The sport of Pickleball, a common game in the retirement community, has been gaining popularity among teens and young adults.
According to USA Pickleball.com, the game was created in 1965 by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, and in 1972 The Pickleball Inc. organization was created to protect the formation of the sport.
Pickleball is a combination of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton. A plastic paddle fairly short with a large width is used to hit a plastic ball (similar to a wiffle ball) over a tennis net with a height of 34 inches in the middle. The game can be played in pairs or singles.
Recently, the sport has gained attention on social media as well as in school physical education classes. Teenagers all over the country are playing pickleball as a way to hangout with friends and stay active.
“I feel like [pickleball] is something that can be played differently,,” junior Colby Davis said. “Some people are less strict about rules, and just want to have fun
Although the sport may have originally been popular for retirees, it is now played across the generations. According to an article from Parents.com, teenagers are frequently paired with 40-year-olds in tournaments, as the match-ups are chosen by skill.
“My grandma started playing when she retired and then she taught me how to play when I was 11, ,” senior Meika Kelley-Wagner said. “I’ve been playing ever since.”
At the high school, Physical Education and Health teacher Jenn Mastro created the Pickleball Club, which gave students a chance to meet new people, learn the sport and enjoy physical activities. On occasion, the club practiced during designated club time, after school, or on the student’s own time.
“I had a lot of friends that played, and they influenced me to join the club, and I learned that I really enjoyed it,” Davis said. “Pickleball is absolutely amazing and fun to play with others.”
