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For a sport that was created back in the 1960s, pickleball is having a major moment.
The game — a combination of tennis, badminton, racquetball and table tennis — has been dubbed America’s fastest-growing sport. Nearly 19 percent of adults, or 48.3 million people, played pickleball at least once in a yearlong period, according to an Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) report . Courts are popping up everywhere — at local schools and parks, five-star hotels and retirement complexes — but not without controversy. There’s been a backlash in some neighborhoods about the noise from balls bouncing off paddles, and some tennis players have objected to sharing the courts. Plus, with more people playing, pickleball injuries are on the rise.
How to Get Started Playing Pickleball
Looking to make pickleball a part of your life? There are a number of ways to get started.
Plenty of retailers, ranging from Amazon to Target to Pickleball Galaxy, offer basic equipment packages that contain paddles, balls and even a net, at a range of price points. If possible, though, head to a store and try out the paddles for yourself, as you’ll want to make sure the size, weight and grip feel right.
Once you have all your equipment, you can watch some of the many online tutorials offered by top pickleball coaches to get started. But the most effective way to learn the game is to head to your local courts and sign up for lessons.
Many local recreational departments offer group lessons, and you can use resources like Playpickleball to find lists of teachers based in your area. Or simply ask experienced players for their recommendations; they may even offer to coach you themselves.
As for where to find those courts — USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body, runs a constantly updated database called Places2Play that lists available courts in the U.S.; you can access it via its website or phone app. Many localities are now lining tennis courts for pickleball use. Similarly, the app PicklePlay offers a collection of courts as well as information on clubs, leagues and pickleball events in local areas.
When you get to a court, don’t be afraid to ask players for help getting started. As a rule, pickleball players are a friendly, welcoming bunch who enjoy taking newcomers under their wings; they’ll likely be thrilled to get an opportunity to share their love of the game with more people. It won’t take long before you’re playing all the time and knowledgeable enough to teach others the rules of the game.
Although the average age of pickleball players is about 35, according to the APP report, the sport is quite popular with older adults. A 2023 report on pickleball by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) found that adults 65 and up were tied for second as the age group with the most participants in the sport. Why does this sport with the crazy name appeal to older adults? It is not hard to learn, gets people moving and is relatively easy on older bodies. It’s social and keeps people cognitively engaged. Many are finding it’s the perfect pastime to pick up right now.
The history of pickleball
Created in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, pickleball is the brainchild of three men — Barney McCallum, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell — who were looking for an activity to entertain their families. When Pritchard’s teenage son challenged his dad to create a new game from scratch, the men combined elements of several existing sports into one unique game. With a few table tennis paddles, a Wiffle ball and a badminton net, pickleball — which got its name either from the Pritchard family dog, Pickles, or the “pickle boats” used in crew, depending on whom you ask — began to take shape.
To play, individuals or duos volleyed the ball back and forth over a net on a slimmed-down version of a tennis court until one side scored 11 points (and was up by at least 2 points). Their game included fun terms like “the kitchen” (the non-volley zone on either side of the net) and “dinking” (soft, arcing shots). Above all, players were supposed to enjoy themselves: This was a game that prioritized a good time over anything else.
Over the next few years, word of an entertaining, easy-to-play sport that took little time to learn spread across the Pacific Northwest, and before long, pickleball was the talk of the U.S. Yet while the game experienced steady growth in its first few decades, pickleball didn’t truly take off until the pandemic hit in early 2020. Suddenly, people were stuck at home with their families, craving a way to get active and have fun from the comfort of their homes (or driveways), and pickleball, with its simple rules, inexpensive setup, portable net and small court size, fit the bill.
