Whoosh! Clink! That’s the sound of a wiffleball being hit over the three-foot-high net. Pickleball is a relevantly new sport and has gained popularity in the past few years. It is estimated now that there are 36.5 million pickleball players in the United States. But it wasn’t always that way.

In 1965, a Congressman from Washington and a businessman created the game of pickleball. The two men had come home from a game of golf and found themselves bored at one of their homes. They noticed the badminton court and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a plastic ball.

 Badminton heavily influenced the shaping and making of the new game, and the men stated they wanted to keep the original purpose of being a game for the whole family. In 1967, the first pickleball court was constructed, and by 1972, a corporation was created to protect the new sport. By 1976, the first known tournament was held in Tukwila, Washington. 

By the early 1990s pickleball was being played in all fifty states, products were being manufactured, and the United States Amateur Pickleball Association (U.S.A.P.A) was created. In 2001, the Arizona Senior Olympics introduced the game into their event. 

Because of the Senior Olympics, pickleball was commonly known as an “old person” sport. But why is that? Well, pickleball can have different levels and can be adapted to different lifestyles. It is a good way for senior citizens to combine a fun game and low-impact exercise.

Each year, the game kept evolving and growing in popularity. In between the years 2021 and 2022, the total number of players nearly doubled, from 4.8 to 8.9 million! It has grown over 220% in the last three years. Now, the game has about thirty-six million players, just in the US.

The game works by being played singles or doubles. The ball is served from one corner of the court to the other and is volleyed back over by the other player. Points are scored only by the serving team. The court is divided into two sections on each side of the net; the part closest to the net in the middle is called the “kitchen,” and players can only step into it when the ball is hit there. Otherwise, the ball can bounce one time and then must be hit back over.

Pickleball has spiked interest in all ages! It is a great sport that can be adapted to different levels of skill, age, and lifestyle. I recommend playing as a way to get exercise while still having fun. So get outside to your local court and start playing!