Stirling pickleballers search for new venue as sport attracts strong response

The rapidly rising sport of pickleball has hit Stirling - and a local club has already reported racking up more than 100 members in just three months since starting.

Pickleball Stirling was launched in late August to respond to the demand from local players eager to get involved with the sport - and has gone from strength to strength with talented members picking up their rackets.

But challenges remain in securing an appropriate venue for the club to continue its operations, as a current arrangement at The PEAK is set to conclude soon.

The club - which also makes use of the Allan Centre in Bridge of Allan and Stirling High School - says it has now been forced to investigate venues outwith of the region to pursue opportunities.

Currently, the club’s play is limited to badminton courts, which poses challenges for a sport that requires specific court markings.

Venues are yet to permit the addition of a temporary line for the essential ‘non-volley zone’, and the limited space at the ends of the courts restricts competitive play due to insufficient run-off room.

The club, meanwhile, is continuing to grow its identity on the competitive pickleball scene, with three teams of ten players each set to represent them in the Pickleball Scotland Regional Leagues, as well as launching its own internal league.

They are also preparing to introduce outdoor pickleball sessions for summer 2025, with ‘Pickleball in the Park’ events, a ‘Stirling Pickleball Festival’ and aims to form a youth section once regulatory status has been achieved.

Club chairman Ken Moncrieff said: “We’re delighted to have hit this milestone in such a short time and proud to see how the Stirling community has embraced pickleball.

“The demand is incredible, and while