“The first
paddles were just
single ⅜-inch
plywood. Then
we built up the
handles and kept
improving the
product,” he said.
“There were no
composite paddles
back then. Then
we got to the point
that it could no longer be a ‘Mom and Pop’
type business. We contracted with a workshop
in Seattle and we had them make our paddles.
Even then, it got bigger than what they could
handle.”
“They’re looking
for the new shorts
of the season
and how flashy
the piping is on
the new baseball
hats. That’s
where they’re at,”
he said. “So we
decided to go to
the schools with
the idea.”
That was where opportunity, serendipity
and luck converged for the McCallums and the
future of pickleball.
A new federal law called Title IX had been
put into place, preventing discrimination for
any reason at any establishment that received
federal funding, namely schools. Physical
education teachers were looking for sports for
their students that didn’t favor one sex over
the other and pickleball fit the bill perfectly.
“The key to [pickleball] is balance–offense
against defense. To me, the most balanced
game I know is checkers. The only differential
is who gets the first move,” Barney McCallum
said. “Pickleball has balance. All the rules
that we made were to keep that balance. Big
guys didn’t dominate little. Skill was it. The
attraction was that everybody could play it.
It’s a great mixed doubles game, far more than
tennis. Power is not the main factor by any
means. It escalates in abilities, but there’s still
a place for the guy who can’t chew gum and
walk at the same time.”
NATIONAL DRIVE
Soon it became clear to everyone involved
that growing the sport meant exporting it to
the entire United States. So, the McCallums
put together some marketing materials, a
bunch of pickleball kits and set out for the
National Sporting Goods Association’s annual
meeting and trade show in Los Angeles.
“That,” Barney said, “was an absolute failure.
But we learned a lot. And we came back and
changed the entire marketing strategy after
that trip.”
Despite a professional-looking booth
and a television set showing the game in
play, McCallum said large retailers weren’t
interested in promoting a sport, and small
retailers didn’t have the extra money to
pioneer something new.
“We’ ve hit some major milestones over the
years that have raised the profile of the sport,”
David McCallum said. “We made the ‘NBC
Nightly News’ with Brian Williams. We had
mentions in Sports Illustrated, local magazines
and TV shows. Those gave it a little gas and
got it going. That, and the blossoming of the
baby boomers and snowbirds. Over the last
five years, we’ve been shaking our heads,
saying, ‘I’ll be darned that this hasn’t turned
into something.’ It’s here to stay.”
FUN WAS THE
DRIVING FORCE
Today, pickleball is played worldwide with
avid players from Utah to Ukraine, and the
growth of the sport continues stronger than
ever. It’s played in schools as well as senior
centers, and remains a great racquet sport
for people who find games like tennis too
intimidating. But, perhaps the biggest draw to
pickleball is how it brings people together.
“I met a guy when I was in Hawaii who
told me they call it pukaball, after the
shells,” Barney McCallum said. “We talked
about ‘pukaball’ and how the name is more
glamorous than pickleball.
“Anyway, the biggest pleasure for me about
the game, besides meeting a lot of wonderful
people, is seeing people not involved in any
athletics at all taking up the game. I have
people tell me how pickleball changed their
lives, how they never did a thing with sports
before, but they can play their pickleball game.
That’s quite a reward.” •
Continued »
2003
2008
2008
2009
2015
Pickleball was
included for the first
time in the Huntsman
World Senior Games,
held each year in St.
George, Utah, during
October.
The Rules Committee,
headed by Dennis
Duey, published
the USA Pickleball
Association Official
Tournament
Rulebook – Revision:
May 1, 2008.
There were 420 places to play in
North America as listed on the
USAPA website. This represents 43
states and 4 Canadian provinces and
about 1,500 individual courts. This
does not take into account those
places that are adding courts or the
many courts at private homes.
USAPA establishes the
Grant Program to assist
players in creating new
sites for new players.
By the end of 2013 the
program has accounted
for over 1,400 new sites.
Today, Pickleball has
an estimated 2,460,000
players. The Places to
Play list boasts over
4,000 sites. The 2015
Nationals fielded over
800 players.
2005
2005
2008
2009
2013
Mark Friedenberg
was named
President of
the new USAPA
Board of
Directors.
USAPA became
a nonprofit
corporation on
July 1.
Pickleball has been
included for the first
time in the National
Senior Games Champion
Festival to be held in
Providence, Rhode
Island, September 4 – 7.
The first USAPA National
Tournament for players of
all ages was held in Buckeye,
Arizona, November 2-8, 2009.
The tournament drew almost
400 players from 26 states and
several Canadian provinces.
In January, Justin
Maloof joined USAPA
as its first full‑time
Executive Director.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
17