SIBU Pickleball Association Partners with Sibu Education Department as Sport Continues Momentum in Malaysia
Malaysia is fast emerging as a hub of pickleball in Southeast Asia. And with relevant stakeholders putting forth great effort to grow the sport’s popularity seemingly all the time, expect pickleball’s meteoric rise to continue in the days and months ahead.
A case in point to that end is the SIBU Pickleball Association and Sibu Education Department collaborating to grow the sport even more in Sibu and all across Sarawak.
Under this partnership, first reported by The Star, the SIBU Pickleball Association will help 10 secondary schools in Sibu, Sarawak establish pickleball clubs and include in their co-curricular programmes. Participation in pickleball, in turn, will earn students in the 10 schools co-curricular activity points.
The plan is in initial stage as of posting but has evidently been met with enthusiasm. The Star also reported that the SIBU Pickleball Association has had preliminary talks with representatives from the 10 schools to lay the groundwork for setting up the pickleball clubs.
“Pickleball is a fast-growing sport suitable for all ages,” noted SIBU Pickleball Association President Joseph Chieng. “Introducing it in schools will not only encourage students’ interest in sports but also enhance teamwork and physical fitness. Through this programme, we aim to cultivate pickleball talent in Sibu and Sarawak.”
According to Chieng, the 10 schools that will be part of the collaboration are are SMK Sacred Heart, SMK Methodist, SMK Bukit Assek, Catholic High School, SMK St Elizabeth, SM Wong Nai Siong, SMK Deshon, SMK Tung Hua, SMK Bandar Sibu, and SMK Sungai Merah. Chieng added that the association will provide each school pickleball equipment—four paddles, six pickleballs, and a portable net—to get their pickleball clubs up a running.
There are also plans for the association to host a Sibu Inter-School Pickleball Tournament at the end of the year, said Chieng.
These plans, however, are still subject to final approvals from the schools’ respective adinistrators.
