The South Melbourne pickleball facility at the forefront of the game

In 2023, Dylan Ventura Ho co-founded The Jar, Australia’s first indoor pickleball facility, in South Melbourne alongside a group of friends he’d known since high school.

Just two years later, they are at the forefront of the sport in Australia, having opened two indoor facilities and launched the National Pickleball League (NPL).

The Jar, located at 29 White St, South Melbourne, features four indoor championship courts, a bar and a large event space.

The goal of the space, according to Mr Ventura Ho, who also serves as head of operations at the NPL, is to bring pickleball into the mainstream.

“It’s not even officially considered a sport in Australia yet, which is kind of hilarious given how popular and accessible it is,” he said.

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. In the past year, more than 90,000 Australians have played it at least once, according to research by Pickleball Australia Association.

The game is a paddle sport played on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net, using solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball.

For Mr Ventura Ho, the appeal lies in how accessible the sport is and how quickly people pick up the required skills.

You don’t need to have played competitive sport or even picked up a racquet before,” he said. “The barrier to entry is so low – that’s what makes it such an inclusive sport.

“I’m not a pro player myself – none of the owners are. We all come at the sport from more of a general sporting background, which actually helps us see it through a different lens and make it more approachable for everyday Aussies,” he added.

Alongside the NPL, The Jar runs a range of programs catering to all ages and ability levels.

There are beginner-friendly sessions three times a week, including a Learn to Play Date for just $15. Themed nights are also popular, such as Ladies Night on Thursdays and Pickle and Prosecco every Friday and Saturday night.

For those seeking a more casual competition format, round-robin tournaments allow players to sign up with a mate and compete in a mini-tournament. The top four teams progress to the semi-finals and finals, with the winners receiving a free drink.

Mr Ventura Ho said that seeing people play for the first time and progress through the various programs was one of the most rewarding parts of his job.

“One of the captains of a pro-league team actually started in our social league with no idea what the sport was,” he said.

Given the international success of pickleball and its rapid growth in Australia, Mr Ventura Ho is bullish about its future, believing it’s a sport that’s here to stay.

“I absolutely see pickleball in the Olympics one day. When you’ve got table tennis, badminton and tennis already there – why not pickleball?” •