Nick Smith’s competitive spirit kept him coming back for more at pickleball’s biggest-ever national championships in Bolton.
The Leeds native won silver in the wheelchair event on the first day of competition at the 2024 Skechers English Nationals.
But his passion for the sport has kept him coming back, with the pickleball standout competing in the Men’s Doubles 3.5 18+ on Saturday alongside friend and standing player Lloyd Attrill.
“It’s really good. It’s really good every time I’ve come here,” Smith said.
Pickleball for breakfast 🥐
— Pickleball England (@PickleballEng) November 1, 2024
It was great to welcome @mikebreakfast to Bolton for a taste of pickleball this morning.
Thank you for coming, @BBCBreakfast!#EnglishNationals pic.twitter.com/8eTOUeNNOP
“I work at the John Charles Tennis Centre and my manager brought it over and set it up and I’ve been playing for three years now.
“Wheelchair’s my main event, the one I’m probably most competitive in, I won silver in that which was good but I just love playing so I went to enter the Men’s Doubles on Saturday.
“Without competition, there’s nothing to strive towards. With football, players don’t just train, train, train, they play matches. It’s the same for pickleball.
“It’s such a quick sport to play.
“It is so open and that is important because you can have a wheelchair player play a standing player and a 12-year-old against an 80-year-old all on the same court, all playing the same game.”
Pickleball gets its name from its American founders, with the family game created in 1965 and named after their pet dog Pickle.
The game has surged in popularity in recent years, with over 30,000 people now playing it in England.
It is a racket sport which sees players compete using paddles and a perforated plastic ball and can be played both indoors and outdoors by all ages and abilities.
That's a wrap 🔚
— Pickleball England (@PickleballEng) November 3, 2024
The final day of a special Skechers English Nationals.
Thank you for being a part of it ❤️#SkechersEnglishNationals | @SKECHERS_UK | @FranklinSports pic.twitter.com/WCpMytZgkM
The inclusive nature of the sport has seen a record 1,111 players descend on Bolton Arena for the 2024 Skechers English Nationals for four days of high-level competition.
He said: “It’s unbelievable. It’s so good to see it get bigger and bigger. I think it’s going to skyrocket soon even more.
“I’d love to see more of it. I reckon next year there’ll be 2,000 people here.”
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
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