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A 20-court facility in northeast Red Deer will host the 2021 National Pickleball Championships. (Red Deer Pickleball Club)
WELCOMING THE NATION

Red Deer Pickleball Club selected to host 2021 nationals

Jun 6, 2020 | 10:18 AM

The Red Deer Pickleball Club will welcome athletes from across the country in summer 2021 for the National Pickleball Championships.

The hosting duties are made possible for Red Deer by the construction of a massive pickleball facility in northeast Red Deer last year, which received funding from both the City of Red Deer and the provincial government.

Patrick Galesloot, one of the club’s board directors, says hosting nationals will mean increased credibility for the club.

“It’s a positive good news story for everybody. One of our goals when we set out to get the new courts was to hold championship-calibre tournaments, so we’re pretty pleased that we can now do that,” he says.

“Typically the national tournament holds in excess of 500 players from across Canada and some international players in a variety of formats, including singles, doubles, and mixed doubles in various age categories and skill levels.”

One goal over the next year is to install a professional sound system at the facility.

Galesloot acknowledges that there has been criticism of the sport and even the decision to build a facility in Red Deer, but the club hopes this tournament can give the sport a but more legitimacy.

“We’ve seen more and more younger players coming out. Our membership was just under 200 before the new courts were built, and then we closed last season just under 400 because people are taking advantage of the wonderful new facility we have,” he shares.

“When we bring national-calibre championships with higher-end players that play at advanced skill levels, that can certainly open the eyes and doors for a lot of people who didn’t realize pickleball is more than just grandma and grandpa out there hitting the ball.”

The national championship in Red Deer is set to take place Aug. 11-15, 2021.