In a Pickle by Angela Rieck

Every morning, I take my impatient little dogs outside to explore the pre-dawn landscape. Most days we pass by the municipal tennis courts. In the predawn light, these courts are peaceful and orderly, a perfect juxtaposition to the unkempt landscape. As sunlight brightens the sky, the tennis courts remain still, their taut nets and bright white lines await players who never come.

At the same time, the other side of the courts are alive with the sounds of racket-slaps, pops, groans, and cheers. Immediately after dawn, there is a long line of pickleball players waiting their turn. Unlike their tennis court cousins, these courts are alive with the energy from large groups of people laughing and cheering on other players. There is no peace from the sounds of rackets smacking plastic balls, screeching tennis shoes, and calls to “get it.”  Due to the long waiting lines, pickleball games are usually played as doubles. The rapid fire pop, pop, slam, groan, and cheering is the heartbeat of these courts.

On the other side, the tennis courts remain empty, silent monuments to their former popularity.

A friend told me about pickleball 10 years ago. She belonged to an outdoor racquet club and older adults would gather regularly to play outside in the New Jersey winter, quickly warmed by the pace of the game.

Pickleball has been popular with seniors for some time, but the demographics are changing. The average age of pickleball players is now is 38. The fastest growing group of players is between 20 and 24. It is no longer grandma’s sport. And with the energy of youth, the game has become highly competitive.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington by three dads (Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum) who had grown weary of listening to their children complain that there was nothing to do. So, they invented a game that the whole family could play. They made it easy to learn and used a smaller court. The origin of the name is a little contentious, some believe it was named after a dog; but the originators insist its name came from a boating analogy.

The game grew slowly, staying pretty much on the West Coast until it gained traction after the millennium. A formal association was created in 2005 that is now called the USPA (United States Pickleball Association).

The sport began to grow exponentially and in 2021, it was recognized as the fastest growing sport in the US. In 2023, ABC’s Good Morning America (GMA) aired a segment on pickleball, which was the game’s first mass media exposure. But GMA was only reflecting a trend, by the time they aired their segment, there were already approximately 48 million pickleball players with almost 11,000 courts across the US. As of this writing, Talbot County has approximately 25 pickleball courts with more on the way.

There are now over 47 major US pickleball tournaments and the US is exporting pickleball to other countries.

For those of us who have not played pickleball, it is a sport where two or four players use a paddle (like a large ping pong paddle) to hit a whiffle-like hollow plastic ball over the net. A point is granted when one side is unable to return the ball in-bounds or commits a rule infraction. Pickleball can be played indoors and outdoors.

It is easy to see why pickleball is so popular. It is fast-paced, low-impact, and easy to understand. The court is small (it can fit into half or even a third of a tennis court). Since it is usually played in doubles, it is a social game and a great place to meet people. Just about anyone with minimal hand-and-eye coordination can pick up a paddle, immediately enjoy the game, and cultivate new friendships.

Pickleball is also relatively inexpensive. The cost of the equipment, a basic paddle and a ball is under $50.

There is a downside, and it is a big one. Noise. Residents who live near pickleball courts complain frequently. Unlike the rhythmic muffled sounds of tennis, pickleball is loud, frenetic, and nonstop. Since there are not enough courts many players modify tennis courts “on the fly.” As players get younger, the games become more competitive and louder. Given the dearth of courts and increasing competitiveness, seniors are being edged out. The growth rate among seniors has declined (it still 10% year-over-year, but that is significantly less than all of the other age groups).

And the obvious question, is this just a fad? Has tennis, which is a more difficult game, effectively been replaced? Should municipalities and clubs keep up with the demand? Should some tennis courts be converted to pickleball courts? Should schools begin having pickleball team competitions?

It seems to me that the rise in pickleball is a good thing. Any sport that can be learned quickly and makes us more physically active sounds like a win to me. In today’s world of isolation—working from home, cell phones and apps replacing physical contact, Zoom meetings, and the resulting lack of exercise—it is a breath of fresh air.

Angela Rieck, a Caroline County native, received her PhD in Mathematical Psychology from the University of Maryland and worked as a scientist at Bell Labs, and other high-tech companies in New Jersey before retiring as a corporate executive. Angela and her dogs divide their time between St Michaels and Key West, Florida. Her daughter lives and works in New York City.