“Let’s play pickleball!” Not so long ago, that sentence would cause the listener to respond, “What IS pickleball?” That’s certainly not the case now. According to data released in January 2023 by the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), 36.5 million Americans played pickleball in the fall of 2022. So for those of you are looking for new places to play - we have a great guide!

Want to play on a nearby pickleball court? We identified 26 pickleball courts in Lake Highlands and its immediate area, and their locations are shown in the following tables. Private courts are not included. Interestingly, Lake Highlands YMCA doesn’t include pickleball among its sports listings.

It’s unusual for a church to provide pickleball courts. Only the three courts at King of Glory Lutheran Church are in Lake Highlands. Others are at First United Methodist Church in Richardson, which also offers three indoor courts. Ross Weir at King of Glory said pickleball was added to the church’s list of activities by using space in the church’s Activity Center, King of Glory provides three indoor courts to anyone wanting to play or learn more about the sport. For more information, contact office@kingofglory.com.

Pickleball Basics 

Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor racket/paddle sport, resembling tennis but on a court less than a third of the tennis court size, where two players (singles), or four players (doubles), hit a perforated hollow polymer ball over a 36-inch-high net using solid-faced paddles. Opponents on either side of the net hit the ball back and forth until one side commits a rule infraction. The official pickleball rules are online at Usapickleball.org.

The history of pickleball’s beginning is a bit murky. The USA Pickleball Association, says that pickleball began as a backyard creation in 1965 when a group of friends couldn’t find the shuttlecock to play badminton. Over a few days of tinkering, the creators worked out equipment kinks and rules. They dropped the badminton net to 36 inches, built some basic paddles out of plywood, and used a Wiffle ball. If you have a paved, flat driveway or an old asphalt basketball court, then you’re ready to slap some lines down and start playing.

One story says Joel Pritchard, who served as lieutenant governor of Washington, invented pickleball on Banbridge Island, Washington, as a sport everyone in the family could play.

Another story is called the “Pickles the Dog Story.” This tale says that Jeannie, daughter of Joel and Joan Pritchard, found and brought home an abandoned puppy that was given the name “Pickles.” Joan honored the dog by naming their new backyard sport after him. Pickleball lore states that Joel Pritchard made up this story during an interview in the early 1970s. His idea was a story focused around the family dog that would stick in people’s minds more as they learned about pickleball.

So, choose the story you like best, or make up your own about the origin of pickleball and go check out all of the courts close by to us here in Lake Highlands.