CANFIELD — Pickleball, a growing sport across the country, is now catching on in Canfield, with the completed pickleball courts at Greasel Park getting an increase in use.

Mayor Richard Duffett has declared Saturday as “Pickleball Day,” which kicks off at noon with an introduction to pickleball and the rules of the game. Thirty-minute sessions then will be offered, covering the basic pickleball stroke, proper serving, dinking and scoring. Pickleball paddles and balls will be provided.

At 3 p.m., the courts will be set for open play.

One of the residents who pushed for the sport was Jay Cohen, who recently attended a Canfield parks board meeting. He told park board members, “I went to Greasel on Monday and there were 30 people there playing pickleball.”

He said it was apparent the conversion from two tennis courts to six pickleball courts was the right thing to do.

Rich Archer, the resident who stayed with the project from its beginning, addressed a small group of people at a special city council meeting Wednesday.

“You have all worked hard to make pickleball a reality, and make Greasel Park come alive,” Archer said. “The park had lost some of its appeal over the years, but has now come back.”

Archer said he is happy to be able to instruct people on the game. He also offered a challenge by asking that Canfield police take on the Cardinal Joint Fire District, and the winner could face city council members. While no one from those entities accepted the challenge Wednesday, Duffett said it could very well become a reality next year.

Greasel Park is located on Winona Avenue, just off East Main Street (U.S. Route 224) between Hillside Drive, and state Route 46.