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USA Pickleball has one standard membership available to all players , and new members receive three free Franklin X-40 pickleballs when they join . Menke called the low membership fee “ the best deal in sports .”
Players can take part in USA Pickleball sanctioned events as soon as they become members . They also receive a digital subscription to the bimonthly Pickleball Magazine , a monthly e-newsletter from USA Pickleball , and access to instructional videos on ThePickler . com . Individuals can upgrade their membership to also receive the print edition of Pickleball Magazine .
“ Everything that we do as the caretaker of the sport is to benefit the players , so we want to enhance their entire experience on and off the court ,” Menke said . “ One of the things that I share with people when they ask about membership in USA Pickleball is that we ’ re working 24 / 7 to make the sport that they love , and are so passionate about , even better .”
Baker recalled that it was in 2016 when she saw some people playing pickleball and remembered that she had been introduced to the sport 40 years earlier at her high school in San Mateo , California . She quickly fell in love with pickleball , and was soon playing six days a week .
She decided to join USA Pickleball in order to enter a sanctioned tournament in Alabama in 2021 . Participating in several tournaments since then , she never hesitates to note her affiliation when registering for an event .
“ On the forms , it asks what club you belong to , so I ’ ve always put USA Pickleball ,” said Baker , who ’ s now training to become a referee as well .
Pickleball ’ s popularity over the past few years is reflected in the growing number of USA Pickleball members during that span .
At the start of 2018 , USA Pickleball had about 22,000 members . It hit 39,722 members in 2019 before taking a slight dip during the pandemic in 2020 . Pickleball has since solidified its place as the nation ’ s fastestgrowing sport . USA Pickleball ’ s membership increased by a staggering 43.5 percent in 2021 , jumping from 37,000 members at the start of the year to 53,110 members by the end of it . Membership then grew by another 30 percent last year to hit 68,697 .
Kathy Kerst started playing pickleball with her husband in 2010 after moving to Virginia from Wisconsin . Five years ago , a USA Pickleball
FUN FACT :
The sport ’ s Official Playing Rules — now published annually by USA Pickleball — were first introduced in 1984 .
Ambassador encouraged her to become a member of USA Pickleball . Kerst , a 75-year-old with seven granddaughters , has since become an Ambassador herself .
In this volunteer role , she helps promote the sport in four counties in California , including Sonoma and Napa . She tells players about the benefits of becoming a member and all the resources available to them . For example , members around the country regularly update the “ Places 2 Play ” section of usapickleball . org to help individuals find courts when they ’ re visiting a city .
“ I have an Ambassador who is a flight attendant so she ’ s always going onto Places 2 Play and posting pictures of where she played in Hawaii or where she went in Australia ,” Kerst said . “ That ’ s a good resource .” She also encourages people to join USA Pickleball because their membership fees support grants that the National Governing Body awards .
“ Supporting USA Pickleball is not only helping grow the sport ,” Kerst said , “ it ’ s also providing resources for people .” •
Alex Abrams has written about Olympic sports for more than 15 years , including as a reporter for major newspapers in Florida , Arkansas and Oklahoma . He is a freelance contributor to USA Pickleball on behalf of Red Line Editorial , Inc .
BECOME A MEMBER ! Learn more about USA Pickleball member benefits — and join or renew — at usapickleball . org .
64 TO SUBSCRIBE , CALL 412.914.8294 OR GO TO PICKLEBALLMAGAZINE . COM