Pickleball is a relatively new sport compared to its other racquet-based counterparts, but it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular games in the United States Despite its modern popularity, the game has a surprisingly fascinating history Today, we’re uncovering the major milestones of the game’s past and exploring how pickleball has grown from a backyard recreation to a highly competitive sport.
The game of pickleball began in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell invented the sport as a way to entertain their bored children They created a combination of badminton, ping-pong, and tennis and set up a makeshift court in their backyard.
The first official pickleball court was built in 1967, and the game slowly began to spread throughout Washington and then beyond By the early 1970s, pickleball had begun to gain national attention and was featured in Sports Illustrated in 1972.
In 1976, the first official pickleball tournament was held in the US Since then, the game has grown rapidly in popularity Today, there are more than 4 million pickleball players in the US and the game is played in all 50 states.
In 1984, the first official pickleball organization was founded The USAPA (United States of America Pickleball Association) was created to promote the sport, create rules and regulations, and provide a safe and enjoyable experience for players.
The game has also gone international In 2017, the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) was formed to promote and develop the sport around the world The IFP currently has more than 50 member countries and continues to grow.
In recent years, pickleball has become increasingly popular in the US The game is now played in parks, community centers, schools, and even in prisons It’s also a popular sport among seniors, as it is low impact and easy to learn
Pickleball is a fun and exciting game that continues to grow in popularity With its interesting history and rapidly increasing popularity, it’s no wonder why the sport is so beloved If you’re looking for a fun and unique way to get active, pickleball is the perfect game for you!