Pickleball is on the rise at Edgewood High School. Students are playing anywhere from the EHS tennis courts, to other local courts like Middletown’s Lefferson Park.

Junior, Vinny Perry is an avid pickleball player.

“I probably play 2-3 times a week in the peak of the summer,” Perry said. Vinny is on the varsity lacrosse team and likes to get his friends together and go hiking in his free time. 

According to USA Pickleball, the game was invented on a summer afternoon in 1965, by Joel Pritchard. But in the past four years, pickleball has gained popularity at a rapid rate. Even being named the fastest-growing sport in 2021 by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. 

 Sophomore, Maddie Jones loves to play pickleball in her free time when she’s not playing basketball, lacrosse, or volleyball for the school.

“Playing pickleball at the high school, multiple times a week in the summer was definitely a core memory of mine. “said Jones. “Pickleball gets my mind off of the other sports I play, and really just gives me a break.”

Although the school’s tennis courts can be used as pickleball courts, they are not pickleball regulation lines and nets, they are also not routinely unlocked for public use.

“I prefer to play at Spooky Nook in Hamilton. You don’t have to worry about weather, and it’s not too far of a drive,” said Perry. 

Students have discovered new places to play since the high school courts are not always open. Students go anywhere from Spooky Nook, or to the new Pickle Lodge in West Chester to find open courts.

“My favorite memory from playing pickleball is coming back from being down 8 points, pickleball is a back-and-forth sport where you are able to come back from being beat that bad, that’s one of the reasons I enjoy it so much, the suspense,” said Perry. 

‘I could see myself participating in a pickleball tournament, that sounds like a lot of fun,’ said Jones. Pickleball tournaments could be a great way to fundraise for a cause and is very accessible to all ages.