I am often asked when will pickleball be in the Olympics. While we are getting closer, we have a long way to go.
What is Needed
While there continues to be significant growth in the pickleball community, we are far from where we need to be. One of the major reasons I got involved with PPR was to promote the growth of the sport in the US and worldwide. But there are things we still need to work on before the Olympics come knocking.
- More Facilities — While pickleball court construction continues across America, the majority of this growth is in over 50 communities. If we want to see the sport really take off we need to build multi-use communities where kids and adults can go. Being exposed to the sport, whether it be in connection with a tennis lesson or playing hops will spur growth across all age groups. At my club, half of the courts are tennis and half are pickleball. The professionals work together to promote both sports. This is what we want!
- Juniors — I started playing tennis at 4. Going to the club, attending tournaments, and competing with other kids my own age was key to my love of the sport. We need to promote pickleball in gym classes. We also need to get pickleball played at the university level…first via intramural leagues and then through NCAA competition. To accomplish this we need more instructors that are specifically trained to work with junior athletes.
- Clay Courts? — If you had asked me about clay court pickleball a few years ago I would have been against it. But as I have learned by working with the PPR internationally, all surfaces are key to us growing the game. In some European countries, clay courts dominate the tennis landscape. We need to be open to clay and astroturf. This likely will require a new ball. We can’t be sure, but we must be open to these possibilities.
Professional education
The key to all the items above is high quality, professional pickleball instruction. I recently had a group of Peruvian instructors planning to take pickleball back to their country. If we want to be taken seriously in these new markets, we must lead with quality education.
For example, let me offer my thoughts on the term “kitchen”. While I know many players use this term frequently, I work to encourage my instructors to say non-volley zone. First, it is the correct term. Second, it is descriptive and enables the student to understand its meaning. Finally, it suggests you are serious about teaching the sport.
supporting our future Olympics dream
If like me, you want to continue to grow the sport, I would encourage you to support the organizations that are promoting the growth of pickleball. The USAPA has done so much for our game. They donate equipment to schools. They work tirelessly to develop new facilities. They work with the PPR to develop professional training programs.
While the sport has made huge leaps over the past decade, there is so much more to do!
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