Is pickleball a real sport?

A good sport to repopulate urban spaces

How much does it cost to get started?

Complaints when playing in public courts

Are we more intolerant than before?

Why don’t players use silent balls?

Is noise in the ear of the beholder?

Is pickleball just a fad?

Pickleball has been a smash hit in Singapore over the past couple of years, but not everyone’s a fan.

Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.

The game has attracted players of all ages looking to learn a new skill, keep active or meet fellow ‘picklers’.

On the flip side, pickleball has sparked complaints from residents living near Housing Board courts, who say the games are too noisy and disrupt the peace.

Last week, a Straits Times report looked into the tensions that have arisen amid pickleball’s growing popularity.

Complaints have surfaced on online forums, while angry residents have aired their grievances on social media and written in to ST’s Forum page.

MPs and town councils have stepped in with measures, though these vary across neighbourhoods.

They include restricting playing times for games, switching off the lights at courts after a particular time, and even banning pickleball from badminton courts, thus reducing the opportunities for play. (Pickleball courts are nearly identical in size to badminton courts, but smaller than tennis courts.)

The backlash against the game has been frustrating for players, who are competing to book spaces at ActiveSG facilities, as demand balloons. There are private courts, but they are a more expensive option.

In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with:

- Jeremy Soh, founder of pickleball club Performance Pickleball who picked up the sport less than two years ago; and

- Assistant Professor Nurul Amillin Hussain, a social scientist from Nanyang Technological University.

What made the game popular, and can pickleball players and residents find common ground? Also, why do tensions keep arising over sports in the heartlands?

Highlights (click/tap above): 

2:00 Is pickleball a real sport?

7:13 A good sport to repopulate urban spaces

10:03 How much does it cost to get started?

12:43 Facing complaints when playing in public courts

17:40 Are we more intolerant than before?

19:35 Silent balls can help, so why don’t players use them?

27:48 Is noise in the ear of the beholder?

29:41 Is pickleball just a fad?

Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (natashaz@sph.com.sg)

Read Natasha’s articles: https://str.sg/iSXm

Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast

Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai, Natasha Liew and Chen Junyi

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/9ijX

Spotify: https://str.sg/cd2P

YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast

Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

--

#tup #tuptr

Pickleball has been a smash hit in Singapore over the past couple of years, but not everyone&rsquo;s a fan.
Synopsis: Join Natasha Ann Zachariah at The Usual Place every Thursday as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.
The game has attracted players of all ages looking to learn a new skill, keep active or meet fellow &lsquo;picklers&rsquo;.
On the flip side, pickleball has sparked complaints from residents living near Housing Board courts, who say the games are too noisy and disrupt the peace.
Last week, a Straits Times report looked into the tensions that have arisen amid pickleball&rsquo;s growing popularity.
Complaints have surfaced on online forums, while angry residents have aired their grievances on social media and written in to ST&rsquo;s Forum page.
MPs and town councils have stepped in with measures, though these vary across neighbourhoods.
They include restricting playing times for games, switching off the lights at courts after a particular time, and even banning pickleball from badminton courts, thus reducing the opportunities for play. (Pickleball courts are nearly identical in size to badminton courts, but smaller than tennis courts.)
The backlash against the game has been frustrating for players, who are competing to book spaces at ActiveSG facilities, as demand balloons. There are private courts, but they are a more expensive option.
In this episode of The Usual Place, I spoke with:
- Jeremy Soh, founder of pickleball club Performance Pickleball who picked up the sport less than two years ago; and
- Assistant Professor Nurul Amillin Hussain, a social scientist from Nanyang Technological University.
What made the game popular, and can pickleball players and residents find common ground? Also, why do tensions keep arising over sports in the heartlands?
Highlights (click/tap above):&nbsp;
2:00 Is pickleball a real sport?
7:13 A good sport to repopulate urban spaces
10:03 How much does it cost to get started?
12:43 Facing complaints when playing in public courts
17:40 Are we more intolerant than before?
19:35 Silent balls can help, so why don&rsquo;t players use them?
27:48 Is noise in the ear of the beholder?
29:41 Is pickleball just a fad?
Host: Natasha Ann Zachariah (<a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:natashaz@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">natashaz@sph.com.sg</a>)
Read Natasha&rsquo;s articles: <a href="https://str.sg/iSXm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/iSXm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/iSXm</a>
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://www.instagram.com/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: <a href="https://str.sg/v6DN?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/v6DN?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/v6DN</a>
Filmed by: Studio+65
Edited by: Eden Soh, Teo Tong Kai, Natasha Liew and Chen Junyi
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
Follow The Usual Place Podcast and get notified for new episode drops every Thursday:
Channel: <a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/5nfm?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/5nfm</a>
Apple Podcasts: <a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/9ijX?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/9ijX</a>
Spotify: <a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/cd2P?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/cd2P</a>
YouTube: <a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast</a>
Feedback to: <a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="mailto:podcast@sph.com.sg?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">podcast@sph.com.sg</a>
SPH Awedio app: <a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://www.awedio.sg/?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://www.awedio.sg</a>
---
Follow more ST podcast channels:
All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: <a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/wvz7?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/wvz7</a>
Get more updates: <a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="http://str.sg/stpodcasts?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">http://str.sg/stpodcasts</a>
---
Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:
The App Store: <a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link"></a><a href="https://str.sg/icyB?ref=inline-article" aria-label="link" data-testid="custom-link">https://str.sg/icyB</a>
Google Play: <a href="https://str.sg/icyX">https://str.sg/icyX</a>
--
#tup #tuptr

Natasha and her guests unpack the latest current affairs, every Thursday.

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests. 

Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah

Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor & Ernest Luis

Editorial producer: Lynda Hong

A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

Synopsis: Join host and correspondent Natasha Ann Zachariah every Thursday live at noon, as she unpacks the latest current affairs with guests.&nbsp;
Podcaster: Natasha Ann Zachariah
Executive producers: Danson Cheong, Elizabeth Khor &amp; Ernest Luis
Editorial producer: Lynda Hong
A podcast by The Straits Times, SPH Media

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