Currently one of the fastest-growing sports, pickleball could be the next Virginia High School League (VHSL) sport. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, participation in the sport has surged over 150 percent in the past three years alone, making it one of the most popular sports that is played by all ages.The sport is a blend of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, making it marketable to various levels of competition.
Interest in pickleball has grown in many schools. Schools in Loudoun County that have started pickleball clubs include Riverside High School, Heritage High School, and Freedom High School. This is a very appealing sport to many high school students because of the very welcoming start. Senior Thatcher Thomas explained, “It’s pretty easy to pick up, and it’s low impact, so everyone starts at the same level. And once you start playing, it’s just pretty fun to play, and you start to get better quickly. I think that is what mostly draws people in. It’s easy to play and get better at, and it’s a lot of fun.” Thomas believes that pickleball could be a great option for many students, because it is a very interesting and engaging sport when starting up.
The growth of the sport has gained a lot of attention, and many can envision pickleball becoming a VHSL sport. Thomas went on to comment, “I just don’t think it’s taken that seriously, and I’m not sure if any schools around us even have a team for us to compete against. However, if other schools in the county start teams, then I could see Woodgrove starting one. I just don’t think we’d be the first to make one.” When Thomas realized how many schools have made pickleball clubs, he believed that pickleball becoming a sport could be a realistic idea.
When pickleball started to pick up in 2021, junior Logan Rand decided to start a pickleball club at Woodgrove. When the club was made at the start of this year, it started very small, but grew in popularity very quickly. Rand went on to explain, “The club grew very fast, and now we are usually full every club meeting.” In response to the question of pickleball becoming a VHSL sport, Rand said, “Yes and no. The hard thing with petitioning a new sport in VHSL is that it has to get approved by the board down in Richmond, and then goes through a trial club phase and stays there for multiple years to see if it has success. Only then will it be pushed to be a varsity sport for VHSL. So, yes, I do think pickleball will end up being a varsity sport, but I don’t think it will be happening anytime soon due to the rules VHSL has in place.” Even though Rand does not see it becoming a sport while he is a part of the club, he does believe that it could become a VHSL sport in the future.
As pickleball continues to grow in popularity across the country and gain traction in local high schools, the idea of it becoming a VHSL sport seems more realistic. With more schools making clubs and students’ interests rising, it is clear that there could be a foundation for something bigger. While this goal might take time, through teamwork and more support from the county, pickleball could soon move from casual clubs to official competition.