Season 2 of Pickle Yard Conference League slated Oct. 24

MANILA, Philippines — The Pickle Yard Conference League (PYCL) hopes to play a much bigger role in the rapidly growing sport of pickleball in the country, with the Season 2 kicking off on Saturday, October 24, at The Pickle Yard SOMO in Bacoor City, Cavite.

With a good mix of Filipino and international players bannering the rosters of the eight participating teams, the league is aiming to provide local talents with regular competition and consistent exposure to different playing styles as the sport continues to gain a strong following in the country.

PYCL Commissioner John Regison Talusan said the second season will focus on raising the level of competition while giving Filipino players opportunities to learn from their international counterparts.

“Season 2 is about raising the level of competition. We want our Filipino players to be tested by international athletes, different playing styles and different competitive backgrounds, while giving overseas players a chance to experience the energy and talent of Philippine pickleball,” said Talusan.

Season 2 runs until November 27, with matches scheduled on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The league also hopes to strengthen the exchange between local and foreign players, allowing both sides to gain experience in a competitive environment like the PYCL. 

Among the featured players for the new season are Filipino-British Mikar Fisher and Filipina-Australian Crystal Mildwaters, who will join international players Amore Cook, Cody Temple and Nico Almeida in the tournament. 

Also worth watching is local ace Bien Zoleta-Manalac, who just a month ago helped power PH soft tennis to historic bronze medal finish in the women’s event at the 20th Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan.

The eight franchises that will be competing for the Season 2 title are the Thrifty Drivers, Dentacare Pearly Whites, Cartivo Movers, Konjac Zero Phoenix Force, GFOXX Paragon, Black Mamba Aces, Cebuana Lhuillier Gems and DreamSkin Radiants.

Talusan expressed confidence that Season 2 will generate more interest from both the young and old enthusiasts of the sport. Given the kind of preparations all teams have undertaken, it is also expected also surpass the success of the inaugural staging.

Backing the event are NEXXGEN, BT Sports Apparel, UET International Corp., Healthy & Pure Brand, Million Glow by Kimsdiary, Immuni, Salonpas, Filmore Apartments, Fortun & Santos Law Offices, Les Alajeras Jewelry, Robinsons Galleria, Robinsons Magnolia, Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center, GrabKa Sports Center, i-fern, Luigi Reyes, Red Planet Hotels and Robinsons Movieworld.

PYCL Season 2 media partners include GMA News TV, SPOTV, Prime TV, Nudge Sports, DZMM Radyo Patrol 630, Favorite Music Radio and TrillerTV.

Together, these media partners support PYCL’s television, digital, streaming and radio reach, with GMA and SPOTV helping extend the league to audiences beyond the Philippines. (Contributed story)