Trafford Pickleball Club enjoyed its biggest ever entry in the Nationals recently and achieved unprecedented success, winning gold medals across four different events.

For the uninitiated, pickleball is a relatively new sport originating in America and is best described as a cross between tennis and table tennis, played on a badminton court with a lower net and a plastic wind ball.

The sport is growing rapidly in this country and the National championships at the Bolton Arena recently involved more than a thousand players from all over the country.

Trafford Pickleball Club is based at Be Active Urmston, formerly the George Carnall Leisure Centre, and now a community-run and led organisation.

The club is relatively new but growing, as success in Bolton illustrated.

The medal-haul was started by club leader Tracey Peden and Anthony Knight, who won gold in the Over-50s Mixed Doubles and this was followed by a raft of medals on day two, with Peden featuring again with partner Sue Radburn in winning gold in the Women’s O50s Doubles, Simon Smith and Jeff Lawson winning gold in the Men’s O50s Doubles and Ian Hodgkinson teaming up with Markland Hill’s Martin Bromley to win gold in the Men’s O60s Doubles.

In addition, Trafford residents Lindsay Thomas and Jayne Phillips, who play at the club but represent Greater Manchester Pickleball Club, won silver in the Women’s O60s Doubles.

As well as the medal successes there were many other notable Trafford performances with Simon Smith and Jill Griffiths reaching the quarter-finals of the O60s Mixed Doubles and Dave Wilden, Dawn Holland, Julie McCormack and Andy Jackson all representing the club with distinction.

So now Trafford has the honour of hosting a range of national champions, but equally importantly they want to continue to grow and expand in this inclusive and friendly sport.

New players are welcome and social/ beginners sessions are held at the Kingsway Park venue on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and matchplay sessions for more experienced/ competitive players run on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

In addition there are plans to run family taster sessions on a Saturday morning as pickleball is truly a sport for all ages.