DRESDEN – Local awareness about the game of pickleball has increased greatly thanks to ‘The Rally at the Barn’ event held on the weekend, hosted by NHL’er TJ Brodie and his wife Amber.
The couple, who are Dresden natives, were on hand as the event wrapped up with a pickleball tournament at the Ken Houston Memorial Agricultural Center, which was a fundraiser for their Lighthouse Foundation.
TJ Brodie, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, said the foundation was created five years ago.
While playing for the Calgary Flames, Brodie said he got involved with raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis.
He had watched his cousin Ian Badder live and battle with CF, until receiving a double lung transplant.
Brodie said when his wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in late 2015, “we wanted to have a way would could raise money. Instead of doing two separate charities, we would just be able to donate to each cause.”
He added the goal is to also use the foundation to provide sponsorships for young athletes to play sports.
Amber Brodie said it’s still a “baby foundation,” so once they get a few years behind them, they will be able to donate to more causes.
She added right now, the foundation is focusing on CF and MS.
A fundraising total for the event is still to be calculated, the couple appreciated all the support.
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” TJ Brodie said. “The people here are special and to see the support. . . it’s been incredible.”
Amber Brodie added, “Everyone’s been so supportive of TJ his whole career, so it’s just so nice for us to support the community and put on a weekend of fun.”
However, Amber Brodie didn’t just help host the weekend, she was an active participant taking part in a learn-to-play clinic geared to the ladies on Friday, as well as playing in the tournament on Saturday.
“I’m a new player,” she said. “It’s competitive, but it’s fun and I think that’s the spirit of pickleball.”
Cameron Taylor, Taylored Pickleball Academy, hosted the learn-to-play clinics and ran the tournament.
He said more than 32 young people took part in a clinic on Friday in Dresden.
“It was awesome,” Taylor said, adding participants expressed interest in continuing to play pickleball.
He said that is good news since Dresden is among the communities slated to receive new pickleball courts thanks to a grant received by the Municipality of Chatham-Kent.
When asked what is attracting people to the game, Taylor said a big reason is it is fun.
“It’s a great time once you’re out there, it’s good exercise and it’s a good activity.”
He said it’s easy to pick the game up, but to learn to play it well takes some practice.
Taylor said the “interest was amazing” in the event, adding they are looking forward to bringing it back next year.
Chatham-Kent firefighters Jason King and Eric Smith had a great time donning retro-style sportswear to play in the tournament.
When informed it could become an annual event, Smith said, “Let’s hope.”
King said they will have a year to think about another uniform in order to “up our game a little bit.
“We’re calling other people to up their game, too,” he added.
King said it was a great to be able to support the event “especially since TJ’s local boy and Amber’s local here too, and they both come back and want to do something special for the community, that’s fantastic.”