With pickleball becoming an increasingly popular pastime in the U.S., the University of Wyoming recently welcomed the sport to Campus Rec as an intramural sport. Men’s, women’s and co-rec leagues are now offered and open to all skill levels, whether you are familiar with the growing game, or interested in a new activity.
Pickleball is a sport similar to tennis, being played with a wooden paddle and plastic ball. With the court being smaller and the net lower, it is much easier to pick up than other racquet sports. This allows it to be enjoyed by many different age groups, regardless of physical ability.
In 2022, the Sports and Fitness Industry Association reported that pickleball was the fastest growing sport in the United States for two years running, in 2021 and 2022.This was a leading factor in Campus Rec’s decision to introduce the sport.
“Since we started offering pickleball we noticed that there was solid interest from participants and that matched with what we saw in terms of the popularity of the sport. We want to continue to offer things that our participants have an interest in,”said Jay McKendall, Assistant Director of Programs for Campus Recreation.
“We are currently in the process of a big marketing push. At the moment we have nine teams signed up and we are hoping for 15 teams or so.”
In past years, pickleball at UW was only offered as a one day tournament, but now there are two weeks of league play followed by a tournament. By expanding the amount of games offered, students interested in the game have an opportunity to further develop their skills. Students can team up with a doubles partner and join either the Co-Rec, Women’s, or Men’s divisions before signups end on April 12.
