Nanaimo Indoor Pickleball Tournament Highlights: Nearly 200 players competed in the 11th annual Nanaimo Indoor Pickleball Tournament. The event was held despite other tournaments happening the same weekend in Victoria and Vancouver. Organizers, including tournament director Caron Knight, were pleased with the turnout and the high level of play.
Players Show Improvement and Enthusiasm
Caron Knight noted that the sport keeps evolving, with players getting stronger and equipment improving.
“The equipment and the players keep getting better. There’s a lot of younger players coming now. They have lots of energy and agility, and they’re picking up the game really quickly,” (Caron Knight).
The tournament included men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles in the 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 divisions. Sally Morten was among the top local players, earning two gold medals in the 3.5 division.
Knight also said that the absence of some high-level players gave newcomers a chance to shine.
“In the 3.0 in women’s, all three teams on the podium were from Nanaimo, and four out of the six people on the podium were first-time tournament players.”
More Events Ahead for Local Pickleball
Two big events are on the calendar for Nanaimo players. One is Paddles in the Park, scheduled for September 5 and 6 at Beban Park.
“It’s an outdoor tournament with men’s, women’s and mixed divisions. It’s a really fun event and it’s quite popular. It will also be a really good practice for anyone going to the BC Games, because it’s the week before,” (Caron Knight).
The 55+ BC Games will take place from September 9 to 13 in Nanaimo. While the number of pickleball players isn’t confirmed, Knight expects participation to be in the hundreds based on last year’s turnout in Salmon Arm.
Efforts to Grow the Sport Among Youth
The Nanaimo Pickleball Club has about 200 registered players in 2025. One of its main goals is to attract younger participants.
“The club has donated paddles and nets to every high school in Nanaimo. All the high schools are starting to play pickleball,”(Caron Knight).
She added,
“We just bought our first sets of kids paddles so we’re going to start bringing it into the elementary schools.
Over the summers for the past couple of years we’ve done a number of sessions with parents and teachers for schools as well.”
The club also runs beginner orientation sessions, often in school gyms, for players of all ages. Knight pointed out that pickleball is both fun and affordable.
“It’s inexpensive and the only equipment needed is a paddle and runners.”
News in Brief: Nanaimo Indoor Pickleball Tournament Highlights
Almost 200 players joined the 11th annual Nanaimo Indoor Pickleball Tournament. Local players, including newcomer teams, performed well. Two upcoming events, Paddles in the Park and the 55+ BC Games, are expected to draw more players. The local club is also working to grow youth interest in the sport.