VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — When you talk to pickleball players, you start to get a picture of why it's the fastest-growing sport in the country.
"It's an easy sport to learn,” said Karen Anderson, an instructor at Pickleball Virginia Beach.
“The size of the court is badminton size, so it's smaller than a tennis court, you play with a paddle rather than a racket," she explained.
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It’s like tennis, ping pong and badminton all in one.
“Pickleball is fast, it's quick, it demands reflexes and it's also really social. People really like to come out and get around and play and talk,” said Carlos Rodriguez.
He started playing three years ago, and now he’s ranked 8th in the world in the senior pro division.
“They call me the pickleball preacher,” he laughed.
A Presbyterian pastor and a Pickleball Pro catch some people by surprise.
“God is as much on the pickleball court as he is in the church,” Rodriguez shared.
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And to many here, Pickleball IS like a religion.
“Pickleball has become my life,” said Gwynn Malikian, who's been playing for two years.
It's not surprising to co-owner of Pickleball Virginia Beach Jim Aldrich. He tells us classes are full, and the sport is not just for the older folk anymore.
“The young people found out how much fun us old people were having," Aldrich laughed.
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Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport for the third year in a row, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. The age group of players on the rise is now under 24.
And it’s more than a sport according to players, it’s a culture.
"It's ordinary people from all walks of life coming out and enjoying being active,” said Rodriguez.
“You meet new friends, you end up having a new pickleball family,” said Anderson.
