Pickleball is growing exponentially in the United States, but it is creating plenty of headaches.
In 2022, it had 8.9 million players, marking a 159 percent surge over three years, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
This week, the Apple Heart and Movement Study shed light on pickleball’s rising popularity in health and fitness with huge benefits including improved mental health outcomes.
Just not for those who live near the courts.
For those new to the sport, it combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton, played on a court similar in size to a badminton court, using a paddle and a small perforated plastic ball.
The shorter and smaller court’s layout accommodates more players.
Each time the ball is struck, a distinctive “pop” sound reverberates across the court.
Various communities across the US are grappling with noise complaints, sparking disputes and even lawsuits.
Some residents are fed up with the loud noise a pickleball paddle makes in rapid fire sets during matches.
Noise concerns have given rise to petitions and legal action aimed at limiting the sport and preventing the construction of new courts.
Dustin Fauth, who lives with his wife and two children a couple hundred feet from the pickleball courts in the town of Falmouth, Massachusetts, described the noise as a constant “pop pop-pop” in an affidavit, per The Post.
There is an injunction in place barring pickleball at certain indoor courts in the Cape Cod town.
Fauth explained that the noise “comes through the windows and walls” of his home and forces his family to “play loud music, wear noise-canceling headphones, close windows (or) leave our home to go elsewhere when we just can’t take it anymore.”
One resident took the Sea Cliff Homeowners Association to court after years of back-and-forth mediation that never reached a compromise, according to KPBS.
“I would get these splitting headaches,” Jaye Gleyzal, who lives in a gated community in Carlsbad said, adding that the “pop-pop” noise would go on up to eight hours a day for a week straight.
“And then, my blood pressure started going up, and this was the only consistent irritation in my life.”
Gleyzal is seeking $300,000 in damages for distress she’s experienced, as well as pickleball being banned from the community tennis courts, KPBS reported.
One of the consequences of its growth is the conversion of tennis courts into pickleball courts, leaving tennis enthusiasts disgruntled.
Tennis organizations are collaborating with parks and recreation departments to ensure both sports can coexist peacefully.
The noise issue, however, continues to annoy residents living near courts.
The higher pitch of pickleball hits is more frequent and unsettling to some compared to the lower-pitched sounds typically associated with tennis.
Pickleball’s loud influence is not confined to the United States.
In Australia, the sport is experiencing its own surge in popularity.
It can be played in singles and doubles formats. Its distinctive underhand serves and smaller courts can create a dynamic akin to chess.
The sport’s easy-to-grasp rules and accessibility have made it a hit among newcomers.
It’s a game for all ages and skill levels.
Pickleball’s origins are traced back to a summer’s day in 1965 in the US when three friends, seeking to alleviate boredom, created the game.
Legend has it that the sport’s name was inspired by a resourceful family dog named Pickles, known for retrieving stray balls.
While Queensland was initially at the forefront of pickleball’s spread in Australia, it’s now gaining traction in New South Wales and Victoria.
The Pickleball Australia Association has seen incredible growth, boasting over 7,000 members.
In just six weeks, it also welcomed 1,000 new players from the southern states — and it is on track to reach 10,000 members by the end of the year.
Moreover, it anticipates six professional tournaments in 2024, offering a total prize pool of $600,000.
Despite the ongoing noise challenges, pickleball’s appeal continues to reshape the sporting landscape in the United States and is gaining traction Down Under.
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