The Weyburn Pickleball Club (WPC) is serving up an appetizer of fun in the sun. The WPC now has over 140 paid members, with pickleball becoming one of the fastest growing sports in North America.

Janice Bakken, Treasurer of the WPC, said she has been playing pickleball for about six years. "We are a very open club and welcome new members. We play inside in the winter at Knox Hall on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings. In the summer we play on the tennis courts, which are also pickleball courts."

Bakken explained that they've changed one of their courts to four courts using temporary lines and portable nets. They now have six courts for players to take advantage of.

Murray Benson, Committee Head of the Weyburn Pickleball Club in regards to the new courts, said that the city of Weyburn and all the user groups have been really good about everything.

"The Weyburn Leisure Department, Saint Michael School, Weyburn Comprehensive School, and the Weyburn Tennis Club all kind of got together and decided 'is this something we can do on a temporary basis, use temporary lines on a trial basis?' I think it's worked really well because we can now get six courts."

PickleballPhoto taken by Mallory Cawthra.

Murray said that the WPC went ahead and bought tape, and they're just in the process of buying four new temporary nets to put up.

"Hopefully down the road, if it's successful and all the user groups agree, we would love to put the courts down permanently. That would really help the WPC," Murray said. The great thing about pickleball, he said, is all one needs is some court shoes and a paddle in order to play.

Bakken added that, "Our club has extra paddles, so if anybody wanted to come and try, you're welcome to try our paddles as well before you decide on what you want to buy." There is a one-time membership fee of $20, Bakken said. "When we play inside there is a $3 fee and that covers our rent at the hall."

"There is also a third facility we use, and that's the Credit Union Spark Centre," Murray said. "The Spark Centre has a mini gym and that's big enough for two pickleball courts. So on rainy days in the summertime, that's another option is to go over there." 

Murray added that they look forward to the future of the city facility.