Want your programming to attract and retain more older-adult participants? Consider incorporating this fast-growing sport in your setting.
Active-aging professionals are always looking for ways to increase both the physical activity levels of their members or residents and the amount of people who participate in their programs. Pickleball, “the fastest-growing sport in North America,”1 is an activity that can help attract and retain participants. In fact, this sport for all ages is increasingly popular with older adults. It is played now in senior living communities, YMCAs, community and seniors centers, fitness clubs, parks, schools and other settings, such as the Senior Games.
Many readers may be thinking, What in the world is pickleball? The game is a mix of several familiar sports (tennis, paddle tennis, badminton and table tennis), and offers older adults an enjoyable way to exercise, be outdoors, and meet new friends. In addition, with places to play now located throughout the United States and Canada, individuals can continue this activity when they travel.
(For those who are curious about how pickleball got its name, the sport began in 1965 as a backyard kid’s game in Washington state. One of the founders had a family dog named Pickles, who would run away with the ball during games.) A big part of pickleball’s appeal for older adults is its ease and accessibility. “Anyone can play this game,” says Mark Friedenberg, past president of the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), which was formed in 1984 to promote the sport’s growth and development. Friedenberg, who turned 60 recently, is a top-ranked player in the US. He believes that “there is no such thing as a handicap in pickleball.” To illustrate his point, he notes that “two top players in the Pacific Northwest are diabetic, one is deaf, and another player has a prosthetic leg and shows no mercy in tournament play.”
Playing Pickleball
So how is pickleball played, and why is it a great fit for older adults? Participants each have a flat surface paddle (slightly larger than a table tennis paddle), which they use to hit a yellow plastic whiffle ball over a net that is 36 in. high at the ends and 34 in. high in the middle. Because the ball has holes, it travels at a much slower pace than a tennis ball, helping older eyes track its position. The size of the court—20 ft. wide by 44 ft. long—is smaller than a tennis court, and the more compact playing space is less demanding to cover for those with hip or knee problems. On each side of the court, a non-volley line runs parallel to the net at about 7 ft., creating a zone that keeps the players at least 14 ft. apart during rallies. This distance allows for longer, more exciting rallies and games. And while singles and doubles are played using strategies similar to tennis, doubles is the preferred pickleball game for older players.
Top-ranked player and instructor Alan Christensen, who runs the pickleball program at the Johnson Ranch Racquet Club in Roseville, California, has been instrumental in bringing back age 50- plus players who had stopped playing tennis because of age, injury or lack of interest. In Christensen’s view, pickleball has a lot to offer older players.2 For example, the sport is easy to learn, he says. New players can enjoy fun rallies within 30 minutes of picking up a paddle. Pickleball also doesn’t require the mobility of tennis, allowing those who cannot run to still play a competitive game. And because the sport is control oriented, not power oriented, an older competitor can play against a younger competitor, or a woman against a man.
Further, there is a lively social atmosphere in pickleball, according to Christensen. Doubles is the most popular game because it allows husbands and wives to play together against other couples, he explains. In addition, the court is small, which promotes conversations, fun, and interesting interactions.
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