Once seen as a sport for grandparents, pickleball is now everywhere across America. Teens fill local courts with the sound of laughter. What used to be an old pastime has become a way for many communities to come together.
The game, created in 1965 by Congressman Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, was made to entertain their own families when they were bored. Although it was created around 60 years ago, the sport has only recently grown popular as of 2021. Pickleball participation has grown an incredible 311% over the last three years, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
The premise of the game is to hit the plastic whiffle ball over a low net with a paddle, with the goal of making your opponent unable to return it legally. Points can only be scored by the serving team, and games are typically played to 11 points, requiring a two-point lead to win.
Pickleball is a sport that is incredibly easy to pick up and very hard to put back down. According to a study by Apple Health and Movement, pickleball has been proven to improve mental health significantly, with a direct correlation with the hours someone plays and depressive symptoms. Justin Bongiorno, NPHS senior, feels like his mood improves just by playing with his friends. “The fact that it doesn’t require any experience to play well along with its casual play is what appeals to a lot of high schoolers,” Bongiorno said.
Pickleball is an inclusive sport by nature and appeals to all demographics, old and young.Teens have been meeting and playing with older community members they probably would not have connected with if not for the sport. Sean Mano, NPHS senior, has been playing for a little over a year and has formed bonds with numerous players.“We’ve played so much that we began to regularly meet people down there and even developed some friendly competition with a few college friends,” Mano said.
Several parks have altered their tennis courts to include pickleball guidelines to accommodate the major uprise in popularity. Del Prado Park in Dos Vientos has lighted courts so community members are able to play when it gets dark. Ryder Kahn, NPHS senior, enjoys playing pickleball with his friends in the evening. “I would say it makes the experience more fun and the game is so easy that we can mess around,” Kahn said.
Pickleball gives both old and young community members the opportunity to make new friends and new memories with old friends, while still gaining the exercise and stamina from a sport. “Because pickleball can be played by basically anyone, Sean and I find ourselves fighting for our lives against a bunch of 70 year old dudes who are insane at pickleball,” Bongiorno said.