What is pickleball and why are so many people jumping on board?

Have you noticed a particular bat and ball sport that is becoming more and more prominent?

Pickleball is taking the world by storm and has become the fastest growing sport around the globe for the past two years and it’s beginning to take over Wagga Wagga.

So what is pickleball and why has it become so popular?

Originating from the US state of Washington in 1965, pickleball is a racket sport that has individuals or teams of two looking to score points in a similar style to tennis, however the courts are a lot smaller, the pace is a lot slower, the paddles are squarer and the ball is more like a wiffle ball than a tennis ball.

Players must serve the ball diagonally via an underarm serve and players are unable to volley the ball in the front half of their side of the court. This area is known as “The Kitchen”.

Due to rules around volleying and positioning, pickleball is a lot slower than tennis but the smaller courts still require players to have quick reflexes. The hollow ball also means there are less harsh bounces and little to no spin on the ball.

While the sport has existed since the mid-1960s, it wasn’t until recently that the sport began to truly take off. The United States formally recognised two professional pickleball bodies in 2021 and competitions began to be televised, with many retired tennis players including Jack Sock and Genie Bouchard picking up a paddle.

Fast forward to 2024 and the sport has become so popular, cities around the world including Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne are unable to accommodate the number of people looking to take up the sport. Many players are required to go on waitlists just to play at social outings.

Luckily for players in Wagga, PCYC offers pickleball sessions each day, with over 100 people taking to the court each week.

“Pickleball was something we introduced when we first opened in November 2022,” PCYC club manager Zacchary Maloney said.

“To kick off, it was very, very slow. We had sometimes one person coming down and we had to get a staff member to go out there and play with them just to get a game. And then, yes, slowly but surely, it grew, and it’s really taken off massively.

“Now we’re at probably over 100 members that regularly sort of play throughout the week.”

Mr Maloney said the sport had become quite popular with seniors, who came down to the club several days a week to play.

“Every day of the week we’ve got a session on at 10 am, and on Saturdays we run sessions at 9 am and 11 am. Those Saturday sessions got so popular that we’ve had to split them into two.

“We also now have afternoon sessions on Wednesdays at 6 pm and we’ve also introduced afternoon sessions at 4 pm.

“It really has taken over to the point that the P in PCYC should stand for pickleball.”

Secretary of the Wagga Wagga Pickball Club Deb McDougall said the easy to learn and fun to play style of pickleball had helped the sport take off.

“If you’ve never played a racquet sport before, it’s almost good, because you don’t come with bad habits,” Deb said.

“If you can just hit a ball with a bat, you can play this sport. A lot of people come to the sport because it is easy on the body, easy on the shoulders and knees as well.

“You don’t have to run too much to play well which makes it really appealing to older players as well.

“It’s one of the only sports I can think of where an 80-year-old can play against an 18-year-old and both be competitive.”

Deb is encouraging people looking to enjoy a non-strenuous social sport to visit the PCYC and enjoy the fun of pickleball.

“You don’t need to know anyone. You don’t need to come with anyone. You don’t need to have played before,” she said.

“Just come along. If you’re new someone will teach you the rules, teach you how to play, and we just swap around, have a social game or two as well as a lot of laughs for two hours all while staying fit.”

To learn more about pickleball sessions at PCYC Wagga, call (02) 6921 5873.