Expert Pickleball

Pickleball??

The game with the funny name!
Facts & History

Once upon a time, on a sunny Saturday afternoon, two friends, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, returned home after playing golf to find their families bored and restless. They searched for some badminton equipment to entertain themselves but found only ping-pong paddles and a plastic ball with holes. They started playing with what they had, improvising the game as they went along.Initially, they set the net at a height of 60 inches, similar to badminton. However, as they played, they found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface, so they lowered the net to 36 inches. The game became more fun and exciting as they continued to play.The following weekend, a new player, Barney McCallum, joined the game, and together they created rules for their new invention. They took inspiration from badminton but kept in mind that the game should be suitable for the whole family to play together.Thus, pickleball was born - a game that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong. It has become a popular sport played by people of all ages and abilities.Who knew that a simple game of improvisation could turn into such a phenomenon? Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell certainly didn't, but their ingenuity has left a lasting legacy. So, the next time you find yourself with nothing to do on a lazy afternoon, grab some ping-pong paddles and a plastic ball and see what kind of game you can come up with. Who knows, you might just invent the next big thing!

  • Pickleball was created in 1965.

    The USAPA, which was formed in 2005, is the governing body of Pickleball in the United States. Its primary objective is to promote the sport and provide a platform for players to compete at a national level. The organization is led by an Executive Director and a volunteer board of directors, with the support of thousands of dues-paying members. In March 1984, the first rulebook was published, which has since been updated to reflect the evolution of the sport. In 2020, the USAPA rebranded as "USA Pickleball" to align more consistently with other US sports governing bodies and the USA Pickleball National Championships. The organization maintains the official rules, sanctions tournaments, provides player rankings, and produces the annual National Pickleball Tournament.

  • popularity!

    According to the SFIA report of 2021, the total number of participants playing pickleball has exceeded 4,004,113, which is a significant increase from the 2017 report of 2,815,000 participants. It is noteworthy that there has been a 21.3% increase in the number of pickleball participants from 2019 to 2020. The average age of all players is reported to be 41 years old, as per the SFIA report of 2019. Furthermore, the SFIA report of 2021 states that there were 2,578,000 male pickleball participants and 1,193,000 college graduate pickleball participants in 2020. These statistics highlight the growing popularity of pickleball as a sport among people of different age groups and educational backgrounds.

  • Where to play?

    We would like to inform you that there are currently over 9,707 places to play Pickleball in North America alone. If you are interested in finding these locations, you may click "Where/When to play?" on our website or download our "Pickleball Locator" app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.

  • Pickleball, The Name

    We would like to bring to your attention the interesting history behind the name of the sport called Pickleball. Despite its name, no pickles are used in the game. There are two accounts of how the name originated, and both are quite intriguing. The first account comes from Joan Pritchard, wife of Joel Pritchard, who started calling the game Pickleball because it reminded her of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats. The second account, according to Barney McCallum, is that the game was officially named after the Prichards’ dog Pickles who would chase the ball and run off with it. As per McCallum, “The Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you’re having fun at a party, right? So anyways, what the hell, let’s just call it pickleball.” It is believed that both accounts may actually be true. During the early years, no official name was assigned to the game. However, a year or two after the game was invented, the Pritchards purchased a cocker spaniel and named it Pickles. As the game progressed, an official name was needed and “pickleball” was it.

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Our Vendor & Supplier Team

Engage
Engage
Manufaturer
EngagePickleball is a US-based manufacturer that takes Pickleball paddles to the next level. They perform every step of the paddle manufacturing process themselves here in the United States.
vulcan
vulcan
Manufacturer
Founded in 2015, Vulcan Sporting Goods Co.™ takes design very seriously. From the beginning with the iconic “Old Glory” pattern, Vulcan connects style with innovation. The Vulcan Team believes, at the core, in the simple logic of creating fresh products with relevant aesthetics. By continually producing new designs and influencing new market trends, Vulcan helps athletes express style and personality while pushing performance. The most important part of creating products for the Vulcan Team is producing innovations that give today’s athletes a next-level edge, as well as displaying vibrant style. For example, each grip created features the latest technology in materials science—with lay flat edge technology, VULCAN ADVANCED LOGIC™ polymer as a base, and the patented maze pattern to create the ultimate gripping system.Vulcan Sporting Goods Co. continues to push forward, creating new products for baseball, softball, tennis, and pickleball. Vulcan is the super-excited division of Tanners Team Sports Inc., the world’s leading supplier of team sports accessories. Learn more about the parent company at tanners.com.
Onix
Onix
Manufacturer
At Onix, they’re pickleball fanatics, just like you. They love the game and are committed to growing the sport of pickleball with top-of-the line products – a job that they take very seriously. Founded in 2005, their mission has always been to deliver top-quality equipment with advanced technologies and features that raise the bar for everyone on the court. Their paddles are designed by players, for players.
JOOLA
JOOLA
Manufacturer
In 2018, Michael Bachtler announced his plans for succession and in 2019 JOOLA was acquired by their North American partner, Sport Squad, Inc. under the leadership of Richard Lee, President of the company. JOOLA and Sport Squad, Inc. have been partners since 2006, when Sport Squad, Inc. became the North American distributor for the JOOLA brand.In 2022, JOOLA launched JOOLA Pickleball and immediately took the sport by storm as the sponsor of pickleball world #1 Ben Johns and a partner of USPPA.
Gamma
Gamma
Manufacturer
Gamma is excited to be at the leading edge of America’s fastest growing sport – pickleball. Their advanced knowledge of composites, plastics and manufacturing techniques enables GAMMA to create pickleball paddles and balls with materials and methods that few can match. Located along the beautiful Allegheny River in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, their facility includes a state of the art research and development lab and onsite courts for product testing (and a bit of friendly competition among employees).
on court off court
on court off court
Manufacturer
OnCourt OffCourt has proudly been developing products for pickleball since 2009, when they teamed with the USAPA to develop and design the portable USAPA Pickleball Net that is still available today and at a discount on this webpage. They also private label pickleball nets for several other companies and have patents pending on many of the improvements that their net systems are continuously undergoing.
Pickleball, Inc.
Pickleball, Inc.
Manufacturer/Distributor
They are the company that started it all. Their founders and their friends invented the game of pickleball in 1965, and as it started to catch-on in the Pacific Northwest, Pickleball, Inc. was founded in 1972 to help people get the paddles, nets, and balls they needed to play the game. Over the years they have served the needs of hundreds of thousands of players worldwide. Their commitment to the sport is unique, and they have worked hard to innovate while protecting the integrity of the game.

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