Pickleball has surged in popularity over the past few years and is now officially one of the fastest-growing sports in America. According to Google Trends, the search term "Pickleball" had a marginal score of 16 in March 2018 and jumped to a maximum of 100 in October 2022 and again in March 2023. This trend indicates that pickleball is quickly becoming the most popular sport in America. In this article, we will take a look at why pickleball is becoming so popular and how you can join in on the fun!
Why Pickleball?
The rise of pickleball can be attributed to its unique combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis elements. It's easy to learn and easy to play, making it accessible to people of all ages and skill levels. Plus, with its low-impact nature, it's an ideal sport for those who are looking for a less intense option than traditional sports like basketball or soccer.
Furthermore, pickleball offers a great social atmosphere that encourages fun competition. Players can interact with each other on the court while still enjoying friendly competition—something that isn't always possible with more traditional sports. And with competitive leagues popping up all over the country, there are plenty of opportunities for players to get involved and hone their skills on the court.
What Exactly is Pickleball?
Pickleball is an exciting game that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It can be played indoors or outdoors and can accommodate individuals or teams. The court size varies depending on the number of players, but generally, it’s about 22 feet by 44 feet. Players use wooden paddles to hit a plastic ball over a net that stands 34 inches high in the center and 36 inches high on either side. Points are scored when one team fails to return the ball properly over the net or fails to keep the ball within bounds.
Great for Two or Four Players
Pickleball is a great game for both singles and doubles matches. It offers an enjoyable experience for players of all skill levels and encourages teamwork, strategy, agility, and coordination. In a single match, you’ll be playing against one other person, while in doubles you’ll need to work with your teammate to cover the court better.
Depending on the type of match you choose - singles or doubles - different regulations must be followed during gameplay. For example, singles require one player per side while doubles require two players per side with each partner alternating shots across the net; however, regardless of whether players are playing singles or doubles, they must stay within their designated service areas when serving the ball.
Overall pickleball is an exciting sport that can provide hours of fun for both single-player games as well as double-player teams! With its easy-to-learn rules, moderate equipment requirements, and accessible playing space this fast-paced game provides great benefits: improved agility & coordination as well as social interaction & competitive spirit!
Benefits of the Sport
Pickleball is an easy game to learn because everyone can play regardless of age or skill level. It’s also great exercise; studies have shown that an hourlong pickleball game can burn up to 500 calories! Plus it's very affordable; all you need are paddles (which typically cost around $20) and balls (which usually run around $7). So what are you waiting for? Grab some friends and get out there today!
Finding Pickleball Near You
If you're interested in playing pickleball but aren't sure where you can find courts near you, don't worry! There are plenty of resources online that can help you out. One such resource is "Pickleball Scheduler," which is a free app used to find people playing in your area who may be looking for someone to play with. There are also many local clubs and organizations dedicated solely to pickleball that offer weekly or monthly tournaments and activities for players looking for some serious competition or just some casual games with friends.
Accessing a Pickleball Scheduler can be done easily and quickly. First, you need to make sure that the facility you’re using has pickleball available. You can typically find out if they offer pickleball simply by calling the facility or checking on their website.
Once you’ve identified a place with pickleball courts, then it’s time to look for their schedule of classes or open play times. Many places will have an online tool where you can input your location to see which facilities are near you that offer pickleball services; this is often referred to as a “pickleball scheduler” and is usually linked from the facility's website. By clicking through this online scheduler (or calling the facility directly), you'll be able to find all sorts of information about when the courts are open for play, what type of sessions they offer (singles vs doubles vs tournaments), and contact info for any questions or problems related to scheduling times/days/etc at that particular court(s).
Another great way to get access to a Pickleball Scheduler is through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter - many local clubs post updates regarding availability on these sites regularly so it might be worth following them! Additionally, since most regions now have specific leagues dedicated solely towards pickup ballers (both singles & doubles matchups) there should also be plenty of other resources at your disposal. Generally speaking, alumni pages for colleges are always good places to start looking around as well since most universities often have picked up some kind of "intramural" sport within their respective student bodies!
Can you Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court
Yes, pickleball can be played on a tennis court. In terms of the size difference between a standard pickleball court and a regulation-sized tennis court: The official size according to USA Pickleball Association rules for competitive play calls for 20 feet wide by 44 feet long courts which works out to about 3/4th of the length (44 ft vs 60 ft) as well as 1/3rd less width (20 ft width versus 36ft width) than standard singles or doubles Tennis courts. At home, many will shorten this even more into an area about 18-22 feet wide as most Sport Court modular systems offer but there are no specific restrictions on narrowing it down further if space allows it due to portability advantages such as easy storage when not using it or limited space areas around pools, patios, etc.
Who Invented the Sport?
It is believed to have been invented in 1965 by three American men—U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum—on Bainbridge Island near Seattle in Washington state.
The three friends were looking for something new to do outside with their families on the Sunday after Thanksgiving in November 1965. After gathering equipment from a hardware store on the island, they developed what would become pickleball at Pritchard’s house near the waterfront. The game was initially called “Pim Pam” because Bill Bell could not remember if it was Prichard or McCallum who thought of the name Pickleball first!
To start playing pickleball they used ping pong paddles as racquets and Perrier bottles as balls. The court measured 20'x44', about one fourth the size of a regular tennis court with a lower net (about 2'6") than volleyball (7'11"). To make it easier for young players they used plastic whiffle balls which were much softer than standard tennis balls.
From then on the game spread quickly across America where it gained recognition from organizations like USA Pickleball Association who started offering lessons and certifications to instructors so more players could learn about this exciting sport without frustration or injury. Today anyone can join hundreds of pickleball clubs around the world thanks to its easy-to-learn ruleset combined with complex strategy possibilities!
Conclusion:
All things considered, it's no surprise that pickleball has become so popular over the past few years. With its low-impact nature and social atmosphere, it's an ideal sport for people of all ages and skill levels who are looking for something new to try out this summer. And if you're interested in playing but aren't sure where you can find courts near you—don't worry! There are plenty of resources online that can help you out as well as local clubs specific to pickleball which offer tournaments or casual games throughout the year. So grab your paddle and give it a try—you won't regret it!
With so many new people just discovering pickleball, make sure you check our our article about pickleball paddles for beginners.
Ed Staton
