Three sports you’ve probably never heard of
We look at three emerging sports that are being developed in Victoria right now, pickleball, kayak paddle ball and AFL Blind.
Think you know your sports? Think again. We look at three emerging sports that are being developed in Victoria right now, with support from VicHealth so that more people can get active.
Pickleball
What do you get when you combine badminton, tennis and table-tennis? Pickleball. The sport hit Australian shores in 2014 and is growing in popularity. It’s played with 2 (singles) or 4 (doubles) players on a badminton-sized court, with a low tennis net.
Check out the Pickleball Association of Australia for more, including where to play.
Kayak Paddle Ball
It’s like basketball, but on the water. A new program for teenagers looking for something outside of mainstream sport. Kayak Paddle Ball offers fast, fun and social water sport games for 14 to 17-year-olds, while also providing a space to hang out. There are five players on each team.
Paddle Victoria (formally Canoeing Victoria) is developing the program through VicHealth’s Innovation Challenge.
AFL Blind
A modified version of AFL, AFL Blind has been created for the 450,000 Victorians who experience low vision or blindness. Participants as young as 14 have taken part, with the sport kicking goals in 2018.
The football is fluorescent yellow and contains a bell, so participants can hear where it is. Rules have been modified to enable the game to be played by individuals with a range of vision impairments.
AFL Victoria has partnered with Blind Sports & Recreation Victoria to develop the program and have established the Victorian Blind Football League.
© Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth). Source material available at www.vichealth.vic.gov.au.
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