If you’ve noticed a surge of pickleball courts appearing in local parks, garages, and even entire indoor facilities, you’re not imagining things! Invented in the year of 1965 on Bainbridge Island in Washington state, Pickleball is currently one of the fastest growing sports in the United States and Canada. Pickleball is a court sport played with a plastic ball, composite paddles, and a net set to a height of 34 inches at the center. The invention of the sport is credited to Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum and their children who were bored of their summertime activities. The paddle sport is going international, with countries located in Europe and Asia building courts. The name of the game’s origin is quite interesting- since there aren’t actually any pickles involved. According to Joan Pritchard, the wife of Joe Pritchard, “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.” hence why she started referring to it as pickleball. However, Barney McCallum, another founder, the game was officially named after the Pritchard family’s dog, Pickles. Pickles was known for chasing the ball and running off with it.
Fun Facts:
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Currently, 4.8 million participants play pickleball at some level
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The average age of a pickleball player is 38 years old
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61% of players live East of the Mississippi River
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USA Pickleball has awarded 72 community grants and 66 youth/collegiate grants totaling in $41,000 of allocation
Whether you are looking for a fun way to stay active, meet new people, or challenge yourself, pickleball has something to offer for everyone. Find a court, grab a paddle, and join in on the movement that is sweeping the nation!
