickles. Another rumour suggests that the slow ball is like a slow boat, which in a race is referred to as a "pickle boat."

Seniors in particular have embraced this game which is initially caught on in retirement homes in the United States and brought to Canada by snowbirds. In 2009, a pickleball association was formed in Canada, which is when the game was first played at the Central Lions Senior Centre in Edmonton.

That first Edmonton group grew from 7 members to 80 members by 2011. An Edmonton woman, Linda Dane, set up tournaments with upwards of 120 participants. More groups were set up in communities surrounding the city, like St. Albert, Sherwood Park and Spruce Grove.

The pickleball pack in Terwillegar Towne is a drop-in group for players 55 years plus. It started in 2011 playing on three courts. Now there are six courts with a capacity for 24 players, male and female. The game is offered three times a week, with beginner sessions on Tuesday mornings. Those wishing to try it out can borrow paddles.

Pickleball's peak season is after golf and before winter sets in for good and seniors leave for warmer destinations south, although it can be played year round indoors and outdoors. It appeals to folks of a certain generation because the game is social like tennis, more active than ping pong but not as difficult to play as tennis.

After the games, the Terwillegar group meets for coffee at a nearby café. Or, the group that meets Friday has been known to visit a neighbourhood pub especially when there's a birthday or anniversary to celebrate.

There is an Edmonton Pickleball Club now, a non-profit group which organizes games, tournaments and books space at local halls, auditoriums and gymnasiums. Outdoors it is played between May and October on tennis courts.

The Terwillegar Recreation Centre is located on Leger Road NW, just north of 23 Ave NW. It's located in the Terwillegar neighbourhood in South East Edmonton, established in 1995.