Pickleball, once a niche sport to pass time, has been rapidly growing all across the states. Including right here in Calabasas. But what exactly is fueling its rise, and is it going to stay?
Pickleball, a sport that blends certain aspects of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, is appealing due to its accessibility. The game is easy to learn with cheap equipment, and you don’t have to be very athletic to play, meaning pickleball can be enjoyed by people of various athletic abilities. As a result, more and more pickleball courts have been popping up all over Calabasas. Like De Anza Park, which features four new pickleball courts, Grape Arbor Park also joins the trend by providing several pickleball facilities as well.
According to the Sports and Fitness Association, pickleball experienced a 51.8% increase from 2022 to 2023, with an estimated total of 8.9 million players. And Calabasas is no exception; parks and communities are struggling to keep up with the rising demand for pickleball courts.
“De Anza Park is always super packed now, there’s almost no room for us tennis players,” said Arshan Hartoonian Calabasas High School Freshman
Not everyone is happy about pickleball’s expansion. Tennis players argue that their courts are being taken over. As stated earlier, many parks all across Calabasas have repurposed their tennis courts into pickleball courts, leaving many tennis players frustrated because of no available playing space.
“I used to practice at De Anza Park but now it’s just too crowded and filled with pickleball players, leaving no room for us,” says Hartoonian.
Some tennis players feel that the growth of pickleball has come at their own expense, and they feel that cities should stop repurposing tennis courts but start constructing new courts for pickleball players.
Despite the occasional pushback, pickleball’s rapid rise shows no signs of slowing. With tournaments and leagues gaining traction, there is no way of knowing how big it will get. Whether you are an experienced athlete or a newcomer looking to have fun or a social way to stay active, pickleball may just be your pick.
