Have you ever played ping pong and wished you were standing on the table; you’re not alone. Pickleball has rapidly grown in popularity; high schools have even begun forming pickleball teams and playing against other schools. As of this year, varsity pickleball has come to Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, as well as all 25 high schools in Montgomery County. As Madison adds new varsity sports almost every year, can we expect to see a varsity pickleball team rise onto our courts? 

“I take other sports more seriously, but pickleball you can go out one day and play to relax and destress,” Paul Sullivan (’25) said.

With most other varsity sports emerging from the 19th century, pickleball is relatively new. Created in 1965, Joel Pritchard was a US congressman whose most notable contribution to his country was when he wanted to play badminton, but could not locate the rackets. He and his friend Bill Bell instead used ping pong paddles and a plastic ball on Pritchard’s badminton court. Later, they demonstrated their creation to their friend Barney McCallum who, rather than advising them never speak of or introduce this bizarre concept to any other breathing soul, helped them create the game that’s been expanding ever since. 

“Pickleball is appealing because it’s really easy to learn, play, and get good at,” Andrew Jolley (’25) said. “I like to say there’s a reason why all grandmas play it, because it’s easy.”

Despite its proportionally recent exposure, it’s been America’s most rapidly growing sport for several years; according to the 2024 Sports & Fitness Industry Association, it’s seen a whopping 223.5% increase since 2020. There were 36.5 million pickleball players in America in 2023, with currently 1,705 courts in Virginia (11th most courts for a state). Considering Madison’s five tennis courts that can be used for pickleball, it’d be quite feasible for us to get our own pickleball team soon. Our PE classes have even begun covering a pickleball unit, hence many students will become familiar with the sport. We’ve also had a tennis unit for years; because the rules for tennis and pickleball are relatively alike, Madison students are already ready to start tackling the sport. With more students exposed to the game, pickleball could be the next easy-to-learn, harmless and leisurely addition to our school’s varsity teams. 

“A pickleball team at Madison would be super cool,” Andrew Jolley (’25) said. “It would be a great way to get people more involved with sports and with the school since you don’t need to be really good to start playing and it’s really easy to pick up, so anyone can do it!”