Richard Peete swapped badminton for pickleball and never looked back.
A long-time badminton player, 67-year-old Peete made the decision to retire from league play three years ago after the sport began to aggravate his back.
But with his competitive spirit in better health than ever, Saffron Walden’s Peete has made his return to the court for the second act of his sporting life, trading his racket for a pickleball paddle.
He said: “My ex-badminton partner had just started a club in Saffron Walden and suggested I give pickleball a go.
“I found I enjoyed it and that my back didn’t hurt nearly as bad as playing badminton so I took the decision of retiring from league badminton after 50 years of playing to a high standard.
“I took up pickleball and have been learning how to play ever since.
“There’s a real camaraderie around it. It’s so friendly. Everyone’s so approachable, we talk to one another and the sport is so interesting because you get a lot of players from different backgrounds.
“You get players who think all you have to do is smack the ball as hard as you can and it’s nothing like that. It’s a mixture of technique, placement and you have to think your way around it.”
Pickleball is a racket sport which sees players compete using paddles and a perforated plastic ball.
The sport is played indoors and outdoors and was invented in 1965 as a children’s backyard game in the United States but is a fast-growing sport for all ages across England
Taking place from Thursday 31 October to Sunday 3 November at Bolton Arena, the English Nationals comprises four days of high-level competition, with a record number of 1,111 pickleball players competing in the North West
Commenting on the sport’s popularity, Peete added: “I’d like to see pickleball continue to grow but it hasn’t reached the stage yet where we have leagues in all areas.
“Pickleball hasn’t got to that stage yet, it’s very much club and inter-club play and there are tournaments like this one but there’s not a lot of them.
“Anyone who plays badminton, tennis or squash should be able to play it. The fact that pickleball marries age and ability makes it such a good sport.”
Pickleball England has announced a record number of over 1,000 players competing at the 2024 Skechers English Nationals. The tournament takes place from the 31st October – 3rd November at Bolton Arena and is the second largest national pickleball event. For more information, visit www.pickleballengland.org
