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What started as a handful of tennis players in Blind River looking to continue a racquet sport during the winter months has become a popular hobby set to be played in every elementary and secondary school in the future.
Fred Nyman, the co-chair of Blind River Pickleball Club, said they currently have 85 active members, a large uptake compared to the 15 members they had in 2019. The club — which is an affiliate of Pickleball Canada and Ontario — is also taking steps to grow the sport amongst the younger generation.
During the last academic year, Nyman said they worked with local secondary and elementary schools and have run clinics in three of the five schools in Blind River to introduce Pickleball to staff and students.
"We will support our secondary and elementary schools this coming September in developing and establishing their own school Pickleball Clubs," Nyman said, adding that they'll support school staff with lesson plans that help introduce Pickleball into physical education programs.
"Our supporting role with local elementary and secondary schools will continue to evolve over the next few years," he said. "It's our vision to see Pickleball programs in every elementary and secondary school during the 2023/24 academic year."
To learn more about the Blind River Pickleball Club, visit their website here.
