Seymour Rifkind (2nd R), president of the IPTPA, poses with players before a guest competition on Feb. 26.
国际匹克球教练员专业协会主席Seymour Rifkind（右二），2月26日在嘉宾赛前与选手合影。
Seymour Rifkind, the founder and president of the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA), mentioned that pickleball is still in its early stages in Shenzhen during a news conference Feb. 26, where he announced IPTPA’s introduction into China.
2025年2月26日，国际匹克球教练员专业协会（IPTPA）正式宣布进入中国。在接受英文《深圳日报》采访时，IPTPA主席Seymour Rifkind提到，匹克球运动在深圳仍处于早期发展阶段。
IPTPA unveiled its China headquarters in Longhua District on Feb. 26, marking a significant step in introducing the world’s top pickleball coach certification system to the country. This move aims to advance the professionalization and global outreach of pickleball across China.
国际匹克球教练员协会（IPTPA）中国总部于2月26日在深圳龙华区正式落成，此举标志着全球顶级匹克球教练认证体系正式进入中国市场。该机构的落户将加速推动匹克球运动在中国的专业化发展进程，并助力这项新兴运动与国际标准接轨，为其全球化推广注入新动能。
Pickleball academy and franchise expansion
匹克球学院和特许经营布局
Having visited the city six times since 2017, he described Shenzhen as a fast-paced city and expressed his vision for the sport’s growth potential, stating, “I am always envisioning pickleball and its future in a city like Shenzhen. Clearly, I think it’s still in its infancy, but it will continue to expand rapidly.”
自2017年以来，Rifkind已经到访深圳六次，他形容这座城市发展节奏迅速，同时也对这项流行运动在深圳发展的前景充满希望。他说：“我一直期待匹克球运动在深圳这种大城市的发展前景。目前，我认为它仍处于起步阶段，但匹克球运动将在这里迅速发展。”
In discussing his plans for China, Rifkind showed great enthusiasm for establishing a pickleball academy. The American veteran declined to mention the site of the academy. He said the academy will feature 40 indoor courts and dormitories capable of accommodating 200 athletes and coaches.
当提及协会在中国的发展计划时，Rifkind以极大的热情提到了即将成立的匹克球学院。这位来自美国的匹克球元老表示，目前还不能透露学院位于具体哪个城市。他说，学院将设有40个室内专业球场，并且包括可容纳200名运动员和教练的宿舍。
He also shared his vision to franchise facilities with multiple courts, targeting potential locations in cities such as Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Macao, and Hong Kong. Rifkind emphasized the importance of collaboration between governmental entities and the private sector to enhance pickleball infrastructure. “We are eager to offer our expertise to contribute to the global growth of pickleball,” he stated.
他还分享了将设立特许经营的愿景，计划在大湾区城市中寻找潜在合作伙伴。Rifkind 强调了政府部门与专业企业合作以加强匹克球基础设施建设的重要性。他表示：“我们希望提供我们的专业知识，为匹克球的全球发展做出贡献。”
Seymour Rifkind poses for a photo with a qualified trainee.
国际匹克球教练员专业协会主席Seymour Rifkind 与学员合影。
Rifkind founded the IPTPA in 2015. He has spearheaded efforts to showcase pickleball at the World Maccabi Games in Israel, an IOC-sanctioned event, and at the Asian Games in China in 2023, another IOC-sanctioned event.
Rifkind在2015年成立了国际匹克球教练员专业协会。他成功促成在以色列世界马卡比运动会和2023年中国亚运会上举办匹克球表演赛，这两项赛事都受到国际奥委会认可。
Rifkind shared, “It was nationally televised in China. We had close to 5 million people tune in within the first half-hour. That was the largest single event ever in the sport of pickleball. And at that time, pickleball was still relatively new in China.”
他说：“当时中国这一赛事是全国直播，我们在前半小时内就吸引了近500万人观看，这在匹克球运动史上是规模最大的单项赛事。当时，匹克球运动在中国还是一项比较新的运动。”
“We also conducted a major exhibition at the Water Cube in Beijing in 2019 and invited 200 government officials. It was at that event where I think a number of the government officials recognized that pickleball is an incredibly popular sport,” he mentioned.
“我们2019年还在北京水立方举办了一场大型表演赛，邀请了大约200位政府官员。我认为在那次活动中，许多人开始意识到匹克球是一项极受欢迎的运动。”
“What I shared with the government officials in China was that I knew that over the past five or six Olympics, more than 50% of badminton and table tennis Olympic medals went to China. I am confident that when we do get into the Olympic Games, China has a chance to win the first medals,” he added, noting that no country is in a better position than China to succeed in racket sports.
他强调没有哪个国家像中国一样在球拍类运动中具备如此良好的条件。“我告诉他们，在过去五到六届奥运会上，超过50%的羽毛球和乒乓球奥运奖牌归中国所有。我相信，当匹克球运动进入奥运会时，中国有机会赢得首枚奖牌。”
Pickleball’s Olympic aspirations
匹克球的奥运前景
Discussing the potential inclusion of pickleball in the Olympic Games, Rifkind expressed optimism about its acceptance as early as 2028. “I can’t say it will definitely happen, but I can tell you that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) likes pickleball very much,” he said.
