With all of the exciting Olympic coverage happening right now, it makes you wonder…will pickleball ever be in the Olympics? Get updated about what the International Federation of Pickleball has to say by watching this Pickleball News Update.  Pickleball is growing all over the world and Mike Hess, the President of the IFP, has some exciting goals for the sport!

To learn more about the International Federation of Pickleball, visit their website at ifpickleball.org

Additional pickleball resources can be found at the USAPA website at usapa.org

========= WATCH THIS RELATED VIDEO =========

hqdefault2Learn about the first ever international Bainbridge Cup held in Madrid, Spain last year.  Team North America competes against Team Europe on a global stage. The inaugural Bainbridge Cup is hosted by the International Federation of Pickleball. This ground-breaking tournament is the first of its kind and will feature a unique point structure that includes all ages and skill levels. Hear from IFP president, Mike Hess, as he talks about the tournament’s distinctive format and their goal to expand pickleball internationally for years to come.

For more information about the Bainbridge Cup, go to www.ifpickleball.org

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6 Comments

  1. Some of use our computer at work or somewhere else where it would not be appropriate to turn on our computer’s sound. Your video provided is good but could you also provide a text article so I and others like me could be informed about Pickleball in the Olympics (or anything else)

    Thanks in advance… Bob

    • Hi Bob! The best way to see what’s be said in the video without turning on the volume is to click on the little box with the letters cc in it. This box stands for the closed captions that accompany every video. Then you will be able to read what is being said and no volume problems at work. Thanks for watching!!

  2. Pickleball would be a great sport for the Olympics.

  3. We had a ball at the Open in Naples on Monday! Made at least one day every year. Everyone is so helpful, and every match, not just the ones on center court are great to watch!

  4. I have sent a few messages to the USAPA regarding the evolution of this game to “Olympic” status. It has ended there with, “I am not certain what exactly you are proposing I change. Note: there are all sorts of players out there using spin today with existing equipment and rules.”

    IMO, the equipment needs to make a significant breakthrough in terms of spin generation/ball control.
    In an initial email to USAPA, I described my “spin and ball control” experiment and the law of diminishing returns. There was a certain ball RPM derived with paddle angle and swing speed “X.” Increasing the swing speed beyond a certain degree produced no more spin, and actually decreased the amount of spin. These were subjective observations from pickleball playing tennis coaches and competitors.

    Think of ping-pong/table tennis. It has evolved to become an Olympic sport because the ball and paddle development allowed skilled players completely control of the ball with spin relative to their evolved technique. In my opinion, it would have never evolved to Olympic status without drastic changes to the paddle and the ball.

    “Table tennis was invented in England in the 19th century as an after-dinner pastime for elites, who used the tops of cigar boxes for paddles and books for nets.”

    As a long time tennis player, since 1970, and private tennis coach since 1984, and also an avid ping-pong player, I can honestly say that Pickleball paddles and the ball itself are still in the “backyard” stage. It has become a sensation merely because people can begin to have fun playing it without any formal training.

    My expensive Paddletek composite paddle is merely the next step after the cigarbox top. The ball is still a plastic wiffle ball (although much more expensive) which was invented in the 1950s for indoor baseball/stickball practice, having nothing to do with spin generation.

    Please, don’t get me wrong. I truly love this game. However, IMO, it will take some innovative changes in the gear (paddle and ball) to allow the sport to develop beyond a marketing sensation / money-maker, where it can truly showcase talent and skill through complete ball control in the use of various spins, variety in shot-making, and overall athleticism.

    Please don’t hesitate to contact me if I may be of service in helping to develop this wonderful game to the next level! Thanks for reading…

  5. Could you please let me know about the tournament at indian wells and Cancún here can i find more info about this two tournaments
    thanks

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