Why is pickleball so popular?

"Open Play" is the key to pickleball's success. Within that is the athletic competition, exercise, and social aspect of the game. "Open Play" is characterized by players coming to the courts, putting their paddle in the rack if the courts are full, and soon they will be rotated in to play. In Elgin, St. Charles, or Denver you are welcome to play.

Pickleball utilizes public park space for more people than tennis. Tennis players find similar skilled friends and may have a game for two or four players for several hours. The area of two tennis courts with borders can usually accommodate four pickleball courts.

A pickleball game lasts about 12-15 minutes for a doubles game. Four players on 4 courts is 16 players. With Open Play, if players are waiting to play, when a game is finished, waiting players are then rotated onto that court. Compared to four to eight tennis players on two courts, a common scenario in pickleball is with even 30 players everyone can play numerous times in one hour as players all rotate.

Any kind of reservation system or not sharing courts would limit the number of players using the courts and have a negative impact. This ability to get in a game because of Open Play allows for many players and draws in new pickleball players.

The rotation of players in Open Play creates fun, has better players helping new players, results in a lot of laughs, and a community of friendships.

We love this game.

Roger Eads

Elgin