La crescente popolarità del pickleball a Singapore porta a crescenti sfide
Nel vivace panorama sportivo di Singapore, un nuovo sport sta facendo parlare di sé: il pickleball. Questo sport, un mix unico di badminton, tennis e ping pong, è stato introdotto per la prima volta nei centri sportivi ActiveSG nel 2014 con un numero modesto di prenotazioni, a malapena 20 al mese.
Saltando avanti fino ad oggi, la domanda per i campi da pickleball è esplosa. Con 50 persone che lottano per un solo campo, è evidente che lo sport ha conquistato il cuore di molte persone. Tuttavia, al momento della pubblicazione di questo articolo, non ci sono dati pubblici disponibili sul numero esatto di giocatori di pickleball attivi a Singapore.
Despite the lack of concrete numbers, the growth of pickleball has been undeniable. The People's Association reported a 40% increase in pickleball participation at their annual championship in 2023, compared to the previous year. This surge was reflected in the numbers, with the individual participants nearly doubling, from 424 in 2022 to 2,106 in 2023.
The success of pickleball in Singapore has not gone unnoticed. The Singapore Pickleball Association (SPA) president, Lim Ee Kiong, has stated that the growth of the sport has been more exponential than he initially imagined.
Among the enthusiasts of this sport is Singaporean pickleball coach, Wil Heng. Wil discovered pickleball in 2022 and quickly became a regular player, participating as often as five times a week. However, due to the high demand for courts and the sport's growing popularity, Wil now tries to play during off-peak hours.
Wil compares pickleball to a kampung activity, a term used to describe community activities in traditional Malaysian and Singaporean villages. This sentiment echoes the sport's accessibility, with the barrier to entry considered very low.
Despite the challenges in securing court time, Wil remains optimistic about the future of pickleball in Singapore. As the sport continues to grow, it's clear that pickleball is more than just a game - it's a community activity that brings people together.
In the first half of 2025, there were close to 8,000 pickleball bookings across ActiveSG facilities, indicating a continued interest in the sport. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how pickleball continues to evolve and grow within the Singaporean community.
