New dedicated indoor pickleball centre at the heart of sporting boom in Peterborough
Peterborough has become the home to a new dedicated indoor pickleball centre as the sport begins to boom in the city and across the country.
It is an exciting times for fans of racket sports in the city as On2Court Pickleball has now opened its doors to its new centre, located at Wainman Road, just off Morley Way in Fletton.
The centre is run by Simon and Gemma Bentley and has four dedicated tournament-standard acrylic courts, offering options for court bookings, social sessions, group and individual coaching for players of all ages, be it a complete beginner or accomplished player. The facility also includes a refreshment and social area.
Pickleball- along with Padel- is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and across Europe at the moment. Many are jumping at the chance to play due to its accessibility, the fact it is gentler on the body than most sports, the fact it can be played all year around and the low costs involved in getting started.
The game has been described as a mix of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Pickleball can be played as singles (two players) or doubles (four players) and sees competitors compete on a badminton-sized court and a shorter tennis net.
The ball must be served underarm and players then take it in turns hitting the ball over the net until it is not returned. Points can only be won on serve and there is an area in front of the net known as the ‘kitchen’ where volleying the ball is not allowed.
The new centre is unique for the city and is one of the only dedicated Pickleball spaces in a couple of hours drive of the city. Owner Simon and Gemma Bentley, who are also qualified tennis coaches, are planning to continue to grow their players through social sessions and court bookings, before looking to expand into competitive opportunities such as internal league matches and matches against other clubs.
The couple first picked up the sport while on holiday in America and were inspired to start their own centre after battling against issues with issues such as availability and court space in local sports halls.
Simon said: “The demand has been phenomenal. We have over 400 enquiries in two weeks and at least 200 people have some through the door in that time. It’s been fantastic.
"We have had so much positive feedback in terms of the court surface and the space around it.
"Pickleball and Padel are both growing exponentially and I think that is down to how accessible it is. Whether you are an adult, junior, it is a lot more accessible than going on a tennis court. With pickleball, you could go to a 90-minute introduction class and go right into a doubles match and be socialising with people by the end of that session. That is a really big draw for people, especially those not with a racket sport background.”
Gemma added: “It really is accessible for all age groups, you got to the point in certain sports where you can’t go any further but pickleball is something you can take with you all of the way through your life.”
To find out more about getting involved. Visit https://on2courtpickleball.co.uk/ and on Facebook.