New courts bring pickleball indoors in the city

By Toyin Obatusin - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on January 3, 2025.

Pickleball is North America’s fastest growing sport, and Lethbridge is keeping up with demand as a new indoor court officially opens its doors in the city today.
Pickle Point Centre, located on 18th Avenue and 31 Street North, has been operating since early December but will hold its ribbon-cutting ceremony today. The event will kick off the centre’s first major tournament set to run throughout the weekend.
“We have people from Calgary, Medicine Hat and Quebec registered for this tournament,” says Adriana Mercader, founder of the Pickle Point Centre and CEO of Flexahopper Plastics. More than 120 players are registered in the tournament.
Mercader, who started out playing tennis before turning to pickleball, says she decided to open Pickle Point to fill a void in indoor courts south of Calgary that were large enough to host tournaments. The facility boasts more than 20,000 square feet of space, with eight indoor courts, a snack bar and a pro shop with certified coaches. It will be open year-round.
“I wanted something great for the next decade of my life,” says Mercader.
Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines aspects of tennis, badminton and ping-pong on a playing area about half the size of a tennis court. The plastic ball is perforated with holes that make the game slower than tennis, which no doubt helps with its appeal to players of all ages.
Jessica Sakamoto, one of the facility’s certified coaches, started playing about two years ago.
“It’s really fun,” she says. “It doesn’t even feel like work, it’s just super fun and exciting because I’m obsessed with pickleball.”
Sakamoto currently coaches small groups, and has also coached juniors at the Coaldale pickleball court. She had no previous experience before picking up her first racket to play with some friends and “I’ve just been addicted ever since.”
Connie Olsen, who is competing in the tournament with partner Helene Bonneau of Quebec, says she’s a fan of the new venue and is looking forward to playing.
“The (Pickle Point) facility’s great,” she says. “I’ve only played here a couple times, but it’s very nicely set up.”
The new indoor courts complement the existing outdoor courts at Legacy Park that opened in 2023. The Lethbridge Pickleball Club lobbied for almost five years to bring that project to fruition.
Mercader welcomes community members of all skill levels to come and share her passion for the sport at Pickle Point. Anyone interested can visit the website at http://www.picklepointcentre.com for more information on membership, clinics and lessons.

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