PICKLEBALL CENTRAL UK
about us
Fiona Edwards, an LTA accredited tennis coach, originally set up "Shrewsbury Pickleball" in her home town in December 2021, after first playing in a fun tournament on holiday in Devon in the summer.
Shrewsbury Pickleball ran the first "Shropshire Open" tournament, and an internal league during 2022 involving 70 players. We joined the social prescribing register for those in need of physical activity & improved mental health in the county. We celebrated our first birthday with a UV party - inspired by picklers in the North who set the precedent! Awards were presented to members who generously gave their time and efforts to grow the group so successfully.
Pickleball Central UK (PBC UK) was formed in 2023 in response to demand for our services across a wider geographical base. PBC UK organised the first "Central England Pickleball Festival" at Tipton, Birmingham to give players in this area of the country a chance to experience a festival and to socialize with picklers who travelled from around the UK to also attend this central location. We were so excited that the festival sold out with 200 players attending over the weekend as well as a special exhibition match by Thaddea Lock, the UK no 1 player, Julie Mac, & coaches Rob Williams and Sam Basford. In 2023 PBC UK put on tournaments, coaching events, festivals & promotional events both in the UK and in Portugal. Many of our group trained hard with us to compete at external events in the UK (English Open & Nationals) and in Europe with massive success. At the start of 2024 we took our largest group yet, 30 of our picklers including a strong junior contingent, to a tournament abroad, winning 22 medals across all age and ability categories. We provide the services of IPTPA, and RPPK, Internationally trained coaches & referees to pass on our pickleball knowledge to all members, with the primary aim of develop their skills. We are forging strong links with clubs abroad to give our members amazing opportunities. As an organisation we are proud to attract members from all over the UK & around the world, and our 450 strong membership is still growing rapidly!
PBC UK INTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS 2023
Congratulations go to:
TOP NEWBIE PROMOTERS:
Matt James, Beverley Fielding, Sally Phillips & Chech Rowland
TOP ASSISTANTS:
John Brownlee, David Cooper, John Malcolm, Howard Jones
MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS:
Ariel Perez, Tully Lyth, Jas Tutt, Bryony Walters
TOP FESTIVAL ASSISTANTS:
Mike Plume, Ben Watkiss, Ewan Skillicorn, Liz Bateson
PBC UK EXTERNAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Over the last 2 years PBC UK members have achieved incredible results in external tournaments in the UK and in Europe. At the English Open 2023 - PBC UK members won a total of 19 medals and at The English Nationals 2023 - PBC UK members won 21 medals! Congratulations to everyone and especially to Tully Lyth gaining Silver in the Nationals Juniors - his first official tournament, Jayne Knight & Sam Williams both winning 2 gold medals for Singles & Doubles at Nationals 2023, and Andrew Fennell for winning Bronze at mens doubles 3.5 at the Belgium Open.
Jason Edwards Pereira (15 years old)
Cambridge Team Event 3.5 Silver 2022
U14 Singles European Gold 2022
U16 European Mixed Doubles Gold 2022
U14 Doubles European Silver 2022
U16 Singles European Gold 2023
U16 Doubles European Gold 2023
19+ 3.5 Mens Doubles English Open Silver 2023
19+ 3.5 Mens Singles English Open Bronze 2023
Under 18 Runner-Up English Open SIlver 2023
19+ 4.0 Mens Doubles English Nationals Bronze 2023
19+ 4.5 Mens Singles Nationals Fourth place 2023
19+ 4.0 Mens Singles Mediterranean Open Fourth place 2023
19+ 5.0 Mixed Doubles Quarter-finalist Mediterranean Open 2023
19+ 5.0 Mens Singles Quarter-finalist Rota Open 2024
19+ 4.5 Mixed Doubles Silver Rota Open 2024
19+ Mens Doubles Telford Tournament, Gold April 2024
19+ 4.0 Mens Doubles Haywoods Heath, Sussex, Gold 2024
Invited to play in 1st Premier Pickleball League season 1 2024
Invited to play in Challengers Pickleball League 2024/5
​18+ 4.5+ Mens Doubles English Open Bronze 2024​
​
Ewan Skillicorn (16 years old)
U16 doubles European Gold 2023
19+ 3.5 Mens Doubles English Open Silver 2023
Under 18 Junior Champion English Open Gold 2023
19+ 4.0 Mens Doubles English Nationals Bronze 2023
19+ 4.0 Mixed Doubles English Nationals Bronze 2023
19+ 4.0 Mediterranean Open Mixed Doubles Silver 2023
19+ 4.5 Rota Open Mixed Doubles Bronze 2024
19+ Mens Doubles Telford Tournament April 2024
19+ 4.0 Mens Doubles Haywoods Heath, Sussex Gold 2024
Invited to play in 1st Franklin Premier Pickleball League season 1 2024
Invited to play in Franklin Challengers Pickleball League 2024/5
​18+ 4.5+ Mens Doubles English Open Bronze 2024​
​
Sabrina Edwards Pereira (18 years old)
RPPK certified International Level 1 & 2 Professional Instructor
​
U16 European Mixed Doubles Gold 2022
19+ 3.0 UK Nationals Championships Singles Silver 2022
19+ 4.0 advanced rating Womens Doubles European Silver 2023
U25 UK National Championship Ladies Doubles Silver 2023
19+ 3.5 Mixed Doubles English Open Silver 2023
19+ 4.0 advanced rating Womens Doubles English Open Silver 2023
19+ 3.5 Rota Open Singles Bronze 2024
19+ 5.0 Rota Open Womens Doubles Silver 2024
19+ 4.5 Mixed Doubles Silver Rota Open 2024
Invited to play in 1st Franklin Premier Pickleball League season 1 2024
Invited to play in Franklin Challengers Pickleball League 2024/5
​18+ 4.5+ Womens Doubles English Open Gold 2024​
​
Fiona Edwards
RPPK certified International Level 1 & 2 Professional Instructor
IPTPA certified level 1 Professional Instructor
​
Cambridge Team Event 3.5 Silver 2022
4th place 19+ 5.0 European Open Singles 2022
19+ 4.0 UK Nationals Quarter finalist Mixed Doubles 2022
19+ 4.0 advanced rating Ladies Doubles European Silver 2023
19+ 4.0 advanced rating Ladies Singles European Bronze 2023
SE Regional Tournament 2023, Bronze 4.0+ Mixed Doubles
19+ 4.0 Advanced European Open Singles Bronze 2023
19+ 4.0 Mixed Doubles English Nationals Bronze 2023
19+ 4.0 Advanced Singles English Nationals Bronze 2023
19+ 4.0 Mediterranean Open Singles Silver 2023
19+ 4.0 Mediterranean Open Mixed Doubles Silver 2023
19+ 3.5 Rota Open, Spain Singles Silver 2024
19+ 4.5 Rota Open, Spain Ladies Doubles Silver 2024
19+ 4.5 Rota Open, Spain Mixed Doubles Bronze 2024
40+ Reballution Cup, Spain Ladies Singles Bronze 2024
40+ Reballution Cup, Spain Mixed Doubles Silver 2024
Invited to play in 1st Franklin Premier Pickleball League season 1 2024
Invited to play in UK Franklin Masters Pickleball League 2024/5
​18+ 4.0 Womens Singles English Open Gold 2024​
​
Ben Watkiss (age 15 years)
U14 doubles European Silver 2022
​
Jack Fennell (age 12 years)
Junior bronze medal Rota Open, Spain 2024 doubles & singles
​
Developments for PBC UK in 2024
-Coaching sessions available at each ability level
-European Coaches invited to help develop our members
-Performance Practises for highest level players & invitationals to outside members
-Competitions against other pickleball groups
-Development of more PBC UK members in all ages categories prepared to compete in external tournaments, including use of PBC UK referees
-PBC UK members to be chosen for UK Premier Pickleball League
- PBC UK organised Team tournaments
-PBC UK Festivals to include DUPR ratings
-PBC UK Festivals arranged abroad
-PBC UK Pickleball holidays abroad for our members