Pickleball in Moscow: Staying in shape and connected

In Moscow, Idaho, Jim Craig says he thinks people are drawn to one particular sport because all you have to do is show up and play. 

“We’re a bunch of old people, we all get together, we play, we get tired, we go sit in the stands and we rest, and we tell each other all our medical problems,” he said with a laugh.

Craig is talking about pickleball — a sport which has been gaining popularity for years. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SIFA) says it’s the fastest growing sport in America.

“Pickleball has grown 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and an incredible 223.5% in three years, with every single age group seeing increased participation,” SIFA wrote in late 2024.

And according to the online court and game finder Pickleheads, there are more than 700 pickleball courts in Idaho, over 1,900 in Washington and 1,250 in Oregon. 

Heather Nelson, who was playing with Craig in Moscow at the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center, got into the sport after trying it out at a friend’s birthday party. She says it’s one of the ways she likes to stay active, usually playing three times a week for a few hours.

“It’s fun, it’s social, you know? And there’s something about the ‘pock pock’ that’s kind of like, I don’t know, pop rocks or something like that,” Nelson said.

Heather Nelson plays pickleball at the Hamilton Indoor Recreation Center in Moscow, Idaho. (Credit: Rachel Sun / NWPB)

Nelson says if you’re interested in pickleball, find someone to teach you the basic rules of the game — which are not that hard. And even if you come as a complete novice to the Moscow rec center, there’s typically a beginner’s court set up. 

Pickleballer Sherri LaFave said that coming from tennis, it was a little hard to understand the scoring. If you’re thinking pickleball is just like tennis, LaFave says it’s a lot easier. 

“It’s just less running, and the racquet’s not as heavy, the ball’s easier to hit … it’s nice and light,” she said.

In tennis, you win by being the first to score four points, with the server switching every game. In pickleball, it’s 11 points to win, but only the serving team can score points —  and the server only switches when they make a fault. Check out all the rules here.

LaFave says she usually gets in 5,000 steps playing for a couple of hours. Studies have also shown that pickleball can have positive effects on mental health.

A 2023 systematic review from the University of Almería in Spain looked at 13 studies into pickleball’s effect on the mental health of those who play it. The researchers said that those studies generally showed among several factors, reduced stress and higher life satisfaction among seniors who participated in the sport. 

The review says pickleball “shows potential as a new tool to work and improve people’s mental health.”

If you’re still on the fence about giving the sport a try, LaFave says you have to start somewhere.

“Everyone’s a beginner at one point in their lives, so, you just got to go for it.”

Note: This story was part of a radio special on caregiving. You can listen to the entire episode here.