You hear about it at school events, the water cooler, and even family gatherings. No, it’s not a blockbuster movie or another fashion craze. It’s pickleball. This paddled sport has worked its way into people's consciousness in every social circle. For many people, playing it once is enough to understand why. But how did a sport involving a paddle slightly larger than one used for table tennis become a widespread phenomenon?
Mike Vogl, formerly the Director of Racket Sports at the Fair Oaks Country Club for over 28 years, said he was a skeptic of the sport at first. “I was always a tennis nut,” says Vogl. “I didn’t think I was really going to get involved in it.”
Vogl recalls a friend mentioning that the sport was gaining momentum on the West Coast before club members began expressing interest around five years ago. “We made some temporary courts,” he says, “and over 60 people showed up.” At that point, Vogl says he realized how popular the sport was becoming. “It really started to take off, and I still hadn’t played it,” he remembers. “I play it about two to three times a week right now.”
These days, you or someone you know probably play regularly. Invented by a trio of dads 60 years ago, pickleball has exploded, with specialized attire and equipment surging as the popularity of home courts in backyards across the country spikes. In the USA, more than 13.6 million people played in 2023, according to USA Pickleball. That’s up nearly 52% from the year before, making pickleball the fastest-growing sport in the nation.
But why has it become so popular? Vogl says its appeal is simple: “Anybody can play.” He says the true magic of pickleball is how the game can be enjoyed by people of all ages, skill levels, and athletic abilities. Plus, it can be played quickly: “Golf takes four or five hours to play,” says Vogl. “With pickleball, you can be in and out in an hour.”
The most challenging thing about pickleball may be the rules, Vogl notes. “The rules are kind of goofy,” he says, “and the scoring is kind of weird to get used to.” One of its most important rules sounds funny, too: “You can’t go into the kitchen.” For the uninitiated, the “kitchen” is the seven-foot horizontal zone closest to the net in which players are prohibited from volleying or hitting the ball.
Other than that, “The rules are pretty easy, and who wouldn’t like a game where you have to stay out of the kitchen?” says Stacie Matson, a Fair Oaks Ranch local who found the sport through her friends. “Pickleball is so appealing because as you grow older, it’s easy to play for a long time,” she says. “Other more rigorous sports are harder on your body.”
After playing for the first time just a few months ago, Matson now plays pickleball twice a week—one of which is a singles match with friend Debbie Ledoux, who has been playing for two years now.
“I discovered pickleball when my husband came home talking about it a few years ago,” Ledoux remembers. “He said his colleagues recommended it as the perfect family sport, allowing more and less skilled players to be on the same court together enjoying the challenge and fun.” Ledoux explained that pickleball has become an activity to enjoy not only with friends and her husband but with her children as well. Now, the Ledouxs enjoy a family tournament each holiday season.
It’s not just parents who say their kids enjoy it; teens will readily admit how much they like the sport. “It is cool. Lots of fun, and my friends and I are pretty competitive about it,” says Luke Bové, a sophomore at Champion High School. “I might get a call from a friend asking if I want to go to the club and play in like ten minutes. I’m there! I’ve also played at my church, Mission City, during youth [group]. Pickleball is awesome.”
To hear players talk about it, everyone can enjoy and reap the benefits of exercise via pickleball. Jeanne Oosthuizen—who plays weekly with Ledoux and Matson—enjoys the game because of how it makes her feel. “I love pickleball because it keeps me active and energized while being gentle on my body,” Oosthuizen says. She feels like pickleball provides all the benefits of exercise gained from any other sport without as much strain on the body. “It’s a perfect blend of fun and challenge,” she says. “Just enough competition to keep it exciting without being overwhelming.”
If you want to indulge your competitive streak, Matson says you can think of pickleball like any other game. Matson—who admits she is pretty competitive at heart—thinks that pickleball is a great way for her to engage in friendly competition with friends. Ledoux adds, “A few of us are secretly competitive, and the friendly competition scratches that itch.”
Despite all the benefits of being physically accessible and easy to set up wherever you are—friendship and camaraderie are at the heart of the sport. “We laugh and joke while we are getting exercise and having fellowship with each other,” says Oosthuizen. Maybe the heart of the pickleball craze is something beyond a sport. It’s a way for everyone—of any age, location, or ability—to get together and enjoy each other’s company. Or, as Oosthuizen sums it up: “It’s not just a sport—it’s a source of vitality and community.”
Models Anita & Mitch Elliott, Dani & John Powers, Bobbi & Brett Polvado; Boerne Pickleballers
Location Hill Country Backyard Escapes | 830-816-9633; Boerne City Park
Boerne Pickleball | facebook.com/boernepickleball
“I love pickleball because it keeps me active and energized while being gentle on my body. It’s a perfect blend of fun and challenge. Just enough competition to keep it exciting without being overwhelming… It’s not just a sport—it’s a source of vitality and community.” —Jeanne Oosthuizen