It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic took a lot from people. Those who managed to catch the virus with little consequence to their health, or managed to dodge it altogether, were not immune to the unintended consequences of the lockdowns.
Mental, relational, and physical health across the country declined to levels never experienced in our history.
It makes sense that as the nation came out of the lockdowns a huge emphasis in the lives of millions of Americans was to address those issues.
Enter pickleball.
The sport was invented in 1965, though virtually no one knew of its existence. However, since 2020, the popularity of the sport has taken off like a rocket. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, 8.9 million Americans as of 2022 were playing pickleball across the country. That’s a 159% increase from just a few years ago.
Recently, east Parker County has started to experience some of that growth for itself. According to Brandon Mackie, the founder of Pickleheads.com, that’s right on par with what they see on a regular basis.
“What we’ve seen is DWF has become an absolute Mecca, pickleball hotspot,” Mackie said. “There’s a ton of activity happening starting in the metro areas. There’s a concept called ‘Chicken N Pickle’ with a couple locations there [in the Metroplex]. There’s some really influential folks that own some of the key assets in the pickleball space that live in the area and have invested a lot in promoting the sport. That’s led to a huge amount of growth in the number of facilities and the number of people playing in leagues and tournaments in the area. What we can see from the data is, because of all the activity in the metro area, it’s starting to expand in all directions.”
With so many people looking to become more physically active, have fun, and re-establish a sense of community these days, pickleball seems to be the right sport at just the right time to check all of those boxes at the same time.
“Pickleball is a great activity that you can use to stay active pretty much your whole life,” Mackie stated. “I think that’s really important for people as they start to think about extending their lifespan, getting healthy, and building healthy habits.
“Pickleball’s great for that, and it’s also social. A lot of people don’t even view it as an exercise. It’s just a fun thing to do with friends and family that also has the added benefit of being good exercise.”
Enthusiasts of the sport come from all ages, stages, and fitness levels. That’s one of the primary drivers behind the growth of the sport in recent years, as Mackie points out.
“Pickleball is a great outlet for folks. It is great exercise. We have an article on our website documenting the calories burned playing pickleball. But what’s really important about pickleball is it doesn’t require a high degree of athleticism to enjoy it. And you can play it much later in life than you can a sport like tennis or basketball. That’s why it’s been so popular over the last 15 years, primarily among senior communities.”
Specifically in Aledo, pickleball is enjoying a significant rise in popularity. Currently, there are two primary locations locals are meeting up to engage with one another in a friendly game or two.
Spearheading the growth effort in Aledo is Britt Shoptaw. Shoptaw was introduced to the sport nearly four years ago while on vacation. He and his family instantly fell in love with the sport, not only because of the physical benefits of the game, but also because it was something they enjoyed doing together.
When they returned home from vacation, the Shoptaws began meeting up with friends at the Daniel Ninth Grade tennis courts where they would mark off a regulation pickleball court using blue painters’ tape before each session.
Since then Shoptaw has worked with The Church at the Crossing and the Aledo United Methodist Church to help cultivate the growing interest locally. At the Methodist Church, the outdoor basketball court has official lines for three pickleball courts painted on it, along with temporary nets that can be moved on and off the court any time visitors want to meet up for a game.
“Right now we’re playing on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons at the Methodist Church,” Shoptaw said. “We’re getting a lot more new people coming to our groups. As I meet people and talk to them, and we play, I gather their information to add them to a GroupMe. I’ve got a GroupMe message that keeps people informed of when we’re playing. We’ve got around 160 people in our Aledo Pickleball GroupMe.”
A vast majority of those 160 people are folks Shoptaw has personally taught how to play during the Thursday evening meetings. Though the number of newcomers varies week-to-week, one recent Thursday evening saw 25 people show up to play at the Methodist Church with a majority of those being first timers.
Another reason pickleball has gained so much traction in recent years is its low cost of entry. Unlike sports like golf that have a higher financial commitment to start playing, often coupled with hefty fees to continue being active in the sport, most courts that offer open play will loan players the equipment they need with a nominal rental fee for the court.
According to Mackie, the average person can try out the sport for the first time for around $8. Mackie warns, however, once people try the sport their financial burden may increase slightly.
“Get out there and try the sport. But, I will guarantee if you do that, you probably will be buying your own paddle and getting into it, because it’s just so much fun,” he said.
A quick search on Amazon.com revealed pickleball equipment sets range in price from $40-$80, generally speaking.
Right now, Shoptaw is involved in a fundraising campaign that will expand the number of locations in Aledo where residents can participate in pickleball games. The funds will pay for a full build out for pickleball courts to be installed at the Branch to Hope Community Center.
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