Do you know what the fastest-growing sport was last year? It isn’t a mainstream, major-league sport you would probably think of. The fastest-growing sport in 2023 was actually Pickleball.

What is Pickleball though? Originally created in 1965 by some vacationing families looking for a way to stay entertained, Pickleball is a paddle game played on a badminton-sized court with a tennis-type net and a wiffleball. The game was mostly popular among older generations and was once known as the “new shuffleboard”. However, as of late, the game has gained popularity among all ages.

Sometimes it feels like people blame the COVID-19 pandemic for everything that has happened in the past three years, but Pickleball has the pandemic to thank for its spike in participants. It’s the perfect social distance sport that all ages and skill sets can pick up quickly.

The biggest gathering for the sport is the National Senior Games which added the game in 2012. Almost 1,500 of the 12,000 athletes competing in the National Senior Games came to play pickleball in 2022. One competitor, 66-year-old Paula Rockwell, had this to say about the game, “It’s so popular because anybody of any age, shape, size and fitness level can compete… You can play with your kids, your grandkids, and your great grandkids.”

Exercise is important at any age, and Pickleball is a great way to get some in. Some players even claim that the game has kept them more active and healthier than they would have been otherwise. 81-year-old Pickleball Champion and ambassador Dick Johnson claimed, “My good friends are dying all the time. I’m convinced that I’m still alive because of the game.”

The game is quite simple to learn, play and access across the country. Anywhere that has a tennis and badminton court more than likely has a pickleball league, you just need to look. Local gyms, fitness centers and country clubs most likely have all kinds of racquetball sports offered including the new fan favorite, Pickleball.