Former Pickelball international opens up a new club in Salford

Salford’s first Pickelball club has been formed in MediaCity and is set to be led by a former international. 

The growing sport is a mash-up of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong that can be played by singles or in pairs, either indoors or outside.

The aim of Pickleball is to get the ball over the net and prevent your opponent from hitting it back.

The recent popularity growth in the sport has seen a significant boom, with over 7,000 people playing the sport across the UK.

The fast growth of the sport has led to organisers even trying to include it into the 2028 Olympics as a demonstration sport.

The weekly sessions will be led by Elaine Shallcross, the Pickleball England North West regional director, who wants to encourage local enthusiasts to play in Salford, away from areas such as Bolton, Wigan, and Leigh.

Elaine Shallcross is considered to be one of the first people to play pickleball in the UK, and after playing in Thailand from 2014, she hopes to introduce more people to the game in Salford.

Full of enthusiasm and passion for the sport, club’s founder and coach Elaine Shallcross said: “We have made great progress so far and are very fortunate to have attracted some younger players at Salford which is very rewarding.

“The great thing about Pickleball is we can accommodate all ages from 11 to 70.”

Open to all ages the club will be under good supervision with Elaine’s depth of experience in the sport.

With the Salford local and international star after receiving a British Empire Medal on the Kings Birthday Honours.

And visitors will have the chance to learn from one of the best, as Elaine encouraged more people to participate, as she said: “The sport is easy to learn, and we welcome anybody at any level.”

The group will be encouraged to meet up at MediaCity Oasis Academy, as they hope to encourage as many as possible to attend.

The sessions will take place on Tuesday evenings from 6pm, with guests hoping to get involved in the fast growing game.

Visitors or enthusiasts who want to participate can get in contact with either Elaine or her support Jane here or on the Facebook page below.