It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. In the summer of 1965, the groans of boredom from Joel Pritchard’s children led him to invent a creative solution. He grabbed some friends, a couple of wooden paddles, and a plastic ball and began to play with the children. Young and old went toe to toe on a makeshift court, hitting the ball back and forth over a net. Their new game blasted boredom out of the Pritchard family’s summer.

There was only one problem. The family dog, Pickles, frequently intercepted the plastic ball and ran away with the game. As a result, the Pritchard children began to refer to the game as pickleball.

Pat Truesdale loves this story of pickleball’s origin. She is 75 years old and has been playing since 2015. And just as the sport began, she also believes that the recent explosion of her favorite pastime was born out of necessity. In the wake of 2020 — the most socially isolating and sedentary year in recent memory — many emerged eager for connection and activity. Now, pickleball players share a unique bond. “We’re a family,” says Pat. “It started as a family thing,” she says. “I think it’s just kind of grown up that way.”

And grow up, it has. The national group Pickleheads reports that Pickleball exploded by 158 percent over the past three years, quickly ranking as the fastest-growing sport in America. The South Atlantic region, which includes South Carolina, experienced the most growth in 2022, with 1,087,000 players, according to USA Pickleball. With more than 36 million players and 10,320 courts nationwide, picking up a game practically anywhere at any time is possible.

Steve Livingston was part of the massive wave of growth when he picked up a paddle about a year ago. One afternoon, he was relaxing at an RV resort when he overheard a rhythmic popping sound echoing throughout the park. When he went to investigate, Steve discovered a group playing pickleball. Curiosity piqued, Steve signed up for an intro class. “From that day forward, I’ve been hooked,” says Steve.

Part of what hooks so many who pass by is how accessible pickleball is. Nick Perez, USA Pickleball’s Mid-Atlantic regional director, says entry to the sport has a low barrier. “It’s also a very easy sport to learn,” says Nick. “You can play at whatever level your body allows. So if you’re young and athletic, you can get a heck of a workout. And if you’ve had two knee replacements and wear braces, you can still play. It’s a sport for everybody.”

Alexandra Mouton, who has been playing pickleball for six years, is a certified instructor at Lexington County Tennis. She affirms Nick’s assertion that anyone can play pickleball. “I coach anywhere from 7-year-olds on how to play to people in their 70s and 80s,” says Alexandra. “Everyone I’ve coached is completely capable of playing this game and having some fun.”

Justin Jones has been playing for three years. He believes the best way to connect to this community is to show up at a court and jump in a game. “You don’t need to know what you’re doing,” says Justin. “None of us knew what we were doing when we first started either!”

Inclusiveness is a hallmark of the pickleball community. Players know that helping a newbie learn means more practice and time to perfect their game. Although many players are competitive, others, like Steve, enjoy a casual game from time to time. “The only reason I keep score is to know when to leave the court,” says Steve. This carefree, low-pressure environment is ideal for those interested in exploring the sport.

Besides the physical benefits, Alexandra says that many people are interested in the social perks of pickleball. “Most people ask, ‘Am I going to be able to be social?’ and my response is, ‘Absolutely.’”

Nick agrees, “Pickleball is more than just a sport; it’s a community.”