The rise of Pickleball at the Y
The pop of pickleballs rang out inside of the gym at the West Family Y. It was a Wednesday morning, and the crowd was already building. Mary Miller, 75, was playing doubles with three other agile Y members. Her eyes focused on the ball, and she volleyed it back across the net. She’s one of millions of people across the country playing the game.
“It gives me something that I look forward to every single day,” she said.
According to USA Pickleball – a non-profit and the National Governing Body of the sport – the game was created in 1965 by former congressman Joel Pritchard of Washington State and businessman Bill Bell. After returning home from a game of golf, they found their families “sitting around with nothing to do,” so the men improvised the game using “ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball.” The following weekend inventor and entrepreneur, Barney McCallum was introduced to the game. According to the Pickleball Hall of Fame, he established “features such as the non-volley zone and the double bounce rule.”
The sport has grown steadily ever since. There are now “8.9 million players in the United States over the age of six years old,” according to the 2023 Topline Participation Report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association.
Prior to joining the Y in 2019, Miller said she played the game at Highland Park in the Town of Union. Her friend is a tennis player and convinced the group to play outside. She admits that in the beginning she didn’t quite understand why someone would play the sport indoors.
“We thought that they were wusses,” Miller said with a laugh. But after a while, the dust of the outside court, and fear of skin cancer from the 90-degree heat made the decision to embrace indoor Pickleball, much easier.
“One of the reasons we really like playing here at the Y is the set time and you don’t have to form your own foursome,” Miller said. “It’s called drop-in. You just show up.”
Everyday an average of 15 people of all skill levels travel to the West Family Y to play Pickleball.
“Pickleball is a great cardiovascular exercise that allows all ages to play and compete against each other,” YMCA Sports Director, Dan Smith said. “Many of our seniors use this sport as a way to stay active and maintain their independence.”
While the sport is seeing exponential growth, if you’re interested in Pickleball, Miller advises to do some research before hopping onto the court, like any sport you may be interested in playing. She suggests watching some beginner videos on YouTube and investing in a good pair of lace up athletic sneakers.
“Pickleball really is about hand-eye coordination . . . and reaction time,” she emphasized. “You need to know that there is some athleticism involved.”
Members can borrow equipment from the Y “if they are learning or checking out the sport,” Smith said. The gymnasium is available Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with two courts to play on.
