Pickleball

The fastest growing sport …

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by Joel Pritchard in Bainbridge Island, Washington, to entertain his family. It combines elements of ping pong and tennis.

EQUIPMENT

First, you need a court the same size as badminton and volleyball. This could be a tennis court with lines for pickleball, a dedicated pickleball court, pickleball lines on the floor of a gymnasium, or a pickleball facility. Some families put chalk lines on their own driveway!

Full-sized courts (20’x44′) are used for both singles and doubles play.

There is a private indoor facility near me that has a couple of unofficial “skinny” pickleball courts that are just as deep but narrower than regulation-sized courts. They are used for teaching.

Second, you need a net. It’s a little lower than for tennis. Many players or facilities have portable nets for use on a tennis court or in a gymnasium.

With the sport’s popularity growing, some now have courts dedicated to pickleball. They could have either movable or fixed-in-place nets. Pickleball nets are 36″ high on the sidelines and 34″ high in the middle.

Third, you need a pickleball. It’s a Wiffle Ball®-like perforated, lightweight plastic ball. The holes in an indoor pickleball are fewer and larger than those in an outdoor ball.

Fourth, you need a pickleball paddle. It is like an oversized ping-pong paddle. The term racquet, like in tennis, has strings; a pickleball paddle is solid and flat.

Fifth, you need at least one other player. Most people play doubles pickleball with four on the court. Sometimes, youth and young adults play a more strenuous singles game.

POPULARITY

USA Pickleball (USAP) says, “Pickleball is fun, social, and friendly! The rules are simple and the game is easy for beginners to learn but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game. … Our USAP ambassadors and thousands of USAP members continually update [our database] with the latest pickleball locations. New locations are being added daily as the sport continues to expand nationwide.”

The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) says it, “is proud to announce a new and improved USPTA Pickleball Certification.”

Since 2018, Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) has provided training and certification of pickleball coaches for USPA members. PPR is the official education and certification partner of USA Pickleball.

Estimates of the number of pickleball players in the US vary depending on the source and methodology used. Here are two of the most prominent sources:

1) The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) reported there were 8.9 million pickleball players in the US in 2022. This number considers people over the age of 6 who played pickleball at least once in the past year.

2) The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) estimated there were 36.5 million pickleball players in the US in 2022. Their definition of a “player” is broader and includes anyone who has ever played pickleball, regardless of age or frequency.

Pickleball is indeed the fastest-growing sport in the United States! Its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, with participation increasing at an incredible rate.

Pickleball’s rapid rise shows no signs of slowing down. It’s exciting to see how this unique sport continues to evolve and bring people together through its simple yet addictive gameplay.

3) Pickleball continued to grow at a fast pace in 2023. This Statista “Chart of the Day” was made with SFIA – Sports & Fitness Industry Association data. Click here to read how pickleball has taken the United States by storm.

UPDATE: In 2024, pickleball continued its accelerated growth, with 19.8 million participants across the U.S., an astounding 45.8% increase from 2023 and the fourth consecutive year it achieved the highest growth rate.

Source: SFIA – Sports & Fitness Industry Association, 02/26/2025
Sports/fitness participation on the rise, with pickleball continuing to soar

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CERTIFIED PICKLEBALL COACH

In June 2018, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), became the Official Education and Certification Partner of USA Pickleball. This partnership is a tremendous benefit to thousands of PTR/PPR coaches and others who want to add to or enhance their coaching skills and become certified in pickleball.

In April 2024, I demonstrated my competence in three key areas – skills, teaching ability, and knowledge. I am now a Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR) Certified Teaching Professional.

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This article previously appeared in my Post on LinkedIn on February 8, 2024.
Coaching credentials we added April 22, 2024.
Bar Chart of pickleball players in the US was added September 15, 2024
2024 number of pickleball players in the US was added March 2, 2025

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