Da Nang Department of Education speaks out about bringing pickleball to schools

Bringing pickleball into schools causes controversy, Da Nang Department of Education speaks out - Illustration photo by AI

After the official dispatch on implementing pickleball training in the education sector was issued on April 11, the Da Nang Department of Education and Training received mixed responses on social networks.

Pickleball is not a subject.

In response to this reaction, the department has provided additional information to clarify the policy. According to Mr. Tran Nguyen Minh Thanh - Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Training of Da Nang City, many schools, teachers and students currently have a need to practice pickleball, a new sport introduced to Vietnam.

Some schools such as Le Quy Don High School for the Gifted have formed pickleball clubs, but the activities are still spontaneous. Therefore, the guidance document was issued to support units in practicing proper techniques and ensuring safety.

Mr. Thanh said pickleball is on the list of official competitive sports of the Department of Physical Education and Sports, but is not yet a compulsory subject in the physical education program.

This is a completely voluntary activity. Students register to practice according to their talents and personal conditions, and it does not affect their scores or academic results.

Schools in need will register so that the department can coordinate with the Da Nang City Pickleball Federation to support equipment and qualified coaches.

Renovating the training ground is also not mandatory, depending on the specific conditions of each unit, and does not affect current physical education activities.

The department's leaders also said they would propose organizing a pickleball tournament for staff and teachers in the entire industry in August to create a playground and improve their expertise. Then, if there is demand from students, they will consider implementing a tournament at the student level.

Why cause controversy?

It is noted that besides positive opinions supporting the introduction of new sports to create more playgrounds for students and teachers, there are still many opposing opinions.

Pickleball is a fairly new sport in Vietnam. The playing technique is a mix of tennis, badminton and table tennis, making it difficult for many people to imagine or approach.

On the other hand, some images circulating on social networks have caused controversy about competition uniforms that are not suitable for the school environment.

In addition, along with the rapid development of the movement, pickleball also comes with many controversies in tournaments such as arguments about prize money and refereeing, causing public opinion to question the professionalism of this sport.

Many opinions say that because the document issued by the department was titled "on the implementation of pickleball training in the education and training sector", some parents and people, without reading the content carefully, misunderstood that this was a compulsory subject, leading to mixed reactions.

In fact, unofficial estimates suggest that around 30,000 people are playing pickleball - nearly double that of 2024. Along with the explosion of playgrounds, a series of tournaments from grassroots to the 2025 National Championship are showing the strong spread of this sport.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/so-giao-duc-da-nang-len-tieng-ve-viec-dua-pickleball-vao-truong-hoc-20250416021901883.htm