Local Expert: Youth Pickleball Interest Grows

A local pickleball entrepreneur showed off the sport to some Cookeville preschoolers last month, showing the sport is not just for seniors.

Erik Raper teaches pickleball to players of all ages and he sells equipment, through his company “In The Zone Pickleball”. He said he has seen interest grow in all groups.

“As a matter of fact it’s becoming more and more popular with the youth as time goes on… If you look at the pro level these days, most of the people that are at the top of the game are anywhere from, you know, 16-25 years old,” Raper said.

Anna Leigh Waters ranks number one in pickleball worldwide and is only 17-years-old, also making her the youngest pro in the world. Courts are popping up on college campuses across the nation. Tennessee Tech has pickleball courts and paddles in the Marc L. Burnett Student Recreation and Fitness Center.

“It’s very social, so its something that you can get out, and there’s a lot of people that are interested in doing it. So you can meet new people, meet a new community, and kind of have that connection,” Raper said.

Due to the social aspect of the game, and The Kitchen Rule, which prevents opponents from crowding the net and hitting the ball downward, Raper said he finds Pickleball more fun than similar games like ping-pong or tennis.

“It’s a really fun strategy game of trying to find that sweet spot of being able to hit a safe shot that’s not in the net, but doesn’t give the opponents something to attack,” Raper said.