National Pickleball Day Date in the current year: August 8, 2024

Pickleball was created by combining elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis: the court is similar to badminton court, the net is similar to tennis net, and the paddles are similar to those used in table tennis. Interestingly, the ball was modeled after a wiffle ball: it is made of plastic and has holes in it. Pickleball is played by two or four players, who use paddles to hit a ball over a net.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by Joel Pritchard, a member of the Washington House of Representatives who later served in the United States House of Representatives and as the 14th Lieutenant Governor of Washington. One Saturday afternoon, Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell found their families bored upon returning from golf. They suggested playing some badminton, but the shuttlecock was nowhere to be found, so Pritchard and Bell encouraged their children to come up with their own game. They ended up at the badminton court experimenting with different types of rackets and balls.

The first game of pickleball was played with a wiffle ball and table tennis rackets. Later on, the wiffle ball was replaced with the Cosom Fun Ball, and another one of Pritchard’s friends, Barney McCallum, improved the paddle design. Pritchard and his friends established Pickle Ball, Inc. in 1968 and trademarked the name of the game in 1972.

Today, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in North America. Its spread is attributed to the game’s popularity within public parks, PE classes, community centers, youth centers, private health clubs, and retirement communities, as well as to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made people more interested in outdoor games and sports. In 2022, the Washington State Legislature designated pickleball as Washington’s official state sport.

National Pickleball Day was created by American pickleball instructor Deirdre Morris, who wanted to encourage people to learn the sport. Celebrated on August 8 throughout the United States, it is heavily promoted by Pickleball Central, an online reseller of pickleball equipment. Canadians have their own National Pickleball Day (Journée nationale du Pickleball). Established by Pickleball Canada, it is celebrated on the second Saturday of August.

How to observe National Pickleball Day? Of course, by playing a few matches of pickleball with your friends. If you have never played pickleball, this is your chance to learn; if you’re already an experienced pickleball player, this is your chance to introduce someone to this amazing sport and teach them the basics.

You also can celebrate by hosting a neighborhood pickleball tournament, finding a community group that might be interested in learning about pickleball and giving them lessons, donating to an organization that promotes pickleball, and, of course, by spreading awareness of the sport on social media with the hashtag #NationalPickleballDay.