What is Pickleball
In 2015, pickleball was recognized by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) as the fastest growing sport in the United States, The initial measurement was made in 2010, with approximately 100,000 players. By 2015, the number increased to 2,500,000.
So what is pickleball? Pickleball is a fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It is played both indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court and a slightly lowered (34") tennis net. While there are some plastic and wooden paddles still floating around, the sport is primarily played with composite paddles with thin laminate faces made of polymers, graphite, fiberglass, kevlar, and even aluminum.
The sport is played with a plastic ball with circular holes (generally 26 for indoors and 40 for outdoors). There are thousands of singles player, but the game is largely recognized as a doubles sport.
Every state in the US has an active pickleball ambassador. There are 1,700 ambassadors in all and over 3,000 places to play in the U.S.
NBC Nightly News: Pickleball - The Fastest Growing Sport in the U.S.
The Rules of Pickleball
The History of Pickleball
Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. Three dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities — are credited for creating game. Pickleball has evolved from original handmade equipment and simple rules into a popular sport throughout the US and Canada. The game is growing internationally as well, with many European and Asian countries adding courts. Click to read the complete history of pickleball.
The History of Pickleball