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.