Due to low costs and easy accessibility, pickleball has become a community favorite pastime, getting people of all ages outside to get exercise and spend time with their friends.
For junior Brayden Muller, pickleball is very appealing to younger generations because of its affordability compared to other sports.
“You can go to the store, get a $10 racket, $3 ball and they last so long,” Muller said. “It’s a very good investment, and many people enjoy it even with the less expensive racket.”
According to junior Jack Newberry, pickleball has become so popular over the last few years because “it is so easy to pick up and play and also very accessible to older ages,” Newberry said.
Junior Matthew Asman said that the longer you play pickleball (and the better you get), the more fun it becomes.
“Once you start playing and get better, it can become a pretty fast-paced game,” Asman said. “When you get a good rally, it’s really fun. Playing with all your friends and trying to get better keeps you engaged.”
According to Muller, pickleball offers the perfect balance between an intense and low-stakes sport, giving you what you want out of your experience.
“It’s not really energy taxing on the body, but still competitive. It has that athletic feeling, but it is relaxing,” Muller said.
For Muller, the high school would greatly benefit from a pickleball court on campus because the space would be better utilized year-round.
According to Muller, in the summer, the high school is sparsely used and has only a few summer camps running. With a pickleball court on campus, the space can be used more frequently.
According to Asman, the ability to go to someone nearby and play pickleball in a matter of minutes makes it very appealing to teens with busy schedules.
“The pick-up game nature is great for the game, and especially for high schoolers. You could just show up at the court and find someone to play with,” Asman said. “It also helps young people get into it because it is easy to get your friends to get up and outside to play pickleball for a few hours.”
According to Newberry, pickleball encourages people to spend quality time with their friends and family.
“It helps kids to get outside instead of being on their phones. My friends and I will randomly play for an hour after school, and it’s always a great time,” Newberry said.
In the future, Muller sees pickleball becoming a professional sport in America.
Muller feels that it has already become so popular over the last few years, and it will only grow with time.
“I’ve already seen a lot of professional athletes start investing in pickleball teams because they see [potential] within the sport’s near future,” Muller said.