Free weekly pickleball sessions return to Fort St. John

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Free introductory pickleball sessions are returning to Fort St. John for the third year running. 

Every Tuesday in May and June, the Peace Country Pickleball Association (PCPA) is holding an evening drop-in session at the Kin Park pickleball courts. 

Everyone is welcome to join the informal clinic, which will have three certified coaches on hand to teach attendees about the game. 

It is similar to tennis but played on a smaller court and uses a paddle instead of a racquet, a harder ball and an emphasis on teams rather than singles.

“It’s a great sport,” said Ted Euchner, past president of the PCPA. “It keeps people active. It’s something that people of all ages can do and keeps them off the couch.”

The PCPA has held these free sessions since the courts at Kin Park were built in 2023, and the association will assess their popularity this year before deciding a plan for after June.

“We just want [to introduce] various people to the sport, give them the basics so that they can carry on a rally, and if they want to get more serious about it, then they can come out to our club events and go from there,” Euchner added. 

Euchner got involved with pickleball after attending a similar free session event hosted by the BC Seniors Games Society in 2019. 

Since then, he has been involved with the PCPA for a number of years, including one as the vice president and two as the president. 

The free sessions in Kin Park will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. starting May 6th, weather permitting, and pre-registration is not required.

The PCPA will provide everything attendees need to play, including paddles and balls, but Euchner asked people to wear shoes designed for court use, for example ones suitable for badminton or basketball, and not running shoes, flip flops or Crocs. 

He also recommended attendees consider bringing protective eyewear, but it is not mandatory. 

This comes after the PCPA held clinics for its members in Taylor last month. 

Find out more about the PCPA on its Facebook page.