Pickleball 101: Learning how to play the fast-growing game

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — In just the United States there are 13.6 million pickleball players in 2023 according to USA Pickleball.

The average age of players is 38 years old with players 55 and up the largest age bracket, but that doesn't mean it's not for everyone.

"I mean we have people in their 80s that are playing and then we have the young ones that come out and play as well. So it really caught on to all ages," said pickleball player Sara Tupper. 

WAND's Adeena Balthazor decided to pick up a paddle and learn the game this weekend. Before playing in a game she learned the rules on how to serve and how they keep score. 

And while it may look like tennis the equipment is a little different. 

"The balls are more like a wiffle ball, only bigger. So they have holes in them. They have indoor balls and outdoor ball," Tupper said. "And the paddles look like this, they're shorter than a tennis paddle and smaller than a tennis paddle but bigger than a ping pong paddle."