The Rise of Pickleball

Pickleball Club practices at Lott Park. [H. Hyderally]

BY WILSON ENGERISER '23, Staff Reporter

Despite its name, this sport has nothing to do with pickles. Pickleball uses a plastic ball with holes and a paddle and is a combination of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong. Though it was created 57 years ago, it has taken the world by storm in the present day. According to Usapickleball.com, the sport was invented by three dads: Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Pickleball is named after one of the dad’s dogs. Despite being designed for kids, the sport’s demographic includes all ages. This sport has grown astronomically, and a new sports organization is being formed: Major League Pickleball. People such as NFL superstar Tom Brady and NBA superstar LeBron James are both investors in this league. In local Baldwin County, many cities are transforming their tennis courts or building new complexes containing pickleball courts.

Bayside has founded a Pickleball Club thanks to the determination of a few students. Seniors Hunter Hyderally and J. T. Neill have been at the forefront of this phenomenon in the Bayside community and created the club to “bring the pickleball community to Bayside because it’s super interesting and fun. ” Hunter explained how the pickleball community can create many new relationships and lead to new experiences. He describes a time where he ended up playing with Robin LeJeune, the mayor of Daphne. Hunter explained that he “started a back and forth dialogue with [LeJeune] which was a super cool experience. ” J. T. described how even though he and Hunter are young athletes, many of the older guys that they play with can “ wax ” or beat them. All in all, pickleball's fast-paced nature and friendly competitivenes, create an exhilarating experience and promote a sense of community.

If you need something new to try, Pickleball Club is held at Lott Park in Daphne on Sunday afternoons. Contact J. T. or Hunter if you have any questions or want to participate!