BBC News
By Jane O'Brien
image copyrightPortland Press Herald via Getty Images
If you've ever dinked in the kitchen, you probably already understand the allure of one of America's fastest growing sports. And if you haven't, you'd better paddle-up because sooner or later somebody is going to invite you to join a game of pickleball.
According to the Sport and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), pickleball participation grew by a whopping 21.3% last year as Americans looked for new ways to stay active during the pandemic.
That figure is part of a five-year trend that has seen pickleball evolve from its origins as a backyard knockabout game to a sport with Olympic aspirations.