Missy Lagomarsino has a dream. She wants Arizona lawmakers to name pickleball the state’s official sport.
“The biggest indoor pickleball facility in the world is being constructed in Scottsdale right now because there are so many players that are coming here,” the Scottsdale resident said. “Many of our national tournaments are held in Arizona so Arizona has a lot going on with pickleball.”
Racket sports have been around a long time. With origins in the 12th century, tennis has grown to be one of the most popular sports in the world. Other racket sports such as badminton and table tennis have been a part of the Summer Olympics for more than 30 years. The racket sport that has gained the most traction among the people of Arizona in the 2020s, however, is pickleball. The growth can be seen throughout the state, with cities such as Goodyear and Surprise offering 6.45 and 5.90 courts per 10,000 people, which rank second and third nationally among cities with a population more than 100,000, according to Pickleball Magazine.
“I’m a grandma,” Lagomarsino said. “I’ve never played sports in high school or anything like that. And I started playing pickleball, and I was hooked and I play every single day. I love the sport, and I want to share it with everybody.”
Pickleball can best be described as a mix of tennis and table tennis, using plastic balls and paddles on a 20-by-44 foot court. Since 2020, pickleball’s American participation has grown to 24.3 million players, an increase of 20 million over a five-year span, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
Source: https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2026/05/05/pickelball-growth-arizona/