AusLeisure

Community demand has seen Pickleball added to the sports available to users of the Blacktown Leisure Centre, Stanhope.

Quickly becoming a firm favourite among the racket sport community, Pickleball took over Blacktown Tennis Centre Stanhope in early October hosting the 2023 Australian Pickleball Championships.

Council ran a ‘teaser’ trial of the sport with nearly all sessions experiencing double digit attendance. As a result, the Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope will offer the sport in 2024.

Mayor of Blacktown City, Tony Bleasdale shared "we are looking forward to the ongoing support from our community at Social Pickleball."

At the Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope, Social Pickleball runs Tuesdays at midday and Thursdays at 7pm till 16th November. In 2024 the season recommences on Wednesdays at 7pm from 10th January. The price is $9.15 per player, per entry.

Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope is a registered affiliate of the Pickleball Association of NSW and now offers social pickleball to the Blacktown community on a weekly basis.

"Social pickleball is an opportunity for individuals of all skill levels to learn and master the sport so why not come and give it a go. You will be glad you did, we are a proud sporting city and Council is committed to the promotion and support of all sports," Mayor Bleasdale added.

Pickleball popularity is growing, over 690 players from every state in Australia and some from overseas, attended the Australian Championships in October, the largest Pickleball tournament ever held in Australia.

That event was followed up with Blacktown Tennis Centre Stanhope hosting a second major league Pickleball tournament, the Pacific Pro Sydney '23, which saw Australia's 'elite' Pickleball players battle each other for a prize pool of $60,000.

Pickleball is rapidly becoming the fastest growing sport in Australia with an estimated 15,000 players at 70 clubs and associations nationwide and it is expected to grow to 25,000 players by the end of 2026.

Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope and Blacktown Tennis Centre Stanhope are Blacktown City Council's flagship aquatic, leisure and tennis centres featuring four heated indoor swimming pools, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a four-court indoor stadium and 16 tennis courts

For more information about Blacktown Leisure Centre Stanhope and Social Pickleball, please visit www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au/blcs

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