Dink, kitchen, poach, flabjack, falafel- a random jumbling of words or an athlete’s terminology? 
If you play, you know that these are some of the terms associated with Pickleball- or the fastest growing sport in America! Pickleball is taking the nation, and Traditions of America, by storm. Karen Karkuff, the lifestyle director at Silver Spring, describes the pickleball craze, raving:
“The residents are crazy about it. Every single morning the court is full. We even have teams playing out in the community; at local parks in the summer and inside recreation centers in the winter. They are addicted!”
One of the reasons the sport’s popularity has soared is because anyone can play it. It is also the perfect way to combine exercise with socializing. Jenny Taylor from Silver Spring concurs that this is a pastime promising fun with friends, stating:
“We have well over 30 people who regularly play this very social game. We have gotten to know people we may not have met through other community activities and have become more than just partners or opponents; we have become friends.”
With all this buzz around the trending sport, it’s time to uncover some of its history:
- Did you know pickleball has been around for 40 years? That’s right, the first court was built in 1967!
- It was invented by Joel Pritchard, a congressman, and Bill Bell, a successful businessman, on Bainbridge Island, Washington
- The property had an old badminton court, but no equipment, so they improvised and used Ping-Pong paddles and a plastic ball
- In 1972 an official corporation was formed to protect the new sport
- By 1990, the sport was being played in all 50 states!
- Since 2010, the number of places to play has more than doubled, with over 4,000 locations in the nation!
And now for some fun facts:
- Pickleball combines three sports: tennis, table tennis, and badminton
- According to Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard’s wife, the name came “after I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats”
- The family named their dog, Pickle, after the new sport
- Pickleball is not limited to the United States! It can be found internationally as well, from New Zealand to Nicaragua to Crete to name a few foreign locations
- There are over 40 tournaments each year!
Still not convinced by all the recent commotion surrounding this sport? Get out next weekend and give it a try for yourself. Who knows, you may be the next “king” or “queen” of the Traditions of America pickleball court!
By Molly McCarthy, Traditions of America Marketing
