By Mike May
Basketball, football, flag football, baseball, softball, soccer, swimming, rowing, tennis, golf, rugby, running, wrestling, stickball, and equestrian sports. Those are the main sports currently being enjoyed by residents of Wellington. Well, you can now add pickleball to that list.
The current level of interest in pickleball is a reflection of a growing national trend for the sport of pickleball.
According to figures released by the Association of Pickleball Professionals, there are 36.5 million pickleball players in the U.S. Of those 36.5 million pickleball players, 8.5 million of them are playing the sport at least eight or more days a year.
And, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), the growth in participation in pickleball has been so meteoric that SFIA classifies the sport as the third-fastest growing sport in the U.S.
“You will find the pickleball craze is alive and well, still the fastest-growing sport in the United States,” said SFIA President/CEO Tom Cove.
According to the SFIA data, the section of the U.S. with the most pickleball players is the South Atlantic region of the U.S. (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and Delaware), but the states of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas are exhibiting some of the strongest surges in interest. The SFIA reports that roughly 60 percent of all pickleball players are male and 40 percent are females. When looking at age-group demographics, the 55+ age group represents the largest number of participants – nearly 20 percent. The 18-34 year-olds are the second largest number of participants at just more than 18 percent.
When it comes to places to play pickleball, the top five states for courts are California (794), Florida (770), Texas (519), North Carolina (419), and Texas (400).As far as pickleball facilities in the western communities, there are many places to play the sport in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach. There are six dedicated pickleball courts at Okeeheelee Park and five courts at Wellington’s Village Park, located off Pierson Road. Wellington’s Greenview Shores Park has eight outdoor pickleball courts. The lines are overlaid on a tennis court, so the net is a little taller than a normal pickleball net. The courts cannot be reserved. Amenities include lights. The courts are free to use. In Royal Palm Beach, the Royal Palm Beach Recreation Center has three indoor courts and four outdoor courts. And, there’s one outdoor pickleball court at Madison Green in Royal Palm Beach.
Want to see all places to play pickleball in Wellington? https://www.pickleheads.com/courts/us/florida/wellington
Check out Pickleheads and get involved in local pickleball!