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P
arapickleball on the boom

After two years of conclusive tests, promotions and
demonstrations to make parapickleball known, this
sport is now well established in Québec. More than 15
active players are part of the Québec para pickleball
Club and regularly practice this discipline in different
regions of the province under various formats.
Indeed, although some players practice only between
individuals in wheelchairs, others play just as much
with standing players, which in itself is a great success
in terms of inclusion and accessibility to the sport.

The year 2018 was rich in activities of all kinds for the
Québec Para pickleball Club. Let’s mention among
others:

Y The introduction of nine players for «Adaptavie»,
in the Québec City region, in collaboration with
the FPQ (Quebec Pickleball Federation);

Y Last October in Magog, four hybrid teams (1
wheelchair player + 1 standing player) in the men
doubles and a mixed double team participated in
a tournament sanctioned by the FPQ. In addition,
a wheelchair player (Jean-François Sylvestre,
former player of the Canadian Paralympic
Wheelchair Tennis Team) faced a standing player
in the 3.5 and earned a silver medal;

Y On October 28, the FPQ offered Saint-Basile-
Legrand a day of training and introduction to
wheelchair pickleball. 11 players participated in
the day including Philippe Bédard (former player
of the Canadian Paralympic team in wheelchair) For 2019, already some important activities are
and our very first player; planned:

Y On December 1 in Drummondville, another first, Y Our two former Paralympians in wheelchair
a team of two wheelchair players (J-F Sylvestre tennis plan to participate in the Naples US Open
and P. Bédard) faced a team of two standing in April in several divisions in the “hybrid” format
players in the Open 3.5 division. and May 4 in a”wheelchair” division;

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