In the vast world of sports, there’s a new craze captivating the nation.
Tennis, ping-pong or badminton come to mind when thinking of the classic racquet and paddle sports, but recently another sport has taken over.
Created by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum in 1965, Pickleball is beginning to thrive in many communities. Originally, the inventors were bored with other sports and decided to make up their own. Pickleball became a laid back, just-for-fun activity.
“I like pickleball because I think it’s a really fun game to play with friends and family,” senior Claire Wilson said. “It’s super easy to learn and pick up on, so anyone can play and have a good time.”
Though the sport has similarities to tennis, pickleball has lighter and smaller equipment, and a shorter court. Some key rules are different as well. Rules like serving styles and double-bounces actually make it closer to ping-pong.
“I’ve seen some teammates play pickleball, and they said if you don’t want a too competitive sport, to play pickleball,” senior tennis player Riley McClellan said.
In recent years, it has grown in popularity and is being taken more seriously.
The Sports and Fitness Industry Association reported in 2022 that the number of people playing pickleball or “picklers” increased by 159% over the previous three years. Data from the Association of Pickleball Professionals reported there were 36.5 million pickleball players at the start of 2023.
People play on pickleball or tennis courts, and recently, places like malls or office buildings. Due to more of the job force working from home, newly-vacant locations are changing their spaces to accommodate new pickleball courts. The growing sport is spreading fast, and companies are trying to keep up.
According to the Pickleball Annual Growth Report by USA Pickleball, around 1,557 pickleball locations were created in 2022, and they also report there are 44,094 known courts in the country. Chicago officials plan to build 50 new pickleball courts by 2025.
There are two pickleball courts through the Plainfield Park District, with one in downtown, and one next to Ottawa Street Pool. The growing sport is seen as accessible, a good workout, helpful with coordination skills and creates social interaction. It’s not as physically demanding as other sports, but it has a lot of room for socialization.
“The sport is very easy to catch onto, and it is what makes it so fun,” senior Izzy Rodriguez said. “You are able to do it with everyone, regardless if they are athletic or not.”
Due to its accessibility, the sport has become popular with older individuals. While the sport is generally less taxing, pickleball injuries are on the rise.
United Healthcare has recently reported that an estimated $250 to $300 million in medical costs this year are caused by pickleball injuries.
The sudden rise of pickleball has spread over social media, where people are beginning to post their pickleball ball plays. This raises the question: is pickleball just trending or will it keep growing?
“Pickleball is definitely a trend, but I don’t see it dying anytime soon, and it’s going to be around for a while,” McClellan said.
Even with some mixed feelings, pickleball is still seen as a strong tennis alternative for people looking for a fun game to play. People are looking for new things to try, and they’re finding pickleball to be a great option.
“I love how easy it is to pick up and how family friendly it is,” senior Lexi Carlson said. “It’s fast and never boring, and you can get a lot of laughs out of it.”
