Niagara Indoor Pickleball Association (NIPA) is offering beginner clinics to give newcomers a chance to swing paddles and give the sport of pickleball a shot.

NIPA opened its first pickleball facility last month on Centre Street in Fenwick. In less than six weeks, the club already has almost 100 active enthusiastic members.  “In addition to seasoned players looking for indoor pickleball options, we have been inundated with queries from people who are interested in pickleball but don’t know where to start,” said James Fraser, President of NIPA.

“Our goal is to encourage newcomers to come try pickleball in a welcoming, non-intimating environment,” James said.  “Adding clinics as an option for beginners is an obvious opportunity to help fuel the growth of one of the fastest growing sports in North America.”

Each Introduction to Pickleball Beginner Clinic will consist of two two-hour sessions at a total cost of $25, which will be refunded against NIPA membership fee if registrants choose to join the Club.  Clinics are scheduled for Monday December 2^nd and 9^th from 6-8pm, Wednesday December 4^th and 11^th from 3:30-5:30pm and Saturday December 7^th and 14^th from 3:30-5:30pm.   Clinics are capped at eight participants and registration are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis.  The Monday December 2^nd and 9^th clinic is already sold out but there is still space in the Wednesdays 3:30-5:30pm and Saturday December 7^th and 14^thclinics.

There are two indoor courts at the Centre St. location, with a stage where players can rest and watch games during down time. The Club offers various levels of play, private court rentals for members, “Intro to pickleball” lessons and social events.  In addition, James personally leads several weekly “skills and drills” to build more interest and attract new players to the sport.

NIPA is a non-profit organization run entirely by member volunteers and is now an official affiliate of Pickleball Ontario.  It first branch is located in Concordia Academy at 1165 Centre Street in Fenwick. For more information or to sign up for a beginner’s clinic, contact Marlene Campbell at marlene_campbell@hotmail.com.