PICKLEBALL CENTRAL UK
Welcome!
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Welcome to Pickleball Central UK, (PBC UK) the premier organisation for our pickleball members who enjoy playing & competing in the Central region of the UK.
1st Telford Pickleball Festival 2023
You are invited to join our friendly & growing community of pickleball players who play at a variety of venues in the daytime, evening & weekend. If you are brand new to pickleball, we will look after you by providing the coaching & equipment to develop you as a player & integrate you appropriately into the sessions.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a fun & social indoor or outdoor racket sport. Two players (singles), or four players (doubles) hit a perforated hollow plastic ball called a "whiffle ball" over a 36-inch-high (0.91 m) net using solid-faced paddles. The outer size of the court is the same as a badminton court. Pickleball is easier technically to learn in the beginning compared to tennis or badminton, but it requires a lot of practise to become a expert! Rallies are long and exciting, and there is a mixture of hard hitting and soft strategic play. The rules of pickleball make for even and fun matches allowing all ages to participate together; children to those in their 80s are able to successfully play together and be on a level.
Pickleball was invented in 1965 but it is now the fastest growing sport in the USA for the third year running and participation in the UK has been doubling over the last few years to now around 8,000 players.
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With this rapid growth, Pickleball England, the UK association has predicted by 2025 there will be 25,000 players in the UK.
about us
Fiona Edwards, an LTA accredited tennis coach, originally set up "Shrewsbury Pickleball" in her home town in December 2021, after first playing in a fun tournament on holiday in Devon in the summer.
Shrewsbury Pickleball ran the first "Shropshire Open" tournament, and an internal league during 2022 involving 70 players. We joined the social prescribing register for those in need of physical activity & improved mental health in the county. We celebrated our first birthday with a UV party - inspired by picklers in the North who set the precedent! Awards were presented to members who generously gave their time and efforts to grow the group so successfully.
Pickleball Central UK (PBC UK) was formed in 2023 in response to demand for our services across a wider geographical base. PBC UK organised the first "Central England Pickleball Festival" at Tipton, Birmingham to give players in this area of the country a chance to experience a festival and to socialize with picklers who travelled from around the UK to also attend this central location. We were so excited that the festival sold out with 200 players attending over the weekend as well as a special exhibition match by Thaddea Lock, the UK no 1 player, Julie Mac, & coaches Rob Williams and Sam Basford. In 2023 PBC UK put on tournaments, coaching events, festivals & promotional events both in the UK and in Portugal. Many of our group trained hard with us to compete at external events in the UK (English Open & Nationals) and in Europe with massive success. At the start of 2024 we took our largest group yet, 30 of our picklers including a strong junior contingent, to a tournament abroad, winning 22 medals across all age and ability categories. We provide the services of IPTPA, and RPPK, Internationally trained coaches & referees to pass on our pickleball knowledge to all members, with the primary aim of develop their skills. We are forging strong links with clubs abroad to give our members amazing opportunities. As an organisation we are proud to attract members from all over the UK & around the world, and our 450 strong membership is still growing rapidly!