If you are fan of racket sports and you haven’t heard of Pickleball yet, chances are you will very soon. Pickleball is quickly becoming more popular among racket sport fanatics of all ages. The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) has reported that since last year, the registration period for tournaments across the country has shortened from five months to less than a week due to the speed at which they are filling up. According to the USAPA, the growth of the Pickleball community is mostly seniors. Typically, they have been long time tennis players but have lost the physical ability to maintain their game on a tennis court.
Pickleball is played on a much smaller court compared to tennis, roughly half the size, and thus requires much less running and effort. The paddles and balls used also require much less technique and precision compared to tennis. Players who are new to racket sports or consider themselves weak tennis players are able to jump right into the sport and feel comfortable striking the ball. Because of this, Pickleball becomes more of a game of strategy, positioning, and placement rather than athleticism and technique.
Apart from being a relatively easy sport to learn and not requiring a lot of athleticism and energy, nearly all players who have tried playing Pickleball will admit that it is extremely addicting and fun. While sports like tennis and squash lend themselves to a lot of competitiveness, there is something about Pickleball that lends itself to just plain and simple fun. The frustration often associated with learning tennis and dealing with a lot of unforced errors is completely gone in Pickleball, and you often see a lot of long, exciting points being played between even novice players. The skill gap is actually rather small due to the simplicity of the sport. Even a beginner that has an understanding of the basics can keep up with experienced players. This combination of fun and simplicity is what is making Pickleball all the hype!