A pickleball tournament is converging on North Bay next week and Pickleball Ontario is looking to grow the sport.
The organization has donated an instructional package, including a net, pickleballs and four sets of paddles, to the Near North District School Board.
It will be kept at one of the board’s resource centres and will be available for educators to sign out to teach and play pickleball with their students.
Daphne Micallef Reid, president of Pickleball Ontario, says the donation of the package is a way for the organization to reach out to communities in advance of tournaments, and help to grow the sport of pickleball.
The organization is also hopeful pickleball will become an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) and Olympic sport.
Junior Bent, vice president of Pickleball Ontario says helping students learn about the game is imperative to growing the game.
Michelle Cundari, president of North Bay Pickleball Club, says the club has seen significant growth in recent years, with a rapidly increasing number of enthusiastic members.
The club is hosting the tournament July 5-7 at Nipissing University.
