South America Is Turning Pickleball Into a System

by Marcelo Abelheira, South America correspondent

South America is no longer just playing pickleball. It is starting to organise it.

In early March, Uruguay hosted the first official training programme for coaches and referees under the South American Pickleball Federation. It ran across Montevideo and Carmelo over two days. On paper, it was a course. In reality, it was a shift.

Key Takeaways

Uruguay hosted the first coordinated coach and referee certification programme in South American pickleball history, with 70+ participants from five countries.
The programme is building a regional system of shared standards — not just national growth — with Bolivia and Argentina already planning similar events.
South America is moving from grassroots expansion to structured professionalisation, closing the gap between growth and sustainability.

From Growth to Structure

Pickleball has spread quickly across South America. Courts are appearing. Communities are forming. Tournaments are being played.

But growth on its own does not sustain a sport. Without qualified coaches, there is no development pathway. Without trained referees, there is no consistency. Without shared standards, there is no structure.

This was a first attempt to address that gap.

Building the Foundations

The programme focused on two areas that rarely get attention but determine everything that follows.

Coach education was led by Marcus Paulo, Technical Director of the Brazilian Pickleball Confederation. The sessions covered teaching methodology, player development, and the technical and tactical fundamentals of the game.

Referee training was delivered by Roger Valmorbida, Director of Refereeing at the CBP, alongside Michel Viott, Secretary-General of the Refereeing Directorate. Their work centred on rule interpretation, on-court conduct, and the standardisation of officiating.

These are not the visible parts of the sport. They are the ones that decide whether it holds together.

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A Continental Effort

More than 70 participants took part. They came from Uruguay and Brazil, but also from Argentina, Venezuela, and Peru.

That matters. Because what is being built here is not a national system. It is a regional one.

The exchange of ideas between countries was one of the defining features of the programme, creating a shared understanding of how the sport should be taught, played, and officiated. That kind of alignment is rare at this stage.

What Comes Next

This was never meant to stand alone. Bolivia and Argentina are already preparing to host similar programmes in 2026, extending the model and reinforcing consistency across the continent.

That is how structure forms. Not through one event, but through repetition.

Why This Matters

Pickleball’s growth has been fast. In many places, it has outpaced the systems needed to support it. South America is starting to close that gap.

This programme represents an early step towards professionalisation, standardisation, and long-term stability. It is not about visibility or prize money. It is about building something that can last.

Without this layer, everything else remains fragile.

A Region Taking It Seriously

The significance of Uruguay goes beyond the event itself. It shows a region beginning to take control of how the sport develops, rather than waiting for it to be shaped elsewhere.

And if that continues, South America will not simply follow the global rise of pickleball. It will help define it.

This article appeared in the April 2026 issue of World Pickleball Magazine.

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