The appeal of the new sport of Pickleball in Nghe An
Although it has only been around in the province for a very short time, Pickleball has attracted many people of all ages who enthusiastically practice it every day.
Special appeal
Opened just over a month ago, the Pickleball courts in the Handico Vinh Tan urban area (Vinh City) have already attracted hundreds of people to practice every day. Particularly during the hours of 5 AM - 7 AM and 5 PM - 8 PM, there are 70-80 people at the courts, both playing and cheering, the sounds of the ball and laughter filling a corner of the urban area.
According to Ms. Pham Thi Hang, the owner of this complex of courts, she and her husband are both passionate about sports. Her husband used to play table tennis, while she had experience with badminton and tennis. After accidentally researching and updating information from the internet and domestic and international sports groups, they realized that pickleball has similarities to tennis, but is less expensive and much easier to play, suitable for all ages. From there, they learned how to play and boldly invested in courts in the Handico Vinh Tan urban area.
To date, despite only being in operation for over a month and a half, this complex of sports fields already has 8 clubs regularly participating in training and competitions, each with 10-15 members. The membership of these clubs is very diverse, including both men and women, from various professions and age groups, with the oldest being 65 years old and the youngest 7 years old.
Pickleball originated in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington (USA). Currently, this sport is extremely popular in the United States. In Vietnam, this sport was introduced in 2018, developing rapidly over the past year, becoming a "phenomenon" and gaining popularity quickly, attracting thousands of players.
According to Ms. Hang, the reason why Pickleball has gained such strong popularity globally, as well as in Vietnam, is because it is an easy-to-play and accessible sport; anyone can play it. Furthermore, the investment in playing fields (which can be played indoors or outdoors), equipment (rackets, nets, etc.) is not overly complicated, depending on the player's circumstances and needs.
Some characteristics of the sport of Pickleball:
- A pickleball is similar to a table tennis racket but is rectangular and larger. The ball used in this sport is made of plastic, round, and smaller than a rattan ball.
- Pickleball is a combination of three sports: table tennis, badminton, and tennis. Pickleball courts are usually built outdoors, with the same length and width as badminton courts, but the net is placed close to the ground like a tennis court, the lines are marked like those on a table tennis table, and there is a special "kitchen" area in the middle of the court. This is an area that players are not allowed to enter before the ball bounces off the ground or before making direct shots.
- The rules of Pickleball also have similarities to table tennis and tennis, allowing players to hit the ball directly or let it touch the ground before hitting it. Pickleball can be played in singles or doubles, with each match lasting 3 sets. The team that reaches 11 points first and has a 2-point lead over their opponent wins. If both teams are tied, the match continues until the score difference between the two teams reaches 2 points.
The most appealing aspect of pickleball is that it doesn't require as much strenuous exercise as tennis or badminton, nor is it as difficult to play as table tennis. Even those who have never played any sport before can easily learn it because it doesn't demand advanced technique.
Pickleball is not gender-specific or age-specific; even those with minor sports injuries can choose this sport as an alternative. More importantly, this sport helps players release energy, relieve stress, improve their health, and bring joy and relaxation every time they step onto the pickleball court.
According to Mr. Nguyen Trung Hai, a resident of Trung Do ward (Vinh city) - who has regularly participated in training and competitions at the Handico Vinh Tan Pickleball complex since its opening - "Previously, I also played other sports like table tennis and badminton, but since the Pickleball court opened, I've spent almost every afternoon practicing this sport. I find it very attractive and captivating, very easy to get 'addicted' to it."
Ms. Le Thanh Tu, residing in Vinh Tan ward (Vinh city), shared: “I have been playing tennis for 3 years, so when I switched to Pickleball, I easily adapted and quickly absorbed the techniques. The more I play, the more captivating it becomes because it doesn't require too much force; all that's needed is patience, skill, and stamina.”
To develop Pickleball strongly
Recognizing the growing popularity of pickleball, sports management authorities at all levels, from central to local, have recently shown interest and taken steps to develop this sport.
Having just returned from a pickleball training course organized by the Department of Physical Education and Sports (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in Hanoi, Mr. Vu Van Nam - Deputy Principal of Nghe An Sports High School for the Gifted - said that this training course attracted nearly 200 sports officials from various localities, demonstrating the special appeal and interest of the sports sector in this sport nationwide.
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Through this training course, it was also learned that the Vietnam Pickleball Federation will soon be established, and this sport will be included in the system of high-performance sports to participate in regional and continental tournaments.
Mr. Nam also stated that, although there is currently only one Pickleball court complex in the Handico Vinh Tan urban area of the province, with the relatively reasonable construction cost of a Pickleball court (from 30 million VND), Pickleball will quickly attract investment from many organizations and individuals in the province, not only in Vinh City but also in many districts and towns, thereby attracting more players and contributing to the promotion of sports and physical fitness among all segments of the population.
In the coming period, the Department of Culture and Sports needs to focus on promoting and guiding people to understand and choose this sport, assigning staff to guide sports collaborators and citizens to play according to the rules, safely and effectively. Along with that, consideration should be given to including Pickleball in the provincial competition system, thereby gradually selecting outstanding athletes to participate in the national competition.
Mr. Vu Van Nam - Vice Principal of Nghe An Sports and Physical Education Gifted High School
With the benefits that Pickleball offers, it is hoped that in the future, this sport will become widely popular, attracting more and more participants of different ages. This will contribute to diversifying the province's mass sports.
