Many wonder what is the fastest growing sport in America and many will be shocked when they find out it’s pickleball. Pickleball was invented in the summer of 1965 by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum in Bainbridge Island, Washington. “Joel had come up with the idea when his kids complained to him about how boring it was at the house and he wanted a challenge so he created pickleball with a badminton net and two table tennis rackets,” according to USA Pickleball.
Pickleball surpassed many sports for the fastest growing sport in America for the third consecutive year in a row. Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has calculated that around 36.5 million people have played the game at least once a year. Pickleball has also been an attraction for older people since pickleball has a smaller court than most sports, which would put less strain on their joints, making it more accessible for all ages.
Many states throughout the USA play pickleball daily, but the state that dominates the pickleball community the most is Florida. According to Brianna Blair on The Loupe “Florida has a ton of top-notch courts to play on, amazing vibrant pickleball communities and all-year sunny weather that would encourage people to enjoy this sport.”
Despite the common belief that pickleball is just an old person sport, it actually is for everybody as it is a fun, high-energy game. So, if you are looking for a new sport, try pickleball, you might love it!
