“We wanted to create something that freshmen and people of all grades could come in, find their people, have a little community that’s aside from everything else that we can just move our bodies, get our mental health up,” Piede said.

As pickleball tops the charts as one of the fastest-growing sports in America for the third year in a row, it’s easy to see the craze here on campus. It started off with some freshly painted lines on the McLean Tennis Courts between Penland Dining Hall and the Marrs-McLean Gym. Then it evolved into a trio of pickleball courts at the McLane Student Life Center. Latest on the list of pickleball’s imperial conquests are the Paul and Jill Underwood Pickleball Courts.

In 1965, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum were bored during a summer in Bainbridge Island, Wash. With nothing to do on the island, they decided to create a new game. After tinkering around with equipment and rules, the trio finally decided on the name: pickleball.

We all know and love the revenue sports like football and basketball, but pickleball has become a popular sport to play, especially among college students. It’s easy to learn and great to play with friends, and it doesn’t require God-given talent or athleticism in order to perform at a high level.

With Baylor students settling in during the first week of class, some might be wondering what to get involved in. Intramural sports present a ripe opportunity for anyone who feels like there isn’t much going on.