One NK launches new Pickleball session for over 55s

Locals are being invited to get stuck into Pickleball, which combines elements of table tennis, tennis and badminton for an energetic workout. The new session will run every Tuesday at 9:15 am – 10:15 am and is open to those aged 55 and over.

One NK, run by Better the charitable social enterprise, has invested in all new pickleball equipment, with nets, paddles and balls at the ready for members and non-members of the leisure centre to try their hand at the new sport, which is played on badminton courts.

Members can enjoy playing in singles or doubles and the rules are like badminton and tennis, albeit with a few differences. Players must stay within court boundaries, and only the serving side can score points. There’s also the two bounce rule, where after the ball has been served it must bounce once before being returned and then once on the serving side before play continues.

Better Community Sports Officer, Jamie Cheevers, said: “We’re excited to bring Pickleball to North Hykeham. It’s really grown in popularity in the UK in recent years, and I think a lot of its appeal is that it’s a low impact sport which suits people of all ages and fitness levels. Most people find it easy to pick up, and you don’t need to have any racquet sport experience to play. It’s really sociable too, and our first session has seen players have lots of fun. I encourage anyone who’s interested in trying it out for the first time to come down and see what’s going on”.

Anyone wishing to join can contact Jamie Cheevers at [email protected] or visit https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/north-kesteven/one-nk to learn more about the Pickleball sessions.