Pickleball participation increased by 21.3 percent last year, according to the Sport and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), as Americans sought new ways to be active amid the pandemic. This figure is part of a five-year trend that has seen pickleball progress from a backyard pastime to a sport with Olympic ambitions.

Pickleball is a hybrid sport that combines tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It can be played by individuals or in pairs, and it can be played both indoors and outdoors. The goal, as in many racquet sports, is to get the ball over the net while preventing your opponent from returning the stroke. The no-volley zone is referred to as the “kitchen,” and dinking is a gentle shot that sends the opposing player racing towards the net in an attempt to catch the ball in time.

During a summer vacation on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 1965, US Congressman Joel Pritchard and his buddy Bill Bell invented the game. It was an attempt to occupy bored children with whatever equipment was available at the time. The first official pickleball event was conducted a decade later, though.

Fans find the game is addictive, partially because it is simple to play but becomes more difficult as players’ skills grow. It’s also sociable, which is a big plus during a pandemic when people are scrambling to get together securely. Pickleball became a popular outdoor alternative as gyms and other recreation centers shuttered. 

In America, there are an estimated 68 million “Zoomers,” or those born between 1997 and 2015, who have been the driving force in popularizing all racquet sports. Last year, 22.4 percent of zoomers participated in some type of racquet sport, according to the SFIA.

Despite the fact that many activities, such as team sports, were made difficult or impossible to access as a result of the epidemic, an additional 8.1 million Americans were more active last year, with pickleball, hiking, and cycling leading the way.

Even though pickleball is gaining popularity, its 4.1 million players are still a small percentage of the 21.5 million tennis players. However, both games may want to keep an eye on the newest upstart, pop tennis, which is played in a cage.

According to the SFIA, there are only about two million people who play pop tennis, but growth is already exceeding 30%. Traditional racquet sports are clearly no longer the only games that are popular in the United States.