Hyun-derrated: Pickleball is picking up steam, just as it should

Throughout my four years of high school, I played varsity tennis. My doubles partner and I made the postseason each year, and it was one of the most enjoyable activities I did in high school. I also liked to play badminton during physical education class and routinely played at a friend’s house.

Net sports like those were my favorite sports to play growing up. I never imagined another variation of tennis until my PE teacher taught us a sport called pickleball. Pickleball, which follows the same general rules as tennis, uses a much smaller court and a paddle instead of rackets. The ball used is similar to a wiffle ball, but it’s a little bigger and has additional small holes. 

Pickleball can be played at all ages and does not require much money. Sets can be found for less than $50 and can be set up in the backyard, driveway or even inside. 

Pickleball is on the rise, but it’s still considered a backyard activity by many, and few people tend to take it seriously as a sport.

According to the USA Pickleball Association, pickleball’s numbers have increased by 650% over the last six years. The USAPA holds many competitions all across the country as well as a national tournament. There is even a pickleball-themed restaurant called “Chicken N Pickle” in Kansas City, Mo., and Wichita, Kan., which features both indoor and outdoor courts. 

Nonetheless, there are plenty of people that don’t count pickleball as a “real sport,” and it’s still unknown to many. With net sports like tennis and volleyball dominating, people clearly could not care less about a sport that uses paddles and a plastic ball.

To be fair, it’s hard to blame people who don’t take pickleball too seriously. There are no professional leagues anywhere near as large as the NFL or MLB, and there aren’t even official pickleball teams in high school. Why, then, should pickleball be acknowledged as a real sport like football and baseball?

Despite its seemingly casual nature, pickleball is an athletic activity that produces a winner and a loser at the end of a match. It also takes plenty of skill to be good at pickleball. Whether it’s strategic planning during matches or practicing the right form to achieve good topspin, pickleball requires practice and training just like any other sport. 

When compared to other net sports like badminton and pingpong (which are both Olympic sports), pickleball does not generate nearly the same level of recognition. Personally, I do not see a dramatic difference between pingpong and pickleball in terms of the setup, gameplay and numbers of players. The only difference is that pingpong has been popular for a long time, unlike pickleball.

Despite the lack of attention, pickleball has been gaining traction both recreationally and professionally around the world. A big reason for this is simply word of mouth. People who play pickleball like to invite others to play with them since it is not hard to get supplies or to play. 

Consequently, pickleball fans and players are hoping that the sport can make it to the Olympics by 2028.

According to pickleballportal.com, “Pickleball would need to be recognized by the International Olympic Committee. The main criteria are that the sport must be played in 75 countries across four continents for Mens competition or 40 countries on three continents for female sports … and pickleball is not there yet.”

If all goes as planned, it may not not be too far-fetched to see pickleball played in the Los Angeles Games in 2028. After all, skateboarding and surfing will be included in next year’s Olympics in Tokyo, which almost no one would have predicted 10 years ago. 

More people should know about and play pickleball because it simply is a fun activity that doesn’t take up too much time or cost too much money. It is a convenient, fun way to exercise with friends. 

Recently, more and more people have been advocating for pickleball, and there is definitely a good reason to do so. Maybe one day, someone’s go-to casual backyard activity can turn them into an Olympic champion. 

Nathan Hyun is a sophomore writing about underrepresented sports. His column, “Hyun-derrated,” runs every other Wednesday.