Pickleball Tip
Why is Pickleball Taking Racquet Sports by Storm?
What do you get when you put a racquet, ball, net, and court together? Tennis? No. Badminton? Not quite. Ping pong? Uh-uh.
Hint: It’s one of the fastest growing sports in America—Pickleball!
Pickleball was created in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell after they came home from golf one day to find their families lounging around with nothing to do. With access to a badminton court and only ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball, they started their ad-hoc version of a game. A week later, along with Barney McCallum, the three men created rules and the family-fun, sport-for-all-ages game was born.
Joel Pritchard’s wife, Joan, says that the game reminded her of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats, and that’s how she came up with the name “pickleball.” McCallum, however, attributes the name to the Pritchard family dog Pickles, who was notorious for getting a hold of the ball and running away with it. Both accounts may be true, and as the game progressed a year or so after its creation, they needed a name — and pickleball stuck.
The sport’s been around for nearly six decades, so why has it only started to pick up in popularity in recent years? There are a lot of reasons to love pickleball—and more than 3 million people in the U.S. already do. Below, we discuss some of the reasons why pickleball has become racquet sports' next big thing.
Age is just a number in the world of pickleball
If you’ve heard of pickleball, it’s likely been presented to you as a sport for older generations. But that’s just part of a much bigger story. It is a great sport for older people because it’s more forgiving on the body than tennis, easy to learn, and still presents a challenge. However, as the participation numbers show, it’s also a sport that anyone at any age can play.
USA Pickleball reported that in 2020, the highest percentage of pickleball players (28%) were between the ages of 18 and 34. Players between 35 and 54 and people 65 and older were in the next highest percentile of pickleball players, both at around 20%.
The advantages of pickleball are many. It offers aerobic exercise and a very low risk for injury. Senior players, or players who may have suffered injuries in the past that prevent them from playing a higher impact sport, have fun playing pickleball without worrying about the effect it will have on their bodies. The simplicity of the game makes it kid-friendly and easily understandable for beginner players. Yet, once you begin to master the sport, you see how competition can ramp up. And like it’s nearest cousin, tennis, pickleball can be played in singles or doubles.
When Pritchard and Bell created this sport, they did so with their families in mind. As a result, they created a sport that families from all backgrounds and all ages can play together—and that elite players can compete in.
Pickleball tournaments are held locally and nationally in the U.S. In 2009, the first USA Pickleball National Championship was held in Buckeye, Arizona and they continue to be held in various locations every year since. Official pickleball matches like this typically last between 40-60 minutes, but if you’re just playing for fun, you can play for as long as you want. Some leagues even play 15-minute matches, so there’s more rotation of players and time flexibility.
If you have access to a court, you have access to a game of pickleball
As the demand for pickleball increases, many public and private tennis courts are being converted into official pickleball courts. Affordable and accessible, the sport uses paddles costing between $30-$125 and official pickleballs ranging from $3-$6. Equipment is widely available, and can be found at sporting goods stores, like Dicks Sporting Goods, as well as general big box stores like Target and Walmart. Any athletic clothing that gives you freedom of movement can be worn.
The pickleball community is continuing to grow into one of the biggest sports in the country. This rapid growth can be attributed to the simplicity of the game, the socialization it provides, and the overall fun nature of the sport. There’s vast opportunity for individual improvement, development of match play, and refining technique and skill.
At US Sports Camps, we’re all about promoting a healthy lifestyle and staying active for all people. That’s why we’re committed to connecting passionate coaches with junior and adult pickleball players to facilitate athletic and personal development in a positive and safe environment.
Pick up a paddle today and join Nike Pickleball Camps this year! There's never a better time to start than right now.
About US Sports Camps
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in San Rafael, CA, US Sports Camps is the nation’s leading youth sports camp company, serving more than 100,000 campers across 1,200+ camps in 48 states. US Sports Camps’ offering spans 19 different sports, Esports, and academic programs for campers ranging from 6 to 18 years old. The Company partners with leading academic facilities and local camp directors to operate exceptional camps, clinics, and programs for kids.