00:04PICCLEBALL
00:04We are now with Ambassador to Pickleball, Riddell Chu. Good morning!
00:10Good morning!
00:10And welcome to the show!
00:13Riddell, I know that you just arrived from the U.S. over the weekend. How was the trip?
00:18It's far. I'm tired, but I'm excited.
00:22We are also excited because we were talking about this partner.
00:30You are the ambassador of Philippine Pickleball.
00:38How do you use your position to promote this sport in our country and to inspire the young pickleball athletes
00:49in our country?
00:50I'm glad to ask you.
00:51In 2018, I learned how to play a sport in America.
00:56In 2019, immediately after I learned in December, summer of 2019, I brought my two paddles and five wiffle balls.
01:04And I'm from the Union. So, I dinala ko sa mga kapatid ko, mga ka-high school friends ko.
01:09And so, nag-promote na ako. And then, nag-pandemic.
01:12In 2022, we were allowed to come back in. Nagdala ko ng 18 American Pickleball enthusiasts.
01:18Wow.
01:18And so, tinawag kong Philippine Pickleball Tour so that we were in Manila 2022. Pumuntari kami ng pag-asin ng
01:242023, nasa Cebu kami.
01:262024, we were in Davao. That's when we launched yung Batang Pickleball.
01:30Right.
01:31And then, hopefully, babalik kami sa Cebu this May.
01:34Pero, ang tagal na, no? So, si Sir Rodel introduced Pickleball in our country 2019.
01:39Yes.
01:39At this point, natutunan niya 2018.
01:43Yes.
01:43But, dinala niya dito 2019.
01:45Yes.
01:45Pero, dinala na siya ng 2016.
01:48Oh, earlier pa.
01:49Yeah, earlier pa.
01:50Pero, here in Metro Manila, it was...
01:52About that time, 2018, 2019.
01:56So, at this point po, somehow, nasa six years mark na tayo.
02:01Would you say that we are already at this stage or phase now? We're very structured and competitive already?
02:07We are trying to be structured and I'm looking at yung growth ng pickleball at saka development ng sport.
02:15Ang ganda kasi may federation na tayo, yung Philippine Pickleball Federation.
02:19Meron na tayong mga leagues, Philippine Pickleball League.
02:22And, marami natin mga coaches na certified na, officials na certified na.
02:27So, I think we're ready for international engagement.
02:30In fact, marami na tayong mga players na sumasabak sa mga Asian competition.
02:36Totoo po yan. And, we're actually catching up, no?
02:39We are.
02:39In other countries as well.
02:41And, alam naman natin, isa rin siya sa mga fastest growing sports ngayon.
02:45Yes, absolutely.
02:45Dahil ang dami na rin mga court partner talaga na nag-open.
02:49Oh boy.
02:50Oh boy.
02:50Anywhere, everywhere. Parang may pickleball court.
02:54And, you started 2018 po. Ano ko bang nagustuhan nyo dito sa pickleball?
02:58One, it's easy. Yung learning curve is very easy. Madali. Pwedeng babae, lalaki, maglaro. Pwedeng matanda, bata, pwedeng maglaro.
03:06Ito yan.
03:07So, all ages.
03:08So, enjoy it. It's very inclusive and it's open to everyone.
03:12Very inclusive.
03:12It's open for everyone. Very social.
03:14Very social.
03:15Very social. Maganda yung camaraderie ng community ng pickleball.
03:19And, tinatulad po siya sa, like sinasabi nila lang, mini tennis ito.
03:24Or may similar siya with paddle.
03:26And ping pong.
03:27Yes.
03:27May mixture na ping pong.
03:28Pero ano po bang kinaibahan ng pickleball among them?
03:31Obviously, yung equipment, like I'm holding yung paddle, hindi siya raket ang tawag.
03:36Para siyang ping pong paddle, bigger than a ping pong, smaller than a tennis racket.
03:41Yung bola niya, wiffle ball, so hindi siya tumatalbog kagaya ng tennis ball.
03:46But, similar to a tennis sport, tennis na paddle kasi, you play it on the ground, on the court.
03:52Yan.
03:54Now, isa sa mga advocacy ni Sir Rodel is really to teach yung mga younger generation of pickleball players.
04:04Ito na nga, magkakanoan tayo ng second edition ng Batang Pickleball Elite Camp.
04:09Can you tell us more about this training camp?
04:11Okay.
04:11Nung inumpisan ko mag-promote ng pickleball back in 2019, it's general public. Adults, schools, bata, you know.
04:19But, 2024, when we were in Davao City, nagkaroon ako ng desire to be specific yung gender, age-focused Batang
04:31Pickleball, inspired by Batang Pinoy.
04:33So, dadali mo yung sports sa mga remote areas. And so, we launched Batang Pickleball in Davao City, 2024.
04:402025, dinalala namin sa Coronadalt City. And that was the first elite Batang Pickleball.
04:47And there was a clamor back din, bakit nasa Mindanao kayo parate? Bakit hindi dito sa Manila?
04:53And so, a friend of mine, Jojo Sena, shout out sa kanya. Sabi niya, pwede bang gawin natin sa Manila?
04:59And so, lo and behold, nandito ako ngayon to organize the second Elite Batang Pickleball sa Las Piñas, sa Telepark.
05:07Come Saturday, the 21st.
05:10But, what is the vision of this Batang Pickleball Elite Camp? And how different is this from the, yung mga
05:20nakikita nating clinics?
05:22Well, we aspire to be the premier clinic or camp ng mga kabataan, 8 to 18. And we want to,
05:31we're not just working with the athletes,
05:33we want to work with the family, yung parents and coaches. And so, yun yung kaibahan niya.
05:39And gusto namin, parang siya, yung ecosystem na gusto namin ma-develop is parent, coach, athlete.
05:47So, is this open for everybody? Kasi I've noticed doon sa title natin na may elite camp,
05:53meron po ba tayong kinakailangan standards, qualities, or skillset na mga pwedeng lumahok dito sa training camp na to, or
06:04wala naman?
06:04Let me clarify you. Elite, obviously, is for players na naglalaro na ng tournament.
06:10So, kasi mas madali silang hubugin at i-develop nyo sila. Kasi marunong na, marunong na naglalaro na sila eh.
06:17While we are open to beginners, ganun pa rin yung advocacy namin.
06:21We want to promote the sport, grow the sport, and develop the sport sa lahat ng bata.
06:27But it so happened that, you know, hindi namin ma-accommodate latin.
06:31So, we are just focusing on certain demographics na talagang ready nang isabak.
06:37Let's say, for example, sa next na palarong pambansa, gagawin niya itang demo sport.
06:42At least, meron na tayong mga batang magiging demo players mo.
06:47Pero parang itong batang pickleball, inspirasyon niya yung parang batang Pinoy po bang.
06:51Tama ba? And alam naman natin na syempre, yung mga bata ngayon,
06:55mas maaga muna silang tinrain, eh mas okay.
06:59Totoo.
06:59Mas maaga.
07:01Kasi it's a hand-eye coordination, it's muscle memory na sport.
07:06So, the younger, the better.
07:08Kung pansinin nyo, yung mga tennis players, they start at 3 or 5.
07:12Pagdating ng 12, ang gagaling nila.
07:14And so, ang hope ko is to see 7, 8 years old na mga bata na in 2 years time,
07:20sila yung mga champion natin.
07:21You know?
07:23Nice.
07:23How can you walk us through dun sa mga activities na magaganap dito sa Batang Fickle Ballet?
07:30Sabado na ito, eh.
07:31So, ano po yung expected nyo na matututunan ng mga partisipante na lalahok dito sa inyong program?
07:39Well, we are partnering with our number one pro players, Leander Lazaro and Sarah Jane Lim.
07:48So, they will, sila yung ating mga coaches, baga matatlong oras lang to compare sa Coronadal, we had 3 days.
07:56And so, sinorte namin yung aming, you know, day kasi yun lang yung available.
08:04Gusto namin, you know, bigyan sila ng drills na pwede mag-enhance ng kanilang mga skill sets.
08:11Gawin namin sila at Leander and Sarah magiging, they will stand as role models natin.
08:19So that yung mga bata, they will look up, one day magiging katulad namin sila Ati Sarah, sila Kuya Leander.
08:24And importante rin po talaga yung drills, no?
08:27Dito sa Fickle Ball.
08:30Kasi ano yan eh, fast eh. I think endurance is dapat malakas din.
08:34Agility, endurance, stamina ang kakailanganin.
08:37Akala mo parang siyang backyard sport lang, pero ihingalin ka.
08:41Nasubukan mo.
08:42Yes po, mga 5 hours po ako.
08:44Wow!
08:46Minsan, halos everyday naglalaro si Daniel at Pickle Ball.
08:50Pero ang saya po kasi talaga ng Pickle Ball.
08:52Iba yung community niya.
08:54So more than the sport, actually, personally, ako gusto ko yung nakilala ko si Daniel.
08:59Nakilala ko si Meg.
09:01True Pickle Ball.
09:01Bukas ba, naglalaro ko ulit.
09:03So yung camaraderie ba?
09:04Yung community.
09:05It's a family, basically.
09:07And then, tama po kayo sa sinabi nyo kanina na walang pinipili.
09:11Edad, bata, matanda, or kahit ano pa.
09:14You're part of the community.
09:16At ang gusto ko dito, madali siyang matutunan.
09:19Oh, very easy.
09:20I think the easiest learning curve ng paddle sport.
09:22Compared sa tennis, sa ping pong hirap.
09:25I'm a ping pong player.
09:26Tennis, you have to serve it, you know, overhead.
09:30Badminton, you have to have a certain skill sa wrist.
09:33Itong pickleball, very easy.
09:35Yes.
09:36Now, based on your assessment, ano po yung nakikita nyo sa ating mga young Filipino athletes?
09:41Yung nakikita nyong gap sa kanila, is it the technical foundation or yung kailangan pa ng mas madami international exposure,
09:50mindset, or iba pa?
09:51Well, it's a combination of all.
09:53Kailangan natin to have a good grassroots program.
09:56Kailangan natin ng facilities.
09:58Kailangan natin ng structured programs.
10:02Kailangan natin yung help ng Federation, ng PSC.
10:06Kailangan natin tulungan sila sa mga equipments nila.
10:10And I think nangyayari na yan kasi lahat ng stakeholders sa Philippines are very cooperative naman.
10:16Nagtutulungan.
10:17So, yun yung kaibahan niya sa ibang sport.
10:19So, you do connect with other clubs and LGUs.
10:22We do.
10:23To strengthen yung promotion lalo ng pickleball in our country.
10:27We want to see ourselves as one big family in pickleball.
10:30That we are not divided.
10:34We are one.
10:35We want our beneficiary is the next generation.
10:38Lalo na po yung aking advocacy.
10:41The younger generation.
10:43Kasi sila yung future na athlete nyo.
10:45Correct.
10:46Yun yung future natin yung mga next generation.
10:48But what do you see naman po happening in the next two years?
10:52Yung realistic breakthrough dito.
10:54Yung roadmap ng Philippine pickleball in our country.
10:58Ang glad na tanong nyo.
10:59Part of the reason, in fact, secondary reason why I'm here,
11:03gusto ko mag-forge ng partnership with stakeholders such as yung RAVI,
11:09yung Intercollegiate.
11:11Kasi yung mga middle school, high school na mga bata,
11:15ang next na roadmap nila is college.
11:17And so, if I forge partnership with the Intercollegiate Pickleball Association,
11:22it's natural yung development nun.
11:24Then, I want to work with coaches na mga local coaches rito.
11:30Ipapasa mo lang yung mga batang pickleball.
11:31And then, mga facilities, kailangan yun.
11:34So, if you see it in one big piece,
11:38they are nagtutulungan.
11:39Parents, that's why we do workshops sa mga parents.
11:43Nutrition ng mga bata, yung recovery ng mga bata,
11:46yung mga mental health ng mga bata.
11:48So that when it comes, it becomes a national sport, which I think will happen in the next year or
11:54two,
11:55ang pinag-usapan magiging demo sport siya sa panorong pang bansa.
11:59In 2020, hopefully, maging demo sport siya sa Olympics, sa LA.
12:04And then, in 2032, sa Australia, maging Olympic sport ng pickleball.
12:09So, before that happens, ready na yung Filipino, batang pickleball.
12:12As an ambassador, what are the three, nakikita niya three main priorities
12:18na kailangan mo nang magampanan in order to really strengthen pickleball in our country?
12:23Kaya na nga nang siya, you want national representation.
12:27Especially with international competition, starting from the young.
12:31Yeah, yeah.
12:32So, again, I'd like to see all stakeholders from the Federation to the PSC,
12:39the National Sports Authority, and then coaches, yung mga parents,
12:45kung nakikita natin magkakasama lahat yan.
12:48We look at the sport in one lens,
12:51I think there, if magta-tribe tayo, we will become successful
12:54as a pickleball spin in us.
12:56And if we only have a one goal, di ba?
12:59Yes.
12:59Sigurado naman po at tama kayo.
13:01In the next two years, I think, kasama na tayo sa mga international competition,
13:05sa Olympics, itong pickleball.
13:07And I'm sure, magkakaroon na yan in the future ng mga national selections.
13:11I believe so.
13:12And so, I'd like to, you know, give a shout-out sa Philippine Pickleball Federation
13:16kasi yun yung kanilang advokasya.
13:18We want to see national players
13:21na magko-compete
13:24representing natya, and then eventually, sa US.
13:27Ako, dahil from Texas ako,
13:29gusto ko makita nung Filipino players, athlete,
13:32na meron silang national roadmap,
13:36meron silang Asia roadmap,
13:37meron silang North America.
13:39And so, I'm now currently working with mga leagues sa America
13:43na pwede nilang puntahan summer after summer.
13:46Pwede nating i-petition yung mga bata o suportahan
13:49na magkaroon silang ng one month na stay sa America to train.
13:52Finally, sir, very short lang po,
13:55kindly invite our viewers to support itong Batang Pickleball Elite Camp
14:00happening this Saturday.
14:01This Saturday po sa Tela Park, sa Las Piñas.
14:04I've never been there, but I heard it's one of the best facilities sa Philippines.
14:10It's about 15 ports, indoor, international na quality, and it will be from 8 to 12.
14:18We will be headed by Leander Lazaro and Sarah Lynn Narbasa.
14:25Ayun po.
14:26This February 21st from 8 to 12 in the afternoon.
14:32Thank you so much.
14:33Thank you so much, Sarah Dal.
14:35And see you soon.
14:35Maraming salamat rin.
14:36Glad to meet you both.
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