Having more than 4.8 million participants nationwide, and a growth of 39.3% from 2019 to 2022, pickleball has been officially announced as the fastest-growing sport in America for the second year in a row, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry. The sport has gotten lots of attention from star athletes like Lebron James, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes who are investing in pro pickleball teams. 

Pickleball was first invented on a hot summer day in 1965 by dads who were trying to make a fun game for their kids. Over the past few years, pickleball has boomed in the sports industry. The rise in the sport leads to the question, why is pickleball so popular?

Pickleball is played with a racket and a ball which is slightly lighter than a tennis ball. Pickleball is a mix of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and allows you to play either singles or doubles. Games are played to either 11 or 21 and  the sport is conveniently accessible to all ages. Physical Education teacher, Todd Van Peursem (VP), has some experience on the court himself.  

“I have been on a court and been made to dance back and forth playing pickleball by an 85-year-old gentleman who crushed my soul,” VP said.

VP was introduced to pickle ball about 15 years ago and started teaching it shortly after.

 “I started teaching it in 2007 and what a gift pickleball has been in the VP life,” VP said.

 The court is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide and the net is smaller than a tennis net which allows for easier play. The game is played like many other racket games but has some unique rules. There is ​​no volleying in “the kitchen” which is a seven-foot zone on each side of the net to prevent players from slamming the ball every rally. Additionally there must be one bounce per side before returns and serves must be performed underhand.

“My first time ever playing was in a high desert town of Sun River in Oregon. It was a gam

e that was accessible to my wife and the young kids we were with. Tennis at that point was very challenging for them. The pickleball court is shorter and it became a fast, competitive game that everyone could play,” VP said. 

Pickleball has risen to the top of sports popularity in the past couple of years attracting millions of people worldwide. Marin dad Ryan Walsh loves to get active on the pickleball court. 

“My friends and I started playing at the Tiburon Peninsula Club (TPC) last summer they put in these beautiful courts with official nets,” Walsh explained.  

The boom of pickleball has caused many people to want to try and play the sport. Marin county has a very limited number of official pickleball courts, but you can find some courts in Mill Valley, Tiburon and San Francisco. 

“I’m grateful to be able to play with friends as their guest but it would be awesome if the Marin parks added courts,” Walsh said.

California has the most pickleball courts in the U.S. with roughly 795 courts. Pickleball has many benefits including competitiveness, a good workout and a great social aspect tied to the game.

Adding more pickleball courts in Marin could create a new social and fun environment for people of all ages to play. Next time you and your friends are out on a hot summer day and want to have some fun, pick up a pickleball racket and get playing.