Pickleball is Sweeping America

April 13, 2022

As CNN reports, an estimated 4.8 million people in the US now play pickleball. Participation has increased by 39.3% in the past two years, making it the country’s fastest-growing sport, says Laura Gainor, a marketing consultant for the USA Pickleball Association, the sport’s national governing body.

There’s a pro pickleball tour, and some matches even air on ESPN. Pickleball aficionados are pushing for it to be included in the Olympics. It’s captivated such celebrities as talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, actor Leonardo DiCaprio and philanthropist Bill Gates.

Here’s everything you need to know about the emerging sport with the quirky name.

Just what is Pickleball, anyway?

Pickleball is a mashup of tennis, ping pong and badminton that can be played indoors or outdoors, by single players or in pairs.

It’s played on a court with a low net — 34 inches high at its center. A pickleball court is 20 by 44 feet — the same size as a doubles badminton court.

Many people play on tennis courts that have been modified with lower nets and additional boundary lines. Players use a perforated plastic ball and wooden or composite paddles that are about twice the size of ping pong paddles. Like other racquet sports, the goal is to hit the ball over the net — but within the boundaries of the court — and prevent your opponent from hitting it back.

How did Pickleball come to be?

According to CNN, fifty-seven years ago, three fathers vacationing on an island near Seattle faced a predicament. Their kids were bored, and they needed a summertime activity to keep them entertained. So the dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum — got creative. They used the items at their disposal, including some ping pong paddles, an old badminton court and a perforated plastic ball, and invented a new game for their kids to play.

With that, pickleball was born. Accounts vary on the name’s origin, but one thing’s for sure: There were no pickles involved.

One story says the sport was named for Joel Pritchard’s family dog, a cocker spaniel named Pickles, who loved chasing the plastic ball and running off with it. The game ball sort of became Pickles’ ball — hence the name.

How did Pickleball become so popular?

The pickleball craze has been fueled by several factors. First, it’s fun and social, and the rules are easy for beginners to learn, Gainor says. Players can pick up the sport in a single session and don’t need any expensive gear or special apparel — just sneakers and comfortable clothing.

Secondly, the small court means little running around. This has made the sport especially popular with older players whose stiff backs or aching knees make it harder for them to scramble around larger tennis courts.

And then there was/is Covid-19. The demand for safe, distanced activities during the pandemic has also helped fuel the sport’s growth. Pickleball nets sold out when quarantines first went into effect two years ago, Gainor says.

Where is Pickleball played?

Pickleball has become a truly global phenomenon, currently played in 70 countries and growing, according to the International Federation of Pickleball. There’s also a push to expand the list of countries and get pickleball recognized by the International Olympic Committee. One of the requirements to enter an Olympic bid is for a sport to have players in at least 75 countries, Gainor says.

Across the United States and Canada alone, there are about 9,500 pickleball venues, including senior residence communities, YMCAs, recreation centers, schools and parks. If you’d like to watch some games, Pickleball tournaments now air on several channels, including Fox Sports, the Tennis Channel, CBS Sports, ESPN+ and ESPN3.

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Photo Credit: bhpix / Shutterstock.com

Written by: Vipology Staff Writer

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April 13, 2022