Filipino picklers have shown they can excel in the international arena. Imagine what they could do with organised and all-out support.
The Pickle Yard in Parañaque aims to give just that to a select team of Filipino pickleball players carefully handpicked to comprise The Pickle Yard’s first-ever Team Philippines. The team’s members formally signed their contracts on 15 October 2025 in a landmark move that highlights pickleball’s explosive growth in the Philippines and underscores concerted efforts to elevate it even more.
“This isn’t just a team—it’s a movement,” the The Pickle Yard said as it cast Team Philippines as the standard-bearer for talent, enthusiasm, and the unyielding Filipino spirit
Making up The Pickle Yard’s Team Philippines are:
- Ric Santos
- Bambi Zoleta
- Kim Saraza
- Meds Sarasa
- Gee Serino
- Ken dela Cruz
- Chloe Saraza
- Carlo Lagrana
- Pat Raymundo
- Von Saraza
Zoleta and Raymundo should be familiar to picklers in the region as they recently teamed up to win gold in the Women’s Doubles 19+ 4.5 category of the World Pickleball Championship 2025 Tier 5, in Bali, Indonesia.
Zoleta and Raymundo will lead the other members of The Pickle Yard’s Team Philippines in representing the country in international competitions as the Philippines continues to try and make a mark in the fast-growing world of pickleball. This team is a step towards fulfilling that ambitious goal as The Pickle Yard hopes to create meaningful pathways that will allow Filipino pickleball players to compete at the sport’s highest levels both nationally and internationally.
With its dedicated venue, The Pickle Yard aims to develop athletes and build community simultaneously—through training, awareness campaigns, and global partnerships designed to grow a lasting ecosystem. Each serve, volley and contract signing isn’t just about competition—it’s about building a sporting movement.
