Miscellaneous
Uncovered: Episode 7, Martial Seguin In the latest episode of Uncovered, Bruce de la Cruz speaks with Martial Seguin, one of the administrators of the Pickleball association of Clarence-Rockland, to discuss the sport’s relevance, how the sport has been hindered during the stay at home order, and ways the municipal government can help them expand. The interview begins with Seguin briefly explaining the history, and rules of the game. One of the benefits is that the game allows you to meet new people regularly, as the fast pace of round robin tournaments ensures that you play multiple opponents during a session. In addition, it can be enjoyed by all age demographics due to the accessible nature of the small-court and light weight equipment, which makes it less physically demanding than other racquet sports. Seguin then goes on to explain how he became involved with the sport, and how he became a founding member of the pickleball association. He and his wife picked up the sport when some of their friends suggested it, and found more people to play with in Rockland. This led to the creation of the association in 2018. After discussions with the city, they were able to play during the winter in the Jean-Marc Lalonde arena in Rockland. Word of mouth, and their Facebook page propelled the group from 30 members to its current number of 130. Diving into more details about the social aspect, Seguin talks about how the association holds brunches, and tournaments 4 times a week, in order to create a consistent and friendly playing environment. When asked about the competitive nature of the game Seguin mentioned that the association welcomes all skill levels, and creates specific tournaments to tailor to everyone’s needs. In regards to the stay at home order and the shutdown of outdoor sports, Seguin says that Pickleball should be able to continue. Some of the protocols that have been suggested are only playing with people from the same address, sanitizing equipment, masks on while waiting to play, masks off while playing, and having social distancing in place as well. In terms of what the city could do to help the club, Seguin says the city should expand and improve existing facilities, mainly the courts in Simon Park. This would create more space for players, greatly increasing the numbers of the association. In addition more bathrooms in Simon Park should be installed to accommodate the older demographics. Finally, the city should involve them more when there are meetings and discussions related to possible expansions of said facilities. The association wants to be involved and help the city identify the problems, rather than being left in the dark. Seguin hopes that the sport continues to grow in Clarence-Rockland, and doesn’t see it falling off the map anytime soon.