Pickleball popularity growing locally

Pickleball has been a big sport lately. All different ages play this sport around the world. 

People compare pickleball to other sports like ping-pong, tennis and badminton because it’s also a paddle sport. The game is very easy to play. The rules are the play must be inbound. There should be one bounce per side. Serving must be done at the baseline. The game ends at 11 or 15 points, and each team can hit it twice before it goes over the net to the other side. 

As of 2021 it has been recorded that there is 4.8 million players around the world of the sport pickleball. 

Many schools make students play this sport. Physical education teacher Ethan Jennings said, “Pickleball is a fun and easy way to get some exercise. It is considered a lifetime leisure activity.  Many people play pickleball well into their 70s or longer. In fact, I have seen current and former students playing pickleball at the Orchard Hill courts. Most of those students are members of the Cedar Falls pickleball club. The pickleball club plates every day. When the weather is nice outside, anyone can go, and it’s usually from 7-10:30 a.m. practices. It’s located at the intersection of McClain and Primrose Drives in Cedar Falls. Also, you can go play at the rec center in Cedar Falls. You have to pay $3 each time you go and play unless you have a membership.”

Sophomore Nick Grover said, “I enjoyed playing it with my friends last year in physical education. It’s a fun game, and it’s good to get some exercise. At first when we started the unit, I wasn’t enjoying it because I was confused by the rules, but when I understood it I enjoyed it more and more.”