What began as a backyard experiment of sorts nearly 60 years ago has become the fastest-growing sport in the United States three years in a row, starting in 2021 (and is poised to take the honor again in 2024), according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA).
Even if you don’t play or watch sports, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of pickleball. People talk about the game not only because so many are enthused about playing it, but also because of its unusual name. (More on that in a bit.)
In an active senior community like Heron’s Key, we knew we’d find someone among our residents who enjoys playing pickleball. We wanted to find out why the sport has become so popular among older adults. (SFIA notes that the age group with the most pickleball participants is 25- to 34-year-olds, but those age 65+ are tied with 18- to 24-year-olds for the second-highest age group with the most participants.)
We lucked out, because Anne Smith, who has lived at Heron’s Key with her husband, Kerry, for almost three years, happens to be the interim president of the local pickleball club in Gig Harbor.
Anne told us her pickleball club has tripled in size over the last two years, and approximately 75% of the new members are at least 50 years old. About 10 of the roughly 400 members are in their 80s.
Before we get into why pickleball has gained such a following lately, especially among seniors, let’s take a quick look at how it all began.
Beating Boredom on Bainbridge Island
The short version of pickleball’s history is that Joel Pritchard (who served in Washington’s House of Representatives and State Senate, in the U.S. House of Representatives, and as lieutenant governor of Washington for two terms) invented the game with some of his friends and neighbors during the summer of 1965.
Pritchard had been playing golf one day, and when he returned to his cabin on Bainbridge Island (which, by the way, is only about an hour away from Gig Harbor), his children were bored. There was a badminton court on the property but they didn’t have the right equipment, so they improvised using what was on hand—which most likely were paddleball racquets and a Wiffle-type ball.
In the weeks that followed, Pritchard designed different paddles in his woodshop, and he and his friends worked out the rules of the game, with an emphasis on making it accessible to people of all ages (for example, by lowering the net and eliminating any height advantages grown-ups would have over kids).
It was Pritchard’s wife, Joan, who came up with the name. She was familiar with the sport of rowing, where a “pickle boat” is manned by a crew consisting of other boats’ leftover rowers. To her, the name seemed to suit pickleball’s mishmash nature.
Pickles the Dog Came Later
Stories have circulated that the sport was named after the Pritchard family dog, but Pickles the pooch joined the family after the game had been invented.
Pickleball Proves to Be Popular
The game caught on with neighbors and others across Bainbridge Island and then spread to Olympia after Pritchard introduced it to people he knew there. In early 1968, he and several others filed articles of incorporation for Pickle Ball Inc.
The first pickleball tournament was held in Tukwila, Washington, in the mid-1970s, and the first national pickleball organization, the United States Amateur (USA) Pickleball Association, was formed in 1984. By 1990, there were pickleball courts in every state.
According to a recent SFIA report, in 2023 there were 8.9 million people over the age of 6 playing pickleball in the U.S., up from 4.8 million just a year earlier.
The pandemic undoubtedly fueled pickleball’s increase in popularity. At a time when so many restrictions were in place, pickleball offered people of all ages, in communities throughout the world, a chance to be physically and socially active.
What Pickleball Is—and Isn’t
People who aren’t familiar with pickleball might be tempted to think it’s similar to tennis because it’s often played on a tennis court. But as Anne is quick to point out, the two sports are quite different. Both involve hitting a ball over a net using an instrument (a paddle in pickleball and a racquet in tennis), but that’s about all they have in common.
A pickleball court is much smaller—you can fit four pickleball courts on one tennis court—and you can play pickleball nearly anywhere there’s a large enough flat surface, even indoors. Pickleball paddles are roughly twice the size of a paddle used to play table tennis but considerably smaller than a tennis racquet. The ball used in pickleball is slightly larger than a tennis ball but is made of hard plastic, is hollow, and has 26-40 evenly spaced holes in it.
All of this makes pickleball less strenuous than tennis. There’s less running because of the smaller court, and there’s less impact on joints and muscles. But, it’s an active sport that requires reaching and stretching and quick movements. It also requires players to be mentally alert, both to ensure they’re following the rules and to keep score.
Anne notes there’s a saying about pickleball—that it’s easy to learn but hard to master. So why has it become such a craze? Because it’s a great way to be physically active, enjoy some friendly competition and have fun!
A Drop-In Sport With Social Appeal
Unlike most other sports, neighborhood pickleball groups like the one Anne belongs to make it possible for players to show up and participate whenever the courts are open for public play. There’s no need to reserve a court ahead of time or bring a partner.
On public courts, and particularly during busy times, the games are typically played as doubles to allow the maximum number of people to play. After a game is over, two of the four players will leave the court and two more will join the remaining two players for the next game.
Those who leave the court can rotate back in to play again. While they’re waiting, they have the opportunity to talk with other players. This social aspect of the game is part of the reason there’s such a high demand for public pickleball courts in cities and towns across the country.
Pickleball Benefits Both Body and Mind
Pickleball provides a good aerobic workout and keeps the mind active during play as well. For some people, this combination, along with the social factor, makes the sport far more inviting than, say, walking on a treadmill or working out in the gym.
Being so engaged during the game makes the time pass more quickly than with many other types of exercise. And, the breaks between games give players a chance to catch their breath while getting to know one another.
As you can probably surmise, pickleball offers many health benefits. It can:
- Lower the risk of heart disease. SilverSneakers® cites a study published in the International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology that found playing pickleball for an hour three days a week for six weeks improved blood pressure, cholesterol and cardiorespiratory fitness among middle-aged and older adults.
- Improve mood, reduce the risk of depression and help prevent loneliness. Exercise releases endorphins, also known as “feel good” hormones, and can be very effective in warding off depression. So can social connections—and pickleball offers both!
- Help older adults maintain their independence. It’s no secret that a sedentary lifestyle can result in numerous health challenges, whereas active adult living can help seniors maintain (and in some cases even improve) their balance, strength, reflexes, flexibility, agility and range of motion. Plus, a sport like pickleball requires intense focus, the ability to strategize and hand-eye coordination, which may help protect against cognitive decline.
As with any new physical activity, it’s a good ideal to check with your doctor before you begin.
Caution: Pickleball Can Be Addictive
Anne says she started playing pickleball 12 years ago, when she was in her 60s. She played tennis when she was younger but issues with her back caused her to give up the game.
She heard about pickleball from a friend and decided to drop in at the public court to check it out. She said the group was gracious and let her play in. (Pickleball players are known for being friendly and welcoming new people.)
These days, Anne plays pickleball at least two or three times a week, weather permitting, and she plans to keep playing as long as she’s physically able to. Though she acknowledges her days of playing in pickleball tournaments are over, she’s “happy just to get out and have some happy social play.”
Pickleball has become a big business in the last several years, Anne notes, with travel planners offering pickleball vacations here in the U.S. and in places like Costa Rica. Even many cruise ships feature pickleball courts.
Looking for an Active Senior Living Residence?
Anne is a role model when it comes to active living for seniors. She and Kerry are both involved in a variety of activities within Heron’s Key and the larger Gig Harbor community, not just as participants but also as leaders.
If you’re ready to embrace an active lifestyle like theirs, we invite you to set up a time to visit our community. Contact us and we’ll get the ball rolling!
Featured Image: jo Crebbin / Shutterstock
