🥒🎾 Pickleball

⏳ Pickleball History

• 1965: Invention of pickleball on Bainbridge Island, Washington by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum.
• 1970s: Steady growth of pickleball’s popularity across the United States and Canada; formation of a pickleball corporation in 1972; first known pickleball tournament at South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington, in 1975.
• 1984: Establishment of the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), marking a significant milestone in pickleball history.
• 1990s: Continual growth in popularity across North America with over 1,000 courts built; first inclusion of pickleball in the Huntsman World Senior Games in 1997; introduction of the first pickleball paddles made of lightweight composite materials.
• 2000s: Expansion of pickleball’s presence internationally, reaching countries like India, Spain, and the United Kingdom; estimated 100,000 players actively involved in the sport by the end of the decade.
• 2010s: Rapid growth in popularity, attracting mainstream media attention and increased investment in the sport with over 2 million participants in youth and school programs, and over 15,000 pickleball courts in the United States in 2019.
• 2020s: Continued growth despite the COVID-19 pandemic; surged in popularity as a means of staying active during lockdowns and restrictions.