In 1965, a new sport took root within the tranquil neighborhoods of Bainbridge, an island that is a short ferry ride from Seattle. Three friends—Barney McCallum, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell—were determined to create an ad hoc game that would entertain their bored children during their vacation. They created what is now known as pickleball by blending the different components of various popular sports: a few ping pong paddles, a badminton net and a wiffle ball. They had no idea that their spontaneous DIY was to become the fastest-growing sport in the United States.
The 2020 coronavirus pandemic catalyzed the growth of this emerging pastime. Americans found pickleball as a convenient way to exercise and have competitive fun while staying safe from COVID-19. Its affordability and gentler learning curve were more appealing than other socially distanced sports such as golf or tennis.
“During the pandemic, many Americans were seeking ways to stay healthy and active near their homes,” USA Pickleball director of media relations Laura Gainor explained. “Due to the pickleball court being a quarter of the size of a tennis court, it’s easy to create a court in your driveway, in a parking lot or within a gym space. So many people were introduced to the sport during those unprecedented times playing with their family of four in the driveway.”
When Alix Truong joined her Marshall High School tennis team in her freshman year, she never expected her first season to come to an abrupt end. When school shuddered from the pandemic, Truong found it difficult to locate available courts for regular practice near her Northern Virginia neighborhood. Soon enough, she traded in her tennis racquets for paddles and competed in her first pro pickleball tournament in 2021.
Now as a professional pickleball player, Truong competes regularly in the Association of Pickleball Player (APP) tournaments, amassing over dozens of medals. Earnings for pro players can be $4000 for winning a gold medal, with sponsors matching a similar amount to the players.
Although most recreational players do not follow the same unconventional path that Truong had chosen, over one million people took up the sport between 2020 and 2022, according to the APP and 19% of adults play at least once a year.
Gabe Chang and Denise Wu were among the many to join the pickleball craze. “I started playing pickleball in the summer of 2023 when a friend of ours casually mentioned that a community center close to our house has pickleball sessions on Mondays that we can play for free,” Wu said. “We went there one Monday evening to check it out and have become addicted to the sport ever since.”
When asked what she enjoys about pickleball, Wu said, “Pickleball is easier on the body when I play doubles and it requires me to stay nimble, agile, and focused.”
Chang, who often plays indoors at the Montgomery TennisPlex, said, “Benefits for me are additional physical activity, … improve[d] reaction times, hand eye coordination, reduce[d] stress… and good socialization.”
Chang does not take lessons at the moment, but recalls paying $10 to $30 for the few lessons he has taken in the past. This is far more affordable than tennis lessons, which can cost anywhere from $50 to $100.
Numerous celebrities have also been endorsing the sport. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and NFL player Larry Fitzgerald played in an exhibition match in 2022. Tennis legends Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, John McEnroe and Maria Sharapova competed in a mixed doubles exhibition earlier this year at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Florida.
Despite strong celebrity endorsements, the sport’s growth faced resistance, including a poor reputation among the younger population. An avid tennis player in Potomac explained, “I think playing pickleball would mess with my tennis mechanics. I am not ready to hang up my tennis racquet anytime soon.”
With an average pickleball player age of 35 and with older adults making up the majority at the recreational level, the sport has earned itself a reputation of being a retirement pastime. Adults 65 and older are tied for the second-largest age group participating in the sport. Despite this, the professional level still contains highly trained, athletic competitors, much like other sports.
Pro tennis players turned pro pickleball players, like Jack Sock and Sam Querrey, have adjusted easier to pickleball having come from a tennis background. However, Sock emphasized that the sport is not as easy as it looks due to the high competitiveness at the top level.
“The tennis players that think they’re going to jump over and just kill it, it’s not going to be as easy as some think,” Sock told the PPA. “The top pickleball players are really good. You can’t use your serve to get out of jail in pickleball, and you can’t expect to drill a forehand for a winner from the baseline whenever you want.”
Whether one wants to up their level and train to be on the professional tour, or keep it more recreational and dink a shot in their driveway with their family, pickleball could very well extend beyond a fad and become a mainstay American pastime.
Article by Huan Changvu of Winston Churchill High School