About

Tom Price founded Jersey Pickleball in 2022 with the aim of growing the sport and making it accessible and affordable to everyone on the island.

 

 PICTURE THIS

 

Two ladies are stood on a converted junior tennis court looking bemused on a cold but windless day in the Spring of 2022 at St Clements Golf and Sports Centre. The coach arrives carrying a kit bag full of aerated plastic yellow balls and a handful of curiously shaped padels. These two ladies begin to learn some basic skills which enables them to play this unfamiliar net based game. Over the coming weeks, they are joined by others - some by invitation, others having heard of all of this by word of mouth. From these modest beginnings Pickleball - a hybrid mix of tennis, badminton and table tennis - arrived in Jersey. Since those early days, the sport of pickleball has grown exponentially, attracting large numbers of enthusiasts due to its accessibility and the ability of players to have great fun from the get-go.

 

PICTURE THIS NOW.

 

Jersey Pickleball is now firmly established. There are now three purpose built outdoor pickleball courts at St Clements. And, as a result if the generosity of the Jersey Badminton Association, Jersey Picklball now has access to five courts indoor at the New Gilson Hall, a purpose built sports facility also Fort regent has now allowed pickleball to be played on its 2 badminton courts and the main multi sportsv hall with 4 courts.

 

Here in Jersey the sport is led by Tom Price and Tom Middelton, who are experienced coaches in a range of racquet and padel sports, and it benefits from the support of a corporate sponsor, Highvern - a locally based international financial services company.

 

Jersey Pickleball has a strong media and social media presence. Players from other jurisdictions are welcomed, and for the first time ever Jersey players competed in the Pickelball England Open which was held in August 2024 and others off-island tournament further afield including France and the USA

 

From small acorns, huge oak trees have grown.

 

JERSEY ‘PICKLERS’.

 

Pickleball in Jersey has attracted - and continues to attract - a wide spectrum of players from our community. Some have migrated from other racquet and padel based sports, including some of the finest and most experienced players on the island. They have been joined by many other players who rejoice in the fact that they have never picked up a padel or racquet before in their lives.

 

The sport thrives here in Jersey because it is founded upon those factors which drive any sport forward. There is a regular experienced coaching presence. There is individual and group coaching. There are ‘mash up’ (social) events where there is always a game and great fun for those who just turn up. And, there is an annual cycle of competitive leagues for singles and doubles players.

 

Like other great sports, pickleball attracts players of all ages from teenagers to pensioners, male and female players in equal measure, and a wide and disparate range of professions including teachers, accountants, chefs, and health professionals, and full time carers. What they all have in common - and what binds them together - is a love of the game combined with a strong ethic of sportsmanship and fair mindedness.

 

And, our sport is ‘low impact’ - 1the small court, the pace of the game, and the fluidity of movement is such as to be kind to muscles and joints.

 

WE ARE A COMMUNITY, NOT A CLUB.

 

There is no entry fee when joining Jersey Pickleball. There is a modest charge per session to cover court bookings, general kit and coaching. Getting started could not be easier. New entrants even get to use the communal paddles and pickleballs so the ‘entry cost’ to our sport could not possibly be lower.

 

Jersey Pickleball works as a community of interest. We are not a club with meetings and office holders. What binds us is our community spirit, our sense of personal and group responsibility, and mutual support. All of our activities are managed via our WhatsApp groups with over 200 contacts. Here you will find all the coaching, playing, mash up, and league fixtures (and results) which are post for the coming days and weeks. It is a fast and easy to use social medium for keeping connected to us.

 

Why not join us. The hardest thing to do (and it’s not very hard, is it?), is to decide to come along for the very first time. Well, after that it’s just such great fun…..