Katherine Coke is making headway in helping to create a network for wheelchair pickleball players after facing players who have become friends from across the country at the Skechers English Open.

The 45-year-old teacher was one of nine people who attended the wheelchair event at the Telford International Centre during what was a showcase of one of the world’s fastest growing sports.

Coke is currently the only wheelchair user who plays at Kendal Pickleball Club and is hoping to build up interest in the months ahead.

She was first introduced to wheelchair tennis by Terry Smith, who she me while her son was playing in a tournament and then got into pickleball, which he then got several of his friends, including Coke, playing.

Sedbergh’s Coke said: “We’re now part of a wheelchair league up in Cumbria. Richard Wise has been quite instrumental in getting that set up with Terry.

“We’ve got two players who’ve come up from Leeds here today to come and play as well and Andy has come from Portsmouth, who we all met at the English Nationals last year.

“And I’ve met a few other people in tennis tournaments that are keen to join in, and these are in other parts of the country.

“There’s just nowhere for them to go yet and we’re just trying to get them into coaching and things like that, and for clubs to incorporate it.

“I myself play at Kendal Pickleball Club and I’m the only one in a wheelchair. I joined that because I played up at Carlisle with the tennis guys, but I’m the only one in a wheelchair so I kind of fly the flag a bit.

“I’m also flying the flag for women here today because I’m the only woman.”

The 2024 English Open was the largest pickleball event to take place outside of North America, with a record number of almost 2,000 players from 42 countries set to participate.

Over 30,000 people around the UK now play the sport and there are over 700 places in which to play, with pickleball displaying an exponential growth in recent years.

On her experience in Telford, Coke said: “I think it’s brilliant, I think it’s amazing.

“I need to bring my kids to come and play, basically, and my husband as well another time, but it’s great.

“It’s quite warm in here, which is the only downer, I’d say, but just to see so many pickleball courts in one place is brilliant and for them to incorporate us to play in wheelchairs is even better.

“Pickleball is so sociable and that’s why we’re all in it because we all have a good time.”

Pickleball England has announced a record number of players competing at this year’s English OPEN from the 8th-14th August at the Telford International Centre in the largest pickleball event taking place outside of the USA EVER – visit pickleballengland.org