Inslee designates pickleball as official state sport

BAINBRIDGE ISLAND — Gov. Jay Inslee designated pickleball as the state sport on Monday during a ceremonial bill signing on Bainbridge Island, where it all began.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three friends: former Washington Congressman Joel Pritchard and businessmen Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. The game played with a wiffleball and paddles on a tennis-like court is now gaining traction worldwide.

"London can have Wimbledon, Rome can have the colosseum," Inslee said. "We have the epicenter of the sporting world today and the pickleball court where it all started."

Inslee reflected on the significance of pickleball becoming the state sport; he said it was another step in appreciating Washington's history and culture, following prior adoptions of the western hemlock and American goldfinch as the state's official tree and bird.

The governor did not miss a beat on cracking puns while reflecting on how far the sport has come and its benefit to communities. He said pickleball brings competition to the competitive and an opportunity for singles to become doubles.

To help put the historical day into context, Inslee said that he needed to quote the founding fathers' words from the Declaration of Independence, but with his own spin.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights," he said. "Amongst those rights being the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of pickleball."

Inslee signed Senate Bill 5615 in front of Bainbridge Island community members; the smiling crowd gathered around him as he gave his approval at a table covered with pickleball paddles and gear.

Stu Upson, USA Pickleball, noted his excitement around the growing popularity of pickleball. The fairly new sport is now featured nationwide and discussed on some of the biggest media platforms.

He joked that something must be wrong if he was quoted in the Wall Street Journal. Upson said that when he talks to people from around the country about pickleball, they have no idea it is so new.

"We're growing so quickly and they see all the media coverage," he said, "but when I say it was developed here in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, they are totally amazed."

One of the best things about pickleball, he said, is the sport's social and welcoming culture, which players must preserve as the game continues to grow and bring in more money.

Kate Van Gent, a community advocate, apologized for her formal appearance, noting that she is either in that or her pickleball clothes these days. She touched on the future of pickleball and the courts that could soon spring up around the state.

Senate Bill 5615 prioritizes mental and physical health, she said. It will attract tourists wishing to visit the home of pickleball. As one of the few sports that Washingtonians could play while staying socially distanced during the pandemic, its impact is more than just fitness.

"Pickleball gave people relief from isolation," Van Gent said, "and helped them forge new friendships and community bonds."