It’s Never Too Late to Take Up Pickleball

If you were asked to guess what the fastest-growing sport is in the United States, what would you say? Would you believe us if we told you that the answer is ‘pickleball’?

Yes, this sport with the quirky name has exploded in popularity in recent years, and for good reason. It’s a fun, social activity to learn and anticipate playing every day. It’s also the perfect multi-generational sport for friends, family and neighbors.

So, What Exactly Is Pickleball?
The easiest way to visualize pickleball is that it is a smaller version of tennis, and a larger version of table tennis, with a few unique elements, including a non-volley zone. Pickleball is played on a court mirroring the size of a doubles badminton court at 20 by 44 feet. It’s a hybrid of three racquet/paddle sports that were well-established before pickleball was created in 1965 on Bainbridge Island in the state of Washington.

Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles. Each player is armed with a composite paddle similar to a large table tennis paddle to hit a plastic, perforated pickleball ball strategically over the net.

The Growth of Pickleball
Pickleball has continuously grown in popularity across the United States in recent years, but it grew a whopping 21.3% in 2020* ! When gyms, fitness centers and large-scale public events shut down due to the pandemic, many people got creative with ways to stay active outdoors. Demand for pickleball paddles, balls and nets skyrocketed.

The rush for pickleball equipment also resulted in a wave of homeowners, resorts, clubs and fitness centers finding and converting space to pickleball courts. Some are public, others are private, but you can easily find a pickleball court near you by visiting www.places2play.org.

Who Plays Pickleball?
Pickleball has become a very popular form of exercise amongst people who
are 55 and older. It has even been estimated that roughly 75% of regular
pickleball players are in this age demographic, as they were the early
adopters of the game.

Joining a local club or going to play at a public court can be a great way to
meet new people, because pickleball players cross all vocations and income
levels. Pickleball can be a great equalizer when it comes to making friends.

So, whether you’re playing a recreational game for fun, or competing to win
your bracket at a tournament, pickleball is worth giving a try. Just be sure to
stretch beforehand and apply TRUST Biologic’s CBD Pain Relief Gel to keep
any aches and pains that you may experience in the aftermath of those court
rallies.

What are you waiting for? Do you plan on adding pickleball to your list of
activities to try in 2022?

Reference:
https://www.pickleballportal.com/blog/pickleball-what-is-why-popular/

*Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) 2020 report