April is National Pickleball month – a time to celebrate, appreciate, and discover the sport’s history. The interest in pickleball has swept the nation and continues to grow in popularity. This trending sport has attracted an audience of all ages and backgrounds and was created to provide a sport for everyone. Its influence has spread drastically with the establishment of more Pickleball courts. Pickleball court location databases have shown that 4,000 new locations were added in 2024, bringing the total to 15,910 courts nationwide, according to USA Pickleball.
In the summer of 1965, Pickleball was founded by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Joal Prichard was 40 years old, staying at a cabin on Bainbridge Island, WA. Pritchard was so bored that he and Bill went to a badminton court to create a new game. They found broken paddles inside a shed and a plastic perforated ball, and began to play. Barney fixed up new paddles and together made up the rules and regulations of their new game. Later, the college crew “Pickle Boats” would inspire the game’s name, according to USA Pickleball.
By the 1970s, the game would spread beyond Bainbridge Island and into the States. In 1984, the United States Pickleball Association (USAPA) was founded and in 2010, Pickleball marked a turning point as it spread globally and attracted more and more players.
The evolution of the game has brought many individuals and communities together, including those here at NAHS.
“I mostly like playing Pickleball because I [am able] to play it with my friends,” sophomore Elizabeth Smith said.
Smith has been playing for about a year and prefers playing at the net. She also plays tennis. While Smith may not play for any organizations, she plays pickleball because it is something she enjoys doing with her friends.
“I play to get out of the house and to keep myself busy,” Smith said.
Pickleball is a combination of various sports that are similar in style such as ping-pong, tennis, and badminton, according to the Chambersburg Country Club. The diversity of this sport brings people together, despite backgrounds.
“My favorite Pickleball memory was going to the park one day with my friends. We played Pickleball together and me and my friend, Nadia, won,” Smith said.
Pickleball brings people together and creates community, but it is also popular because of it’s accessibility.
Pickleball can be played both indoors and outdoors, it’s an accessible option for recreational facilities of all types, according to Sports Imports.
This is one of the reasons why Pickleball has exploded over the years. It uses equipment used in similar sports with similar rules and doesn’t require a necessary level of skill to be played.
Trying a new thing can be difficult, but Pickleball is a great way to find a group of people to connect with through an easy and fun sport.
“It is a fun hobby and an easy way to get exercise,” Smith said.
Opportunities to participate in this sport in NAHS are also popping up. Bulldog clubs hosted two pickleball tournaments over this past year as fundraisers for certain organizations. The first tournament was a fundraiser for Blessing in a Backpack created by the student council and the second tournament was a fundraiser for the girls Tennis team.
Locally, there are public pickleball courts at Community Park, Spring Hill Center in Jeffersonville and Ray Lawrence Park in Clarksville.
