"Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America" is a phrase we've become accustomed to hearing at this point. Even as 2026 closes out, there's no sign of this trend slowing down. Maybe you've been swept up in the craze, or all the buzz has you curious about trying out pickleball for yourself. What even is pickleball, anyway, and how do you play? Read on to discover the fascinating history of this quirky racquet sport and why it took over the nation.

The Origins of Pickleball

It all began in the summer of 1965. Washington state congressman Joel Pritchard returned home from a golfing trip with his friend Bill Bell. The pair were greeted by Joel's son Frank, bored out of his mind and in desperate need of some activity. Joel, proud of his ability to invent games, rummaged through his shed together with Bill and returned with a random assortment of badminton gear, ping-pong paddles, and some perforated plastic balls. Moments later, the men made history in Joel's backyard.

Joel Pritchard at his home in Bainsbridge, WA. Picture courtesy of the Pickleball Hall of Fame

Soon after, Joel's neighbor Barney McCallum was recruited to engineer more robust paddles, as well as solidify the game's rules. Joan Pritchard, Joel's wife, was the one who coined the name "pickleball." The first dedicated pickleball court would later be built in the Pritchards' home in Magnolia Bluff, Seattle shortly after in 1967. Pickle-Ball Inc. was then formed in 1972, marking the official creation of the sport.

Rise in Popularity

With its origins dating back to over 50 years ago, pickleball isn't exactly a new sport. Yet why is it that, for many of us, we've never heard of the sport until maybe the last five or so years? While the explosion in popularity is definitely sudden, the groundwork had been laid since 2005 with the establishment of the USA Pickleball Association, or the USAPA. This marked the first real effort to turn pickleball from a niche sport into a nationally recognized activity.

After getting the first official set of rules published in 2008, the first USAPA National tournament followed in 2009. Efforts to grow the sport continued throughout the 2010s, and in 2015 pickleball was recognized for the first time as "the fastest-growing sport in America" by the Sports Fitness Industry Association. By 2019, there were an estimated 3 million pickleball players across the country, and the Professional Pickleball Association was formed to facilitate the competitive scene.

Lockdown and Social Distancing: The Perfect Storm

Rather than halt momentum, lockdowns and social distancing guidelines created the perfect storm to accelerate the already-growing movement. Pickleball gave people longing for a chance to socialize a good excuse to come together, and it helped that the game has a low barrier to entry since it's not physically demanding, has affordable equipment, and there's also pre-existing infrastructure in the form of tennis courts. It also helps that pickleball is simply a fun game, whether you're casually rallying the ball between friends or turning up the heat with competitive play. To put into perspective just how much pickleball grew, the player base was 4.2 million during 2020 and more than doubled to 8.9 million by 2022.

Present-day Pickleball and the Future

As of 2025, pickleball participation across the country has ballooned to over 24 million players. Growth isn't limited to the US either, as the inaugural 2023 Pickleball World Cup brought greater recognition to the sport abroad. More competition means more complications, as competitive pickleball's regulatory body needs to consistently update rules and guidelines to keep the sport fair for everyone.

The USAPA is particularly notorious for keeping stringent guidelines on how much performance can be generated from the pickleball paddle alone, ensuring that players can't leverage an on-court advantage using superior equipment alone. A growing player base translates to hungrier competitors looking for more opportunities to put their skills to the test. Pickleball is no longer the sport just for retirees: everyone is joining in on the action, and we're witnessing a new era unfolding before us.