Pickleball (PB) is the fastest-growing sport in the world right now, with more than eight million people playing in the US alone, and projections point towards a 100 percent increase in the number of people playing every two years. 

Most pickleball players describe the game as a blend of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. PB is a game that spans generations from alphas to baby boomers.

In the United States, popular celebrities who play pickleball include Justin Bieber, Bill Gates, Emma Watson, Kelly Rowland, Ellen DeGeneres, and Leonardo DiCaprio. The only celebrities known to play PB in the Philippines are the Zobel de Ayala family. 

There are people playing pickleball in my village, and I was invited to join. I must say, the sport is quite addictive. Our coach, Lorena, informed me that Wency Cornejo, a singer, was planning to organize a celebrity tournament for PB.

I recently reached out to the award-winning singer of After Image who sang my favorite songs "Habang May Buhay" and "Next in Line". My aim was to interview him and assist him in promoting his vision for the first-ever celebrity pickleball tournament in the Philippines by getting other celebrities on board.

Gossip Girl: I heard you recently won a PB tournament.
Wency: Yes Giselle, I won silver for the 55+ singles category at the recent 2023 PPF Invitational at the Tivoli Royale covered courts. My doubles partner Allan Hermano won gold.

Gossip Girl:  How did you learn the sport, and what made it so addicting?
A tennis buddy who had been bugging me to try pickleball out for more than a year finally got his way last June 2023 and brought me to Welcome Pickleball Club where I learned the rudimentary skills to be able to play. I was on the fence whether I liked it or not that 1st time. After 2 more sessions, I realized that I did like it and became more interested in advancing my skills, so I took clinics at various pickleball venues. What's so special about pickleball that makes it really addicting is the fact that it's quite easy to learn how to play the sport, but it takes a whole lot of dedication and discipline to advance your skills, and that challenge keeps you coming back for more.

Gossip Girl: I heard you influenced building PB courts for veterans. Tell us about it.
Wency: I used to play tennis at the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) during the pandemic and became friends with most of the tennis players there. When they decided to put a roof and convert the shell courts to hard courts earlier this year, our chairman, Rommel "Abe" Abesamis, had enough foresight to suggest and actually add pickleball courts to the proposed construction of the facility. With the help of Congressman Onyx Crisologo, he got funding and approval from the DPWH to proceed with the project. Thus, the Veteran's Memorial Medical Center-Upper House Tennis and Pickleball Club (VMMC-UHTPC) was born. Construction started in the middle of 2021 and we are poised to open any day soon. As luck would have it, I was the only pickleball player Abe knew and was offered the directorship of the pickleball courts. I was hesitant at first, knowing that a lot of eyebrows might be raised because I was new to the sport, but the board was adamant that I take the position, so I acceded. The VMMC-UHTPC is home to 2 tennis and 3 pickleball courts that adhere to international surface standards.

Gossip Girl: Who celebs play PB, and why do you think they play them?
WENCY: As of today, I only know two other celebrities who play. Dyan Castillejo and Kuya Tirso Cruz III. Some celebrities like Solenn Heussaf and Anne Curtis play a similar sport called paddle. But I am positive that that number will increase soon, especially now that I'm at the helm of VMMC-UHTPC. I am holding a pickleball clinic for several of my celeb friends, including you, Giselle, as soon as the facility opens. That is the reason I added you to the celebrity group chat in Messenger so that when the courts open, I can start training you and all the celebs in the group chat like Ice Seguerra and the other singers in the group chat. Your column is also my way to reach other celebrities and non-celebrities willing to try the sport. I want to tap all my celebrity friends, but to be honest, the easiest people to teach are the ones who have a racquet sports background, so off the top of my head, Piolo Pascual and the Legazpi brothers (Zoren and Kier) would probably make fantastic pickleball players owing to the fact that Piolo is a great badminton player and Zoren and Kier are excellent tennis players. If I can get at least 6-8 celebs to learn how to play pickleball, I plan to have a celebrity pickleball exhibition in the 1st quarter of next year. It doesn't necessarily have to be a tournament. I want to promote the sport, and what better way is there than to get celebrities involved to attract more people?" Those interested in learning PB may contact my coach, Lorena, at 09163425976.