As international participation grows, pickleball could end up in the Olympics

As international participation¹ grows, pickleball could end up in the Olympics

Transcript³

More than a half century after the addictive⁴ sport of pickleball was created in an American backyard, it's been exploding in popularity — thanks to its affordability⁵ and cross-generational appeal.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Billions of people watch the Olympic Games around the world on more screens than ever, and the emerging sport of pickleball wants some of that valuable exposure. Organizers are planning a bid for Olympic inclusion to bring more attention to the game. Shannon Mullen has more.

SHANNON MULLEN, BYLINE⁶: For the rapidly decreasing number of Americans who've never heard of pickleball, the sport was invented in 1965 by three middle-aged⁷ fathers in Washington state. One claimed they named the game after a family dog called Pickles⁸. It's a cross between tennis, pingpong and badminton, played with a paddle and a perforated plastic ball and has a famously short learning curve. The country has about 10,000 places to play, from sports clubs and hotel groups to a restaurant chain called Chicken N Pickle² with locations in four states.

(SOUNDBITE OF PICKLEBALL AMBIENCE)

MULLEN: In Meredith, N.H., the town's parks and rec department offers indoor pickleball in a multipurpose gym that's also used for basketball, tennis and other sports. Some pickleball players got so serious the program is now supervised, and it's capped around 50 people with dozens on the waiting list.

FREIDA YUEH: It's addictive, so we just started playing, and now with our other friends and relatives - actually, everybody we know now plays pickleball.

MULLEN: Freida Yueh joined the program with her husband two years ago after they retired⁹ in the area. This spring, they're going with two other couples to a six-day pickleball training camp in North Carolina.

YUEH: And I'm hoping I learn just one skill that improves my game (laughter).

MULLEN: Pickleball is the country's fastest-growing sport with more than 4.8 million Americans who play, says the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. Most core players are over age 65, but the game is getting younger. Pickleball is also attracting sponsors and other sources of revenue. Its governing body, USA Pickleball, was formed in 2005 to set rules and promote the sport. Now it has two dozen brand partners, ranging from gear-makers to an online health care market and a CBD company.

STU UPSON: We're still small and scrappy, but we're not so innocent anymore.

MULLEN: That's Stu Upson. He was hired just over a year ago as USA Pickleball's first CEO. Upson says pickleball can make money without losing the social element that spiked¹⁰ its popularity in the last decade.

UPSON: People are looking for avenues to have some fun, get some exercise but do it in an environment that's not divisive. It's friendly. That's a pretty important thing in our society today, I believe.

MULLEN: Pickleball is also becoming a spectator sport. Two national professional tournaments have formed in the last four years with hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize payouts that are minting full-time¹¹ players. One of the tours is sanctioned by USA Pickleball; the other was recently acquired by the owner of a National Hockey League team. Fans can watch both online, mostly on sports or social channels.

BEN SHIELDS: The ability for a sport to find an audience quickly via social media is unprecedented¹².

MULLEN: Ben Shields lectures at MIT's Sloan School of Management and studies the sports industry. He says pickleball still needs its Michael Jordan. Star power can still drive a sport's growth, the way transcendent players always have in big leagues that started with grassroots and unusual names.

SHIELDS: And I think if pickleball, in its own humble¹³ way, can continue to grow its participation and find ways to make the sport a compelling fan product - who knows? - 10, 20 years, could be a very viable¹⁴ competitor in the global sports industry.

MULLEN: Enter that Olympic bid. Before pickleball can make one, the sport needs competitive players in at least 75 other countries. So far, the International Pickleball Federation¹⁵ has 70 member nations. Most joined in the last three years.

For NPR News, I'm Shannon Mullen.

(SOUNDBITE OF FREEKBASS' "UNDER KRAMERIA")

1 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

2 pickle   

n.腌汁，泡菜；v.腌，泡

参考例句：

• Mother used to pickle onions.妈妈过去常腌制洋葱。
• Meat can be preserved in pickle.肉可以保存在卤水里。

3 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

4 addictive   

adj.(吸毒等)使成瘾的，成为习惯的

参考例句：

• The problem with video game is that they're addictive.电子游戏机的问题在于它们会使人上瘾。
• Cigarettes are highly addictive.香烟很容易使人上瘾。

5 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

6 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

7 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

8 pickles   

n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 )；处于困境；遇到麻烦；菜酱

参考例句：

• Most people eat pickles at breakfast. 大多数人早餐吃腌菜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I want their pickles and wines, and that.' 我要他们的泡菜、美酒和所有其他东西。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

10 spiked   

adj.有穗的；成锥形的；有尖顶的

参考例句：

• The editor spiked the story. 编辑删去了这篇报道。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They wondered whether their drinks had been spiked. 他们有些疑惑自己的饮料里是否被偷偷搀了烈性酒。 来自辞典例句

11 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。

12 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

13 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

14 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

15 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。