The Blacktown Leisure Centre at Stanhope Gardens became a vibrant hub of activity in April as it hosted the NSW Pickleball Championship 2025 with record number of players, reflecting just how quickly this sport is gaining momentum across the region.
A hybrid of tennis, badminton, squash and table tennis, this popular sporting event saw 850 participants take up 100 events across 41 indoor and outdoor courts over three days.
The youngest participant was 11 with the oldest being 81 years of age, across genders and ability levels. There were visiting players from the US and Vietnam too.
This is a big jump from a mere 296 players in the 2023 edition of the tournament, and 640 participants in 2024.
Pickleball player and a participant at the Championship, Karen Bassant says one should try pickleball if they are looking for a fun, easy-to-learn, low impact racquet sport.
“Come for the exercise and social interaction, stay for the mix of strategy and physical activity that keeps it engaging.” Says Karen.
Fabian Yu, player who is also a coach at Elite Spin Pickleball, cannot agree more. “It is the fastest growing sport in Australia. The Pickleball community is one big family where everyone helps each other. I have travelled in Australia playing this great sport, both socially and in tournaments. Being a professional coach, I can see the improvement of players and
seeing their pickleball journey grow is my biggest satisfaction,” says Yu.
The popularity of the sport can also be gauged from the fact that there are now over 380 indoor and outdoor venues to play pickleball in NSW alone.
So why is this sport gaining so much traction in the recent days?
“Low barriers to entry and comparatively low cost of participation, and being part of a new, fun and growing sport are all attractive to new players,” says Barry Hoare, a player in the Championships.
The ‘Intro to Pickleball’ group sessions are proving popular especially across Western Sydney including Blacktown, Penrith, Richmond, Toongabbie, Kellyville, Camelia, Alexandria, Macarthur and other centres where equipment is supplied and friendly coaches help explain the rules and teach the basics, right through to elite level play.
Getting the younger players involved
Schools are now introducing pickleball as a physical and socially engaging activity. It is easy to learn and play.
Membership in NSW grew 268% during the 2024 calendar year to 5,140 members. Current NSW membership is approaching 7,000 and continues to grow at some 300 members per month (April 2024 membership was 2,470 members).
“Our youngest member is nine years of age and oldest is 88 years of age. The average age is currently 57 having come down from 62 twelve months ago as younger cohorts adopt the sport,” says Garry Sheffield, president of Pickleball Association of NSW (PANSW) who hosted the championship.
Interestingly, last year’s national championships on the Gold Coast recorded approximately 1,200 participants. Australian membership has just gone past 18,000 and counting.
This year’s Nationals are also happening at the Gold Coast, being conducted between September 29-October 6, 2025 and is expected to go past last year’s numbers.
AusPlay, the Australian Sports Commission agency for collecting data on over 600 sports reports 90,000 engagements nationally with pickleball for persons aged 15+ in the last year. It found that over 92,000 Australians had played pickleball in 2024. Nationally there are 282 clubs on last count and a few more affiliated venues.
Fun facts
* Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three American dads trying to entertain their kids during summer break. They used what they had on hand — a badminton court, ping-pong paddles, and a perforated ball.
* The area 7 feet from the net on both sides is called ‘The Kitchen’ - this is the No Volley Zone where ball must bounce before being hit leading to fun rallies, the ball can be volleyed once it passes the Kitchen.
* The growth has been fast and furious in Australia. The Pickleball Australia Association (PAA) was officially formed in 2020, and since then, the sport has expanded to all states and territories, with over 100 affiliated clubs and thousands of registered players.
