American paddle sport Pickleball gaining momentum in Caunton

An American paddle sport has gained trans-Atlantic popularity, with players now training for tournaments.

Pickleball, which is like a mash up of tennis, table tennis and badminton, has been played for over 50 years in the US — and has now found a home at Caunton Lawn Tennis Club.

Played with paddles and a plastic air ball on a court approximately half the size of a tennis court, Pickleball is both sociable and great for improving fitness.

The game first came to Caunton in 2023, where it is led by head coach James Harding and attracts players from Newark, Southwell, East Markham and the surrounding villages.

Mark and Deb Pearce, of Rolleston, took up the sport in January 2024, after attending a free taster session, and have now gone on to attend their first tournament.

The pair became regular players, and attend the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday sessions each week, before deciding to enter the tournament hosted at University of Nottingham’s David Ross Sport Centre on June 22 and 23.

They competed in the over 50s mixed doubles competition, and while no medals were won on their first outing, the experience offered a fantastic opportunity to gain more understanding of the world of Pickleball, having met players from all over the UK.

Mark and Deb acknowledged the support of James, Maria and Annabelle who have encouraged all the Caunton Pickleball players and provided additional coaching for Mark and Deb who are now looking forward to more tournaments and improving their ratings and rankings.

Pickleball is for all ages and abilities. For more information contact James Harding on James@tennis4all.org.uk.