A racquet sport that combines tennis, badminton and table tennis has become the newest fascination everywhere, especially at the UofA. 

According to USAPickleball.org, in 1965, three fathers including Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum in Bainbridge island, Washington invented Pickleball to create for their families to enjoy. 

More than 3 million players play pickleball in the United States and has been growing more by 10 percent each year over the past decade, according to the Anapolis Pickleball Club.  

Pickleball has become increasingly popular because of its low barrier entry, health benefits and the chance to mingle and build community. Playing pickleball with people helps stimulate their brain while releasing endorphins which can reduce anxiety, depression and stress, according to Renown.org.  

“I think it’s a good way to get outside, hang out with friends and be active,” Ashley Reiter, a junior who recently played in a pickleball tournament on campus, said. “I play with my family when I go home, so that’s how I got into playing.”  

The approach to get people interested in the pickleball craze has been straightforward. People can play for hours if they have an open space, a net  and a set of paddles and balls. “Anybody can pick up the game and play for fun, but you can also be competitive with it,” Reiter said. 

Most tennis courts even have pickleball lines drawn into them, at the places such as the UREC tennis facility behind the Chick-Fil-A on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. There are eight tennis courts with pickleball lines. 

Maddie Moreland, a former tennis player who also coached tennis for three years, said pickleball is easier than tennis so it is really enjoyable for her to play now that she does not practice tennis. 

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, 48.3 million American adults have at least played one pickleball game in the past 12 months, making it one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S. for the fifth year.  

“If anyone is thinking about playing they should definitely try it out”, Moreland said.