GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in America, and the oddly named sport is taking center stage in Grand Rapids this week with the Beer City Open Tournament. So what exactly is pickleball?
“It’s a combination of ping pong and tennis. I would say it's like tennis on a smaller court,” tournament director Andrea Koop said. “Most people say that it started in the 60s when a guy developed it for his two kids or two grandkids in the state of Washington. And he named it pickleball after his dog Pickles. I don't know if that's accurate, but that's what many people say.”
Pickleball can be played inside or outside with a paddle and wiffleball. Regardless of where the name comes from, the game continues to gain popularity.
“We have 950 participants, and about 850 of them are amateurs. The other 100 are professional, divided between senior pro which is 50 and over and under 50 regular pro,” Koop said. “It is for everybody. In women's pickleball, the number one player in the world is 14. She's incredible. But we have 70 and over divisions here, so it is definitely a sport for everybody.”
Koop is currently No. 4 in the world for women’s doubles and will be competing in the games this week. She said it was her own efforts that helped the game become so popular in Grand Rapids.
“I had just started playing professional pickleball. I'm from here. I'm a lawyer in town, and I was having to travel to play anytime I wanted to play a pro event,” she said. “So I was like ‘you know what? I need to get one in my hometown.’ So I talked to the powers that be. Paul Richards is my co-tournament director. Nothing gets done in Grand Rapids pickleball without Paul's help. I got Paul on board, and the rest is history.”
Belknap Park is hosting the Beer City Open, which was founded in 2018. The park started with six pickleball courts but now has 21. Koop said this year’s prize money jumped from $35,000 to $90,000 thanks in part to the addition of AHC Hospitality as a title sponsor. The competition will be streamed on ESPN, and it’s expected to have a considerable impact on the local economy.
“This tournament has over seven figures in economic impact to the west side of the community,” Koop said. “People eating dinner, staying at hotels, just coming and enjoying Grand Rapids for three to five days in the summer and spending money.”
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