More Pickleball, More Activity

Pickleball courts are in high demand. Designing spaces for the fastest growing sport is easy if you know the criteria for a successful court.

There are lots of mysteries in the world, like “How were the pyramids built?” and “Why do ships disappear in the Bermuda Triangle?” What you won’t find on the list of unsolved mysteries is this: “Why is pickleball so popular?” Just for the sake of being thorough, let’s run down a few of the reasons pickleball is such a ubiquitous sport these days:

• Pickleball has broad demographic appeal. Anyone from elementary school to assisted living can play.
• It’s a satisfying sport for all skill levels, beginners to pros.
• Pickleball can be played for physical fitness, serious competition, or anything in between.
• It keeps indoor sports facilities busy, something that owners, managers, and other stakeholders love.
  As a building professional, that last point undoubtedly carries extra weight. But to gain the advantage of a busy gym for your clients, you have to design a space where pickleball is more than an afterthought. It needs to be built with pickleball in mind, and there is no more important element of a pickleball court than flooring.

There are several aspects to consider when picking a floor for pickleball, but the top priority is safety. Since pickleball players have to run, pivot, and sometimes dive on the court, floors must have the proper sports performance properties, especially surface friction. Too much friction will cause tripping or stumbling. Too little will cause slips. Both result in players landing on the floor in awkward ways that can lead to injuries.

Acute injuries are one thing, but chronic injuries are equally important to avoid. That’s where force reduction (aka shock absorption) comes in. The right sports floor can reduce the impact on lower extremities as players contact the surface, leading to fewer stress injuries on joints and less fatigue. Think of the senior adult pickleball players in particular. To identify floors with adequate surface friction and force reduction, choose a floor that has been tested according to the ASTM F2772 sports standard. The minimum force reduction value in the ASTM F2772 standard is Class 1 (10% to 21%). Any floor that does not meet this requirement should not be considered. It should also be noted that adult players engage the force reduction property more than children who weigh less in general, so higher values are more beneficial to adult athletes.

The next important factor for pickleball flooring is the one most people overlook, but it can make the difference between a good facility and great one. Pickleball courts need precise game line markings and colors to distinguish areas on the court. A clearly marked court with adequate color contrast is something that many players take for granted. But when there is a close call at the line, having clear visibility suddenly becomes appreciated.

What floor has proper surface friction, force reduction, and exceptionally clear game lines? Padenpor of course! If you’re looking for the perfect pickleball surface for your gym, Padenpor checks all the boxes. It not only has all the ingredients for pickleball, but it has the multipurpose capabilities that are so essential for indoor sports facilities. If you are interested in Padenpor as a pickleball surface, or just interested in adding pickleball courts to an existing gym, visit our pickleball flooring page for more information, including court layouts and recommendations.