There is a National Pickleball Day and it celebrates one of the fastest-growing sports in the US. All 50 states play it and there should be several events taking place on and around that date to encourage more to play the sport.
It should not be difficult to find a pickleball court or club either as there are facilities across the country. Even a tennis court can quickly be transformed into a pickleball court, as long as you have a ball, rackets, and a portable net.
Find out where your local pickleball court and club is and you can easily pick up the sport. In this guide, we will look at when National Pickleball Day is, why it was created, how it is celebrated, and even find out about World Pickleball Day.
When Is National Pickleball Day?
Every National Pickleball Day is held on August 8th of the calendar year. That calendar day may fall on any day of the week so you may find events scheduled for the evening of the day itself, unless it falls on the weekend.
However, most National Pickleball Day events would be scheduled for the weekend.
Why National Pickleball Day Was Created
The sport of pickleball was created in the Sixties and National Pickleball Day is to celebrate and raise awareness for the sport.
The day itself is coordinated by the USA Pickleball Association though its creation has been credited to a pickleball instructor, Deirdre Morris, in 2021.
With that in mind, National Pickleball Day was created in line with the governing body’s mission of promoting and developing the sport.
As pickleball is played in every one of the 50 states, it needs little more awareness to be raised so the day is there mainly to celebrate the sport as well as encourage others to play.
This is a fun and social game that can be seen as a combination of ping pong, tennis, and badminton. If you want to start playing pickleball, National Pickleball Day on August 8th is the best day to start.
It should not need that much encouragement to convince someone to play pickleball as it is so easy to play.
With so many courts and clubs across the country, playing pickleball is a great way to become part of a community and involve yourself in a social activity.
A few pickleball games form one of the most ways to get physically fit as it is low-intensity so easy on the joints. You can even burn over 600 calories for every hour that you spend playing pickleball.
How National Pickleball Day Is Celebrated
With National Pickleball Day being the best day to pick a paddle and play a game, the day is celebrated by simply playing.
That could be for individual pickleball players, pickleball clubs, ambassadors, and coaches simply reaching out to encourage others to play.
Coaches and ambassadors in particular may even hold free clinics so pretty much anyone can learn how to play.
National Pickleball Day may also be an ideal occasion to hold a local tournament or introduce a league as a more formal arrangement for players to compete.
How National Pickleball Day Is Celebrated At A Pickleball Center
A good way to find out how National Pickleball Day should be celebrated is to visit a Pickleball Center.
On August 8th, many workers at a pickleball center are given the day off to simply head outside and play pickleball. It sounds straightforward yet for such a fun game, just playing it is the best way to honor it.
Those pickleball center workers are typically encouraged to play with their partners and friends and then show photos to share on social media.
Those photos are shared on social media with a specific hashtag so that the event can trend on the day.
That is if enough posts and photos find their way to certain social media applications like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
For instance, one hashtag that has been used is #ServeUpFun and you can also pick up a t-shirt with the logo printed on it.
There are some simple rules to follow when you are playing a game of pickleball. These include that the serve must be an underhand one which is easier to play.
Not only should the serve be allowed to bounce but the serve’s return must be allowed to bounce.
There is also a strict no-volley rule and a specific zone where volleys are not allowed which is known as the Kitchen where you cannot hit the pickleball without it bouncing first.
Be aware that if you or your paddle end up in the Kitchen after you make contact with the pickleball, that is considered to be a fault.
World Pickleball Day
While National Pickleball Day is celebrated on August 8th, there is also a World Pickleball Day to represent the global reach of the sport.
The first World Pickleball Day was held on 10th October 2020 and it was specifically chosen for that date.
The logic is that the score at the start of each doubles pickleball game is known as ‘zero, zero, 2’ to indicate that neither pair is yet to score yet there are two servers with each digit showing up in the right order for that specific date.
The intention of World Pickleball Day was to introduce a total of 10,000 new players to the sport globally.
Final Thoughts
Pickleball has become so popular that having a pickleball court can become a selling point.
So many people want to play the sport that simply having a dedicated pickleball court in the amenities of a residential building can help it get sold.
For anyone looking to play pickleball, August 8th is the day to get involved as clinics are held at individual centers so beginners can learn to play.
With some experience in the game, several players can learn about the leagues and tournaments they can enter too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Did The Sport Of Pickleball Start?
Pickleball’s origins date back to 1965 in the Bainbridge islands, Washington. After a round of golf, ex-congressman Joel Pritchard and two friends, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell decided to play badminton.
Without a shuttlecock or badminton rackets, a game of badminton was off the cards yet they still wanted to play.
The name of pickleball came from the game’s origin. Badminton rackets were replaced with plywood paddles and the net was lowered to around the same height as on a tennis court.
They still needed something to hit, specifically a ball that was bouncy for a volley yet could stay within a small, badminton-sized court.
The call went out to “get Pickle’s ball” which was a pet dog and soon after hitting it a few times they realized that ‘Pickle’s ball’ was just bouncy and stiff enough, hence pickleball was born.
When Was Pickleball Officially Considered A Sport?
After pickleball was seemingly invented by Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell, it quickly rose in popularity. McCallum designed specific paddles to be used for playing pickleball, most notably the M2 model.
He also founded Pickleball Inc back in 1972 and then started selling the wooden paddles. It took until 1984 to hold the first United States Pickleball National Championships which is likely when pickleball was officially considered a sport.
