Pickleball In Boca Raton | Get To Know America's Fastest Growing Sport

We're sure at this point more than a few readers are saying to themselves: "it's about time!" We have observed the mercurial and meteoric rise of this ever-popular racquet sport over the years, from a niche amongst retirees to the fastest growing sport in the united states. Pickleball has grown from a fun pastime to a near-necessity in new condo and country club construction, and we're here for it! We delved into the history, the development, and the trajectory of this growing game - and asked why it appeals to so many of all ages. Learn more, as we ask... what's the deal with pickleball anyway?

What Is Pickleball?

For many reasons, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America, more and more a crucial amenity desired by thousands moving to Boca Raton. Pickleball is the middle ground between tennis, badminton, and ping pong. The sport is played on a modified tennis court or badminton court and follows very similar rules to tennis. Unlike tennis, the game is played with a wooden paddle and often, a whiffle ball - although as the sport has grown so has the dedication to pickleball-specific equipment. Learn more about this sporting phenomenon below, and why it holds the spot as one of the fastest risers in the athletic world.

The Origins Of The Game

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, a short ferry ride from Seattle. Three dads (of course): Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Bernie McCallum were facing the prospect many Boca Raton parents face on a hot summer day: bored kids. With (at the time) crude equipment and a basic ruleset made up on the spot, the dads never knew how far the game would come. From a simple way to keep kids moving, to a global competition, Pickleball has seen a meteoric rise in the minds and hearts of sportspeople everywhere - with new courts now installed across Europe and Asia. With so many European nations fond of tennis, and the omnipresence of ping pong and badminton in the far east, it's no wonder another variant of some of the most universally popular sports in the world has taken the form it has. Today, Pickleball is the official sport of the State of Washington. For what it's worth, at least in our opinion, the three dads look exactly like the types who would create a sport from their garage.

The Fastest Growing Sport In America... Buy Why?

There are a few reasons why Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States, and they're actually simpler than one might expect. It's not some elaborate marketing campaign, an Olympic invitation, or even celebrity adoption. After all, we never see it on TV, we don't know any of the best athletes like we do tennis stars, and it's not like there's a readymade court at every park... We hypothesize that among the many reasons for the growth in the sport, is the ease of access, simple rule set, and all-ages applicability.

The game requires minimal investment for equipment, no unique clothing, shoes, or expensive fiberglass rackets. It can be played on a variety of surfaces. The smaller courts and lightweight ball allows young children and the elderly to play without having to cover the entirety of a tennis court. The rules are very simple, and even outside of the full sanctioned ruleset, a game can be taken up very handily. Regardless of one's dedication to the game, or their love for other racquet sports, there is a relatively simple nature to the game - one that can be picked up in seconds. 

The State of Pickleball In 2022

The state of pickleball in 2022 is a state of growth! Even some of the very finest luxury new construction projects include pickleball as part of its value proposition, with the likes of Casamar in Pompano Beach, among others putting a high premium on developing to sate the demand of its growing player base. Beach pickleball has picked up steam, as has the level of competition, with a 30 team league in Boynton Beach's retirement communities to name one such example. With the game on the rise, an easy adoption, and an all-ages player base, we see no reason not to step outside and give it a go ourselves!

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