Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. It started off as a way for elderly people to stay healthy and in shape, but recently many teenagers have picked it up as a fun hobby.
With increasing popularity all around the country – it became a school sport at some Maryland high schools this year – could it become a school sport here?
DPHS athletic director Jeff Byczek said that the process of turning Pickleball into a school sport would take time – maybe 15 to 20 years – but that does not mean it isn’t possible.
“We have a lot of high school kids that are interested in Pickleball,” Byczek said. “(Becoming a school sport) just takes years. It takes a long time.”
Byczek also gave foresight on how lacrosse, a sport that entered the WIAA in 2022, was able to shimmy its way to recognition.
“They came to me and said, Hey, can we use the field? Yeah. Hey, can we make announcements? I gotcha. Hey, what if we put a goal out there? Hey, can we paint lines on the field turf when you make it? We started to have stronger and stronger ties.”
He added that Pickleball is different because it does not quite have the national backing and level of competition that lacrosse has. There is a National Pickleball League (MLP) and other smaller leagues with less recognition.
Ian Holschuh, the Pickleball Club president, explained why he started the club.
“I started Pickleball Club just because I wanted to play Pickleball in the winter, in the gym, with my friends,” he said. “And I realized that we just don’t have anything close to a Pickleball Club.”
Holschuh promotes his club whenever he can by spreading the word, putting up posters and making social media posts. He also believes there is a stigma surrounding Pickleball that it’s an “old people’s sport”.
He said that if young people start playing, it could one day become a school sport here at DPHS.
“I think we’re getting close to Pickleball becoming an Olympic event,” he said. “I think within the next one or two Summer Olympics, it’s going to be in the Olympics. It’s growing. People down in Florida, they love Pickleball. Everyone in Florida plays Pickleball. It’s just a really good sport, and I think there’s a lot of room to grow with it, especially in young people. Young people need to just try it out because it’s good fun.”
