Drive by Cole Park on a weekday evening and you鈥檙e likely to see dozens of 20- to 30-year-olds sweating 鈥� but vibing 鈥� at one of Dallas鈥� most popular pickleball spots.
In recent years, pickleball has exploded in popularity along with the rise of other paddle and racket sports like tennis. Hello, Zendaya in Challengers, John McEnroe鈥檚 narration of the Never Have I Ever series and young stars like Naomi Osaka. So while pickleball was once seen as a sport for seniors, it鈥檚 become a way for millennials and Gen Zers to decompress and build community.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just something to do after work I think, and I think a lot of young people like to stay active and be outside,鈥� said Tonia Darabadey, 26. 鈥淎t this point in Dallas, it feels like the choices are the Katy Trail or this.鈥�
Darabadey came with her friends Farrah Ata and Melanie Ekizian, both of whom are working professionals who live in Dallas.
Along the chain link fence surrounding the courts, about 40 paddles sit in a row of holders, which keeps track of everyone鈥檚 place in line. Often, there鈥檚 a line just to put down a paddle. Pickleball has become so popular at Cole Park that there鈥檚 been for court space.
Waiting is inevitable, so in the meantime, people chat. That鈥檚 part of pickleball鈥檚 appeal 鈥� even in 100-degree-plus heat. For health- and money-conscious young professionals like Ata, pickleball is preferred over other pastimes.
鈥淚t鈥檚 free and we get to catch up in between the games, so it鈥檚 like social time. Instead of going out to eat or eating unhealthy, you can be social,鈥� Ata said.
Maharshi Adeshara, 29, has been playing pickleball for a little over a year after a friend invited him out to Cole Park.
While waiting for a court to open up, he sat on a bench catching up with two friends. Pickleball has been a way for Adeshara to expand his social circle to include people from around the world, including China, Japan, the U.S. and his home country of India.
鈥淚 have made a lot of new friends here, so it鈥檚 good that sport brings different people together from different diversities,鈥� he said.
Some of the biggest perks of pickleball for millennials and Gen Zers are that the sport is fairly low commitment and an easy way to relate to peers.
At Cole Park, Ata, Darabadey and Ekizian were joined by a newcomer who came solo. That鈥檚 a fairly common occurence.
鈥淚t isn鈥檛 a big commitment,鈥� Ekizian said. 鈥淵ou can drop in, you can play for one game. You can play for five. Your friend can leave. You can stay by yourself or come by yourself and meet new people. It鈥檚 very flexible.鈥�
Ata said she doesn鈥檛 have any other hobbies, so pickleball serves an important purpose: It鈥檚 something to talk about in the office.
She shares her activity with friends via her Apple Watch, which means her coworkers know when she plays. 鈥淭hey are like, 鈥極h, you played pickleball last night,鈥欌�� she said.
It鈥檚 also become a way for Dallas newcomers such as Jack Britton, 26, to get plugged into the city鈥檚 social scene. He plays pickleball every day, unless it鈥檚 raining.
鈥淚 moved here six months ago, so I didn鈥檛 know anyone,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 met almost all my friends through work and pickleball.鈥�
Britton plays on Cole Park鈥檚 advanced Challenge Court, where winners stay on to play the next team.
鈥淚 play competitively. It鈥檚 all fun, but 鈥� you get a kind of relief after. It鈥檚 a stressful time, but it鈥檚 a fun stress.鈥�
While Cole Park鈥檚 pickleball scene peaks in the evenings, there are also some pickleball fanatics who are willing to wake up at the crack of dawn.
Friends Rian Jones, 32, Kurtis Tubby, 39, and Weston Pugh, 53, along with another friend, played doubles to Nicki Minaj鈥檚 鈥淪uper Freaky Girl鈥� at 7 a.m. It鈥檚 practice for their finals game later that night with Pride Sports Dallas鈥� indoor pickleball.
Jones describes pickleball as an addiction, one that鈥檚 led him to use towels and a leaf blower to dry the courts when it rains. The group typically comes out about two to three times a week at 6 a.m. to play, even during the winter.
鈥淲e know we鈥檙e very intense,鈥� he said.
Pugh, Jones and Tubby are all former tennis and ping pong players who鈥檝e been drawn to pickleball. They say there鈥檚 just something about the sport that makes everyone very friendly.
鈥淵ou see people meeting each other,鈥� Pugh said. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 an interesting way for young people to meet other young people and probably date.鈥�
With all the young singles socializing every day in their best athleisure, it doesn鈥檛 seem so far-fetched.
At the very least, North Texas鈥� pickleball courts are where everyone鈥檚 connecting.
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