By Claire Mauta
Pickleball, a first of its kind sport to be introduced in Papua New Guinea, has been introduced in Lae and has gained attention.
Coordinator of Lae Pickleball Competition, Dennis Seeto revealed that the competition has not officially started yet and their still building interest in the sport.
Mr. Seeto said the club is only one month old and as a new sport, they’re in the early stages of development and are working to grow and gain recognition.
“Social media awareness on the sport has exceeded beyond their expectations, as the attention and support they’ve received at this early stage has been incredible,” said Seeto.
Mr. Seeto said they are currently working with the Lae Golf Club to introduce a new sport to the club members, staging introductory games every Sunday from 4 pm to 6 pm for the members to participate.
“The aim is to introduce a new sport suitable for players of all ages and skill levels, with simple rules that make it an excellent introductory sport,” said Seeto.
He said the bigger plan behind starting the competition is to look forward to connecting with more passionate individuals who share the love for this sport.
Mr. Seeto hopes they work towards increasing awareness and participation across different regions in the country, ultimately leading to the organization of national-level competitions.
“I’ve started a regular corporate competition at the Lae Golf Club which so far has seen the backing of Boroko Motors and the Lae Golf Club with Ramu Sugar and Lae Biscuit Company are providing merchandise for the tournament as incentives,” Seeto said.