Casey Rodgers of Kamloops plays a game on the North American Professional Pickleball tour.
Image Credit: INSTAGRAM/Richard Smith
January 29, 2024 - 6:00 PM
Kamloops is home to Canada’s best female pickleball player and she’s been selected to play in Australia’s pro pickleball league.
Casey Rodgers, 32, is an insurance broker, but her prowess on the pickleball court is sending her to compete in the first professional pickleball season in Australia as the Western Vipers’ first round pick.
Rodgers is ranked first in the country because of her performance in the Canadian National Pickleball League.
“I’m thrilled to be part of a different league and travel and play. I’m super excited and proud of the work that I’ve put in,” Rodgers said.
She's been playing for about seven years and got into the more competitive side of the sport two years ago. She says she loves to see how the sport is growing.
“There’s more and more people who are getting into the sport and bringing more money into it. It’s definitely getting more competitive. The states have blown up with pro pickleball and we’re following suit here in Canada we’re just a bit behind. It’s all over the rest of the world too,” she said.
The Australian league was created by Pacific Pickleball. Teams will be competing for a slice of the $700,000 prize pool which is split across Pacific Pickleball's six competitions.
READ MORE: Kelowna pickleballer sues after partner breaks paddle on her face
The pickleball community in Kamloops has helped Rodgers get into playing professionally.
“I would say a big thank you for the support I’ve had along the way,” she said.
Currently there are no dedicated indoor pickleball courts in Kamloops so she has been travelling to Vernon to practice.
“It would be great to have an indoor facility here in Kamloops, eventually somewhere down the line,” she said. “Hopefully we get some nice indoor courts to play on, we have beautiful outdoor courts.”
The format for professional pickleball includes teams of four, two men and two women, who play two gendered doubles matches, and then two mixed gender games to 21. The first team to win three games wins the series. If it ends up in a tie the teams each pick a player for a singles match tie-breaker.
Pickleball fans can tune in on YouTube to watch Rodgers play her first round of matches from Feb. 23 to 25.
“I’m just excited to get over there and start playing. Get into that Australian heat that will be nice,” she said.
Find out more about pro pickleball here.
Check out Rodgers' Instagram here.
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