Hamber’s Newest Obsession: Pickleball Club Takes the School By Storm

Photo Credit: Izzy Jang

If you’ve passed by a public tennis court in Vancouver, you might have heard the steady thwack-thwack of hard plastic balls hitting wooden paddles. It's also difficult to call yourself an Eric Hamber student if you haven’t gotten the chance to play a high-stakes pickleball tournament in PE. The newfangled racquet sport is everywhere, and many students know about the game that has dominated outdoor courts and been the subject of multiple neighbourhood noise complaints.

Here at Hamber, students enjoyed the game so much in gym class that they took the initiative to start their own school club. Pickleball Club made its debut at Clubs Day in October, and since then, they have practised their game weekly. Students in the club range from grades 8 to 12, and new friendships have been formed over the net and off the court. 

“All we really do at a meeting is play, and we learn from the creator of the club Justin Liao (12), who is a semi-pro, amateur pickleball player,” explained Ethan Whiton (12). “I had never actually played pickleball before this, but I had experience in tennis, so I found it easy to transition from one sport to another.”

Hamber is in the thick of the winter sports season, so gym time at school has been hard to come by. However, the team has persevered and found opportunities to hone their new skills. “We practise either in the early morning or late at night, and even though the times aren’t great, I still have a good time playing,” Whiton shared. “We have our practices in the small gym, and it’s always a fun experience.”

Like most clubs at Clubs Day, Pickleball Club received many signups, but less engagement than they’d first hoped. Now they have a committed group of multiple grade levels, and according to Whiton, that’s part of the fun. 

Since the sport is currently only offered as a club at Hamber, opportunities to scrimmage other schools or teams are limited. However, Whiton and his teammates are optimistic about future club pursuits, and the ever-growing popularity of pickleball in Vancouver.