The Astonishing Appeal of Pickleball   

Americans participate in diverse sports and recreational activities. Some pursuits, like hunting, fishing, archery, or golf, have been practiced for centuries. New or slightly different activities continue to be introduced. When I was young, there was a craze of at least short-lived enthusiasm for tumbling, trampolines, and miniature golf. Skateboarding was in vogue for a later generation of youth. More recently, many parks and recreation areas have installed disc golf courses.  

Individual sports and outdoor activities can appeal more to those of a certain age range or fitness level. Rugby or tackle football are less likely choices, for example, for folks over the age of 35 or 40 or those who are less fit. Some leisure pastimes have a limited, if dedicated, number of participants. Squash, badminton, and racquetball don’t have nearly the popularity of tennis. According to Statista Research, there were 22.6 million American tennis participants in 2021.   

This level of interest in tennis can be roughly compared to participation estimates for other sporting activities. The number of hunters fell from an estimated 17 million in 1980 to 11.5 million in 2016, according to data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Fishing remains a more popular diversion with 29.2 million registered anglers in the United States in 2021, as provided by the Outdoor Foundation's 2022 Special Report on Fishing. The National Golf Foundation estimated that 25.1 million people played on a golf course in the United States in 2021.   

Many news sources have reported that the fastest growing American sport, by far, in recent years has been pickleball. Invented in the 1960s by three men from Washington state, the sport is something of a cross between ping-pong and tennis. Pickleball can be played indoors as well as outdoors, and the courts are about half of the size of a traditional tennis court.  

It seems difficult to believe some very recent statistics that have been released showing the growth and addictiveness of pickleball. The Association of Pickleball Professionals claimed that 48.3 million adult Americans have played pickleball at least once in the past 12 months. This represents an increase of 35% since the organization’s last research report was shared in August 2022, when the adult participation number was said to reach 36.5 million. Another pickleball media outlet stated that the number of pickleball players increased by 85.7% in the year 2022 and grew 158.6% from 2020-2022. The report also noted that 67% of pickleball players engaged in more than eight outings over a year.   

Like most of you, I grew up in the Deep South and have lived here most of my life. It seemed to me that Southerners traditionally lagged a year, two, or more before adopting most trends established elsewhere. This appears to be the case with pickleball so far. Many East and West Coast states, Midwestern states, and even Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia provide much more player access. Pickleball court availability is also easier to find in or near metropolitan areas. So, there are more pickleball courts and facilities in south Louisiana, particularly the Baton Rouge and New Orleans area, than in north Louisiana. The Shreveport- Bossier City area has more courts available for play than in Monroe, Alexandria, Ruston, Vidalia, or Natchitoches.  

More pickleball access will be available in this area to match its apparent demand. The new West Monroe Sports Complex that is scheduled to open later in 2023 includes 100,000 square feet of indoor space. The complex can be configured so that 16 pickleball courts are available. Similar to many existing indoor recreational facilities in our area, there will be days in the week and times in the day dedicated to pickleballers. More and more outdoor tennis courts are being painted or marked for pickleball dimensions, and some tennis players are complaining that it’s getting more difficult for them to find preferred court times due to the growing number of those wanting to play pickleball. 

So far, I’ve noticed more youth, those under about 16 years of age, than others playing pickleball outdoors. Older or retired folks appear to be more disposed to play indoors, usually at area rec centers. Pickleball has been touted for older adults who wish to become or stay physically active. One pilot study conducted by North Carolina State researchers suggested that pickleball helps older adults reach recommended weekly amounts of moderate to vigorous physical activity. A few studies have also warned about injuries occurring as more older adults become involved.            

Pickleball leagues and tournaments are also becoming more common. The Ruston Sports Complex hosted the Louisiana Indoor Amateur Pickleball Open in late April this year, and I attended for part of that day. I had a chance to talk briefly with Mike Golson from Lake Charles who, along with his partner, had won the 4.0 level men’s doubles championship. Mike started playing pickleball when he took a lifetime sports class at ULM in the 90s. 

For a couple of years now, I’ve resisted the pickleball temptation. Tennis was my primary recreational interest from age 17 to about 40, and I’ve begun playing tennis again in the last year. While tennis offers more strenuous exercise, I made the decision recently to purchase a pickleball racquet and try to play. It’s going to be difficult, though, to convince a few of my tennis playing friends to join me. They even complain about the louder and less pleasant sound of the solid racquets hitting pickleballs.