“They love pickleball,” DeLisle said after the session in April. “I hear that loud and clear.”
The Leander community is not alone. Pickleball has become one of the most popular new pastimes in America, and as the sport continues to grow, facilities that cater to the booming industry are cropping up in Central Texas.
Six pickleball courts were added to Southwest Williamson County Regional Park in Leander in 2024, and pickleball courts can be found at Veterans Memorial Park in Cedar Park, The Crossover, the Cedar Park Recreation Center and TopShot.
In Liberty Hill, people can play pickleball at the Freestyle Community Center.
With pickleball’s continued popularity, private companies are investing more and more in the sport. At the end of 2025, a $16 million pickleball facility with a bar and restaurant is expected to open in Cedar Park. Apex Pickleball Club will be a 49,000-square-foot building with 16 indoor courts and a full bar and restaurant.
What’s Going On
Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in the country for three years, according to a 2024 report from the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, which said the sport had grown 223.5% in three years. The sport is widely predicted to continue gaining popularity. According to Pickleheads, an industry website that works alongside USA Pickleball, the industry may see an 11.3% compound annual growth rate for the sport’s market through 2028.
“The pickleball community is really taking off,” said Adam Powell, general manager of The Crossover, a 240,000-square foot sports complex in Leander with two ice rinks, volleyball courts and more.
Players say in addition to the gratifying and low-impact nature of the sport, the social aspect keeps them coming back for more. Apex will be geared toward fostering that.
“It’s such a social sport,” said Bill Parodi, founder and CEO of Pickleplex Holdings, the parent company of the club and restaurant.
Pickleball had a global market of $2.2 billion in 2024, and that number is expected to increase to $9.1 billion by 2034, according to market.us.
Powell said he’s seen a big increase in pickleball interest over the last few years, with an increased number of local leagues signing up for spaces at The Crossover.
“The courts are full, it seems, like every possible hour of operation,” he said.
The Big Picture
There are now 68,458 pickleball courts in the country, 18,455 of which were added in 2024, according to USA Pickleball.
Texas saw the largest proportional increase in courts from 2023 to 2024, with offerings expanding by 14.5%, according to TeachMe.To, a company that partners people with freelance athletic coaches, including pickleball coaching.
Locally, the Austin area has been dubbed “America’s Pickleball Capital” by TeachMe.To. According to the site, there are 8,000 to 10,000 people who play pickleball at least twice per month in the city, and court reservation systems consistently show 70%-80% use during peak hours.
And the sport is changing as it grows. Parodi said most players used to be over 45, but now a younger crowd is moving into the scene—a demographic shift he considered in planning his new Cedar Park club.
In 2024, the 25-34 age bracket made up 28.8% of players nationally, the largest age demographic to play the game, according to Pickleheads, which partners with USA Pickleball.
What they’re saying
Breanna Escochea, 37, said she’s met people she wouldn’t have without playing pickleball.
“This is like a demographic I wouldn’t normally cross paths with, but getting to has been really great,” she explained. “I’ve made some really good friends in a different season of life, which I think is good for anybody to do.”
Escochea said she got into pickleball about a year and a half ago after other sports began to seem risky.
“I played sports in high school, and I thought when I got a certain age sports was kind of off the table because I kept getting hurt,” she said. “Then I found pickleball, and it’s just such a low barrier to entry, you can get good at it pretty quickly and you can play it forever.”
Senior players gravitate to the sport for its accessibility and ease of play.
“It’s relatively easy on your joints,” RobBob Wucher, 71, said, explaining that he’s been playing pickleball for around 10 years, and when he started playing, people were still using Ping-Pong paddles.
He said he and his wife host an annual pickleball party with people they’ve met through playing.
“All our friends now are pickleballers,” Wucher said.
Looking ahead
As pickleball picks up steam, the sport is venturing into more serious competitions as well. Pro circuits now tour the country entertaining paying spectators.
Parodi said the Austin area is a hub for serious players. The wide range of facilities lends well to practice and coaching.
From May 23-26, Major League Pickleball hosted one of its regular season events at Austin Pickle Ranch. Twenty-two teams competed to earn a spot in the playoffs in August.
Additionally, Players in the PPA tour travel the country competing for the top spots in the league’s rankings. The ultimate goal is to compete in and win at the PPA Finals held San Clemente California, according to the PPA Tour.
