For a sport to grow, it needs the youngsters, and with them being involved, it will push the game to an incredible height that will be hard to match. With pickleball rising fast and furious in Malaysia, especially among the working group and elders, experts now believe it is the right time to push the sport to the youngsters.
This was the expert view of officials and also top coaches during the Asia Pickleball Summit 2.0 (APS 2.0), organised by ReSkills in partnership with co-organisers AFA and APTV, held at Hextar World Exhibition Hall, Empire City in Kuala Lumpur. At the official opening of the event, the organisers said the conference has attracted 1,500 participants and is also bringing together key stakeholders from the global pickleball ecosystem.
On Saturday (June 6), Dr. Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen, the political secretary to the Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, who is also on the Board of the World Pickleball Federation(WPF), together with Asia Pickleball Summit 2.0 Organising Chairperson Ken Lim, officiated the opening of the event.
Dr Yii said the game is growing fast, especially in South-East Asia, with East Asian countries like Hong Kong, Japan, and China also jumping on the bandwagon. South Asian giants India, top-notch superstars in cricket and chess, have also been seen as being interested in pushing the game to the next level.
"And to make further inroads in the game in our country, we must push the sport to the grassroots level," Dr Yii said. "I'm very happy to see many schools are also getting into the act and encouraging many youngsters to take up the game.
"What is needed now is to see pickleball as a sport competed in at the school and junior levels. And i can assure all that the officials involved in pickleball are working very hard to see this wonderful goal achieved."
As part of WPF, Dr Yii also said that rapid advancement has been made to see the game being included in top sporting events like the Asian Games and the Olympics.
He noted that the event reflects the growing recognition of pickleball at the highest levels of Malaysian sports governance and demonstrates the government’s commitment to fostering a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive sports ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Ken Lim added that pickleball has experienced extraordinary growth across Asia and the world since late 2024, capturing the imagination of millions of players, entrepreneurs, and sports enthusiasts alike.
“APS 2.0 is the answer to what comes next — a high-level platform designed not just to celebrate the sport’s momentum, but to secure its long-term, scalable future. The summit brings together brand owners, federation leaders, court operators, professional players, and investors from across the globe under one roof to share expertise, real-world insights, and forge cross-border collaborations that will drive pickleball’s growth across Asia for years to come.
Ken Lim added that 1,500 participants attended the summit to learn from global pickleball trends and explore how these developments can be integrated into Malaysia’s local pickleball ecosystem.
He highlighted that APS 2.0 delivered “2 Days. 3 Experiences.” through a combination of Conference Talks, Exhibition Expo and Networking Gameplay.
The summit featured representatives from 14 countries, more than 40 international speakers, and 18 panels and talks covering policy, business, strategy, and performance. The event also showcased 29 exhibition booths featuring brands, technology, equipment, facilities, and media organisations.
In addition, participants enjoyed unlimited networking gameplay sessions, providing opportunities to engage directly with industry leaders and professionals on court.
“Next year, we will integrate even more resources and partnerships to make the Asia Pickleball Summit 3.0 even better. We also hope to further elevate the development of pickleball in Malaysia and help the world discover Malaysia as a growing hub for the sport,” he said.
WHAT the top experts say:
Kimberly Koh (Managing Director, United Pickleball Association, Asia)
The sport has seen amazing growth over the last few years, especially in South-East Asia. As I see it, it is very popular among the young and old in Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The potential for growth in this region is immense. Especially with moves to see the game being introduced to more and more youngsters, I see a brilliant potential for the sport here.
With more youngsters playing, that will certainly help in pushing the sport to the likes of the Asian Games and the Olympic Games. We also have the pro league being introduced in these countries, especially Asia, because the players can be among the best in the world. I would like to see the sport of pickleball, maybe one day, be in the same breath as other racquet games like tennis, badminton, and squash in this region.
Collin Johns (Top Professional Pickleball Athlete and Coach / RPO Global Technical Director )
Many countries in South-East Asia, especially Malaysia and Vietnam, have great potential to become frontrunners in international tournaments in the future. The setup is very good, and they are also pushing for many coaches to guide the players. That will definitely elevate their players' performance in tournaments. Pickleball is growing very fast in the world, and I believe the countries of Malaysia and Vietnam will play a very big part in the sport.
I also believe having good coaches will help the sport to grow with the youth. It's so great to see Malaysia takes moves to improve the coaching set-up, and that will also help the game to be popular with the young, and that ensures a great future for the sport.
For Richard Lee (Owner, President & CEO of JOOLA, top pickleball and table tennis equipment)
For the sports to grow, you must always encourage youngsters to take up the game and at the same time have good equipment to support their aspirations. The equipment must also be spaced at a reasonable price for them to pick up the sport.
"It is great to see the game and its rapid rise in Malaysia. I believe there is definitely a wonderful future for the sport here, and many of us would definitely hope to see more youngsters picking up the game.
About Asia Pickleball Summit (APS)
Asia Pickleball Summit (APS) was created to champion the growth of pickleball across Asia by bringing together athletes, industry leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts.
APS provides unparalleled opportunities for learning, networking, and business development through high-impact knowledge sharing and curated exhibitions. As pickleball continues to gain popularity around the world, APS helps Asia take the lead by supporting players, growing brands, and creating a strong and connected pickleball community.
