It’s fast, it’s fun, it doesn’t need height, and it’s easy to play. These are just some of the reasons why pickleball, the fastest-growing sport in the world, has proven to be a big hit among Filipinos.
Most likely, you know someone who plays pickleball and swears by it. Chances are that someone has even invited you to join their pickleball club and give it a try. If you haven’t given in yet, it’s not too late. You might actually be taking the plunge at just the right time.
Pickleball has been called the fastest-growing sport in the world, and with good reason. The rules are not too complicated, the style of play familiar for those who follow tennis. In fact, it’s probably accurate to say that it’s a less-strenuous version of tennis with a smaller playing area.
The Global Pickleball Federation, the sport’s umbrella organization, already counts 66 member-nations in its roster. The Philippines, through the Philippine Pickleball Federation, Inc. (PPF), is one of nine Asian countries already in its fold. The sport is definitely trending upwards here, with ho signs of slowing down.
Pickleball in the Philippines
Pickleball traces its roots back to the late 1960s in Washington state, and began to have mainstream success in the United States shortly after the turn of the century. By the late 2010s, professional tournaments were already in full swing all over the US.
It was therefore no surprise that pickleball was brought over to the Philippines by those who had firsthand experience playing it in the US.
There is no clear timeline as to when exactly pickleball first came to Philippine shores, but Arman Tantoco remembers his own introduction to the sport. Like many other Filipinos, Arman was an avid badminton player, so any new sport involving a racket or paddle intrigued him.
So when one of his colleagues came home from the US and told them all about this new racket sport she had learned, Arman listened.
“She learned to play pickleball (in the US) and was winning in tournaments,” Arman recalls. “And she’s not even five feet tall. So, we imagined that pickleball is something that’s going to be good, a sport that can be easily played by most Filipinos. And so my other colleagues in that badminton group brought in equipment from the US. They brought nets and paddles and balls. And we started playing the game.”
That was in 2018. Unfortunately for Arman and his friends, hardly anyone else was picking up a pickleball racket. “We were playing only inside churches or in the streets,” he said.
Then the pandemic struck, shutting down everything. But in the long run, it actually turned out to be a good thing for the sport here.
“People needed exercise. It’s not a contact sport. And pickleball can be played outdoors. It was something that could be played during the pandemic. A lot of people picked it up, and we were surprised.”
Soon, they heard of other organized groups that were playing regularly.
“We found other people playing it in Valenzuela, in Cainta, and as far as Rosales, Pangasinan. And even Asingan, Pangasinan.”
This sudden growth spurred Arman and his like-minded friends to organize themselves.
“We thought that because the sport is growing, there should be a federation in charge of it. And so we formed a federation. And this was incorporated in 2021 as the Philippine Pickleball Federation Incorporated.”
Today, the PPF boasts of membership numbering 245 pickleball clubs from all over the Philippines. Last year, they took a huge step towards legitimacy after they were recognized as the official national sports association (NSA) for pickleball in the country. With that came membership in the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Arman currently serves as president of the PPF, and during his first POC assembly meeting, he quickly realized just how far the sport had come.
“I was really surprised when I attended my first POC meeting,” he recalled. “A lot of the (other NSA) presidents said, ‘Oh, pickleball. My cousin is playing that. Oh, we have a court there at our place.’ So, it’s proof of how a lot of other people are playing pickleball.”
Arman is proud of the fact that the PPF is actually the first national sports association in the world dedicated to pickleball.
“The Philippines was the very first where the organization for pickleball was recognized by the government,” he noted. “So, we were the first NSA.”
The National Championship
However, this distinction means that pickleball can’t be played yet in international tournaments like the Southeast Asian Games or the Asian Games. But the PPF is already preparing for when the sport will become part of the international calendar by gathering the best players in one big event.
From May 30 to June 1, the PPF ran the 1st Philippine Pickleball National Championship, where the top players from clubs all over the country competed for pickleball glory and bragging rights, as well as coveted slots in the national training pool.
“Before, we were holding yearly tournaments, which we call the Invitationals, which is open for all members of our member clubs in the Philippine Pickleball Federation,” Arman explains. “But last year, since a lot of the clubs are holding their own tournaments, we set up guidelines for them if they want their tournament to be a leg of the national championship circuit. Several clubs held their tournaments, we sanctioned it, and now all the winners of these tournaments are the ones who are able to play in this Philippine National Championship.
“So this is the first, and this is actually part of our plan in looking for and developing a national pool of pickleball athletes for the country.”
The tournament attracted over 80 of the top Filipino players who competed in two divisions (open and advanced) across three age groups (19-34, 35-54 and 55-above) in men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. Among them were Anna Clarice Patrimonio, daughter of Alvin, and Leander Lazaro, one of our best men’s singles and doubles players.
“This is a breakthrough tournament for me because this is the chance to level up the sport to the next level,” said Lazaro. “This is the qualifying for training pool. Eventually, we will have SEA Games, Asian Games. So it’s good that the players will be exposed and have a national team for development.”
The games were held at Dink & Shot, a brand-new facility in Marikina used exclusively for pickleball. Arman speaks highly of the venue.
“It’s maybe one of very few venues that can be found here in Metro Manila that is dedicated to pickleball,” he said. “The surface is world standard. So unlike the surfaces that we’ve been using that are basketball, badminton, and tennis courts, this is finished specifically for pickleball.”
The pickleball explosion and what’s next
If you ask Arman, pickleball’s growing popularity here in the Philippines is hardly surprising. The sport itself is easy to pick up, and your typical playing area doesn’t take up too much space.
“The court is exactly the same size as a doubles badminton court,” Arman explains. “The thing is, it is a very easy sport to play for anybody of any age, of any size, of any sex, in any economic bracket. So, I foresee that it’s going to be a mainstream sport.
“You just need a paddle, a ball, and a net. And that’s it. It’s very simple, and it’s very easy. I’ve noticed that this is the sport where people in their 60s or even 70s or even 80s are willing to start playing. I don’t see how any other sport could say that. Well, of course, maybe chess.”
And compared to other racket and paddle sports, there’s also a lesser degree of difficulty for pickleball.
“As a former badminton player, I think it’s much easier on my knees, considering the court area is much smaller than a tennis court,” Arman says. “Actually, we were able to set up four pickleball courts in one big tennis court.”
Leander says one reason he enjoys playing is because he gets to play with his parents.
“This is the only sport you can play with your kids, with your parents, and your grandparents. This year, my parents started playing pickleball. So, it’s very special for me to play with them.”
Filipinos, Leander believes, have a bright future in pickleball.
“You don’t need height. I think our height is really perfect for this sport. We’re fast, and we’re very resilient, and we’re very smart. So, it’s perfect for this sport. And fun.”
Arman dreams of the day when the sport will be as mainstream as basketball or volleyball. And quite frankly, that dream won’t be far off if the PPF’s plans all come to fruition.
“We have more tournaments,” he revealed. “We plan different types of tournaments for this year for our members to be able to help include pickleball in the curriculum of different schools, from elementary to college.”
Already, there are signs that this will come sooner rather than later.
“Actually, in Pangasinan, the Department of Education has already included pickleball in their program. There are school divisions in Pangasinan. Hopefully, we will be able to replicate that in the different school divisions throughout the country.
“And hopefully, because there are already children and students playing this, then they will be able to develop more and better when they go to college and graduate. Hopefully, from there, we can come up with really world-class athletes.”
Banner Images from Sid Ventura and Cas Aseoche.