Omemee Curling Club looking to expand summer pickleball, attract more youth

With the ice out and the nets up for another summer pickleball season at the Omemee Curling Club (OCC), Roy Lawder and his dedicated group of volunteer coaches would like to see more youth playing Canada’s fastest growing sport for life.

With that goal in mind, they have an ambitious plan in place to make pickleball more attractive and affordable for the young people of Omemee and area.

Lawder made it clear that the future of pickleball is firmly rooted in getting more youth involved in the sport, which will be advantageous for younger players, the OCC and the long-term health of pickleball.

“We want to give youth in the community something positive to do with their spare time,” Lawder began. “We are running two Monday night training sessions each month at the OCC that give youth and adults, ages 12 and up, the opportunity to learn the game, understand the rules, learn some basic strategy and then get a chance to play the game. We hope if they enjoy their experience they will come back for a second day and get involved in playing athletes of all ages who are migrating to pickleball.”

Lawder said the goal of the club is to continue the twice-monthly training sessions until the end of September when the ice goes back in at the OCC.

“After that, players can go to Lindsay or Peterborough for the winter and play,” Lawder said. “They do not have to continue on with us. Our objective is to get kids hooked on pickleball.”

Lawder is aware that there are many financial barriers preventing youth from becoming active, but the OCC is only charging $5 for the Monday night training session, and then $5 for each three-hour game block that a player might sign up for in the future.

“We have full support from the club to keep costs down,” Lawder said. “This is a way for the OCC to do community outreach and make itself better known in a different demographic, and possibly recruit a few kids for the winter curling season.”

Lawder also realizes that a positive and supportive atmosphere is necessary to keep young people engaged.

“We have a great facility and great people already,” Lawder said. “We need to remember that the game is not that important and that by fostering a polite, welcoming positive environment for all players of all ages, people will make the drive to Omemee from communities as far away as Millbrook and Ennismore which is already happening. Fun needs to be the goal every session.”

Lawder and the OCC have also decided to make opportunities available for local elementary school students to come to the curling club and learn about and play pickleball.

“On June 16, we have our first group of students coming from Scott Young Public School to give the sport a try,” Lawder said. He noted there are 26 kids and no cost for the students.

Lawder added that before the OCC puts the ice back in next fall, they expect three more classes of elementary students to travel from St. Luke’s in Downeyville to have their own introduction to pickleball.

Lawder believes that the same characteristics that make pickleball attractive to older players will attract and engage younger players too.

“You don’t have to be a high-level athlete to enjoy the game,” Lawder said. “It is a game that is designed for success even if you have mobility issues.”

The next pickleball Learn to Play night at the OCC will be June 15 from 6-9 p.m. These sessions will continue on every first and third Monday of the month. Additionally, beginning in July, the second and fourth Monday nights will be scheduled as a Family Night to include youth, parents and grandparents.