Pickleball for All Generations: How the Sport is Bringing People Together and Building a Community

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Apr 26, 2023, 07:01 ET

Life Time is the largest operator of pickleball courts with more than 500 and many more to come

CHANHASSEN, Minn., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- People of all ages, abilities and backgrounds have fallen in love with the fastest growing sport in America: Pickleball. During this National Pickleball Month, Life Time, (NYSE: LTH), the country's largest provider of pickleball courts across its athletic country clubs, has become the hub for showcasing the wide appeal of the sport across generations.

Clockwise from the top-left: Ashley W. and Micah M., Laney J., Megan M. and Flynn M., Deepak S., and Gavin G.

According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals, more than 36.5 million people played pickleball between August 2021 and August 2022. The fastest-growing demographic of pickleball players are those under the age of 24, according to USA Pickleball.

"At Life Time, we're seeing a stunning growth of pickleball across generations, from kids to grandparents. Everyone is finding joy in the game," said Ajay Pant, Life Time's Vice President of Racquet Sports. "We are thrilled to deliver this amazing sport to everyone and commit to building an ever-growing pickleball community across our athletic country clubs."

The Generations: Laney J. (77), Megan M. (49) and Flynn M. (9): Laney, Megan and Flynn started playing pickleball a couple of years ago and are now hooked on playing the sport as a family. They started playing casually for exercise, but curiosity and competitive drive took over. They recently entered their first-ever pickleball tournament at Life Time Target Center and Flynn was named "prince of the court" for his enthusiasm and competitive spirit.
The New Professional: Deepak S. (38): After being hospitalized for COVID-19 in 2021, Deepak gained weight and needed to regain his lung capacity. He discovered the fun of pickleball by playing with friends and joined Life Time in Princeton, NJ. He now plays several times a week and has since taken part in tournaments. He's also gotten back into shape and lost 35 pounds from playing. "I never thought I could lose weight through pickleball. I didn't join Life Time with the goal of losing weight, but I eventually noticed I would lose a couple pounds every couple weeks."
The Couples: Ashley W. and Micah M. (early 20s): After college, Ashley and Micah felt lost not having a fun, physical activity to do together. They discovered pickleball and now play at Life Time Crosstown in Minnesota three to four times a week. They also won a tournament at Life Time St. Louis Park and Ashley recently participated in a Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) tournament with her sister for the women's 4.0 doubles. "Our favorite part of playing together is growing both as players and people. We love practicing together because we can be honest about what we each need to work on," Way said.
The Young: Gavin G. (12): Gavin has played pickleball for more than three years at various Life Time clubs in Minnesota. He started playing with his dad and enjoys making new friends through the sport. "Pickleball is great exercise. I don't get much recess time at school, so I love playing whenever I have free time."

Since early 2022, Life Time has constructed indoor and outdoor pickleball courts at a rate of five new permanent courts each week – many with viewing areas, stadium seating, and social lounges. As of this April, Life Time has more than 500 courts, intending to exceed 1,000 by the end of 2024. Life Time is the largest owner and operator of both pickleball and tennis courts.

For more information, visit the Life Time Pickleball website.

About Life Time, Inc.
Life Time (NYSE: LTH) empowers people to live healthy, happy lives through its portfolio of more than 160 athletic country clubs across the United States and Canada. The Company's healthy way of life communities and ecosystem address all aspects of healthy living, healthy aging and healthy entertainment for people 90 days to 90+ years old. Supported by a team of more than 34,000 dedicated professionals, Life Time is committed to providing the best programs and experiences through its clubs, iconic athletic events and comprehensive digital platform.

SOURCE Life Time, Inc.