Online interest for what has been dubbed "America's fastest growing sport" is hitting a new high as we get into the summer swing.
Wikipedia page hits, and Google searches, for "Pickleball" have been steadily climbing over the last few years, as the game continues to grow in popularity, having been originally invented back in 1965 by three dads who were bored on vacation.
Played on what looks like a mini tennis court — and with rules and gameplay that borrow from a multitude of different racquet sports — Pickleball was played by around 4.8 million players in the US last year according to the SFIA. 1.4 million of those played it 8 times or more, suggesting a pretty casual player base.
It has proven particularly popular with the older generation (half of the core players are over 55), perhaps because it's slightly more accessible than regular tennis.
