Why is Pickleball so Popular?

Pickleball is widely recognized as the fastest growing sport for seniors in the USA. A second group, those in their twenties and early thirties, have joined in. Families are getting involved. Some communities have it, some do not. I am writing this to encourage the growth of that sport.

The Game

The pickleball court is a bit smaller than a tennis court. Some communities paint pickleball lines on their tennis courts – a very effective way to introduce it to a community. Others use portable nets on a basketball court or even a parking lot. I prefer dedicated courts for just pickleball.

pickleball
The paddle is a little larger than a ping pong paddle and the ball is plastic. Normally it is played with two people on each side of the net. Unlike tennis, an underhand serve is used which reduces stress on shoulders. The shorter paddle size also reduces the stress. But don't bring your rocking chair – there is good aerobic exercise as players try to quickly get to the ball.

Games are normally played to eleven points with a win by two points. Whereas a tennis match may take ninety minutes, a typical pickleball game lasts fifteen or twenty minutes. At the end of the game, the protocol usually is for the four waiting players to move onto the court.

There oftentimes is a certain informality to the play. People show up as their schedules permit and then leave as needed. An agreement may be made for a certain start time when there are few players. But with the shorter game times, other commitments can prevail. Usually there is a rotation of players so one is not stuck with the same partner or the same opponents each time.

The Sense of Community

While pickleball provides great exercise, burns off calories, and provides vitamin D when played outside, the best reason for its success may be its community effect. Players who are waiting don’t just stand around, they talk. When a new game starts, those who just moved off the court also talk. Friendships develop. The next day they look forward to seeing their newly found friends.

Because they are now friends, there is often a different tone on the court than tennis which can be highly competitive. Some people play pickleball to win, but most players are out for the fun. They complement one another when the opponent makes a great shot, and give grace when a ball is called out when it seemed to be in. As seniors, winning the game is good, but respect is important. Laughter is common.

In my area near Harrisburg, PA, four outdoor courts were newly constructed for pickleball. Since the time of COVID-19 when there was just one outdoor court, there are now more than a dozen. Pickleball helps develop friendships, it helps develop community.

Since 2020, I have come to know several hundred people that I would not have otherwise met. Why? Because neighbors get to know neighbors, Republicans play with Democrats, and people of all faiths enjoy knowing each other. Rarely do they talk about politics or faith, they talk about their lives: their children or grandchildren, their broken dishwasher, their cars, their golf games, and their wonderful pets. Respect.

Winning is overrated. Friendships are very important, they build a sense of community with wonderful people.

In my opinion, the reason for the success of pickleball is because of the people. In most communities, people often say they don’t know others on the next street. With COVID-19, many suffered greatly from loneliness. The recent events in our country have caused people to become divided. My hope is that your community and mine will catch this great opportunity to restore care, unity and dignity to one another. New friends, people respecting people.

You may email me at Tom@ThomasBClarke.com. Please let me know how your community did.