In the world of many sports available to people living in Dublin, it is hard to choose a main sport. Some people might participate in classic, more traditional sports. These include basketball, soccer, cricket, and baseball. However, some modern sports are on the rise.
Pickleball
The fastest-growing sport. Pickleball is a fun way to socialize while breaking a sweat. It is similar to tennis, but the court is smaller and the rackets are plastic. Its low-impact movement makes it likable to older people and younger beginners.
In 1965, pickleball originated in the backyard of Joel Pritchard, a congressman, who decided that weekend to use a badminton court as a new sport. Along with Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, the three used ping pong paddles, a perforated ball, and a lowered badminton net. Though some people think pickleball is similar to tennis, the founders created rules using a base derived from badminton. Fast forward 2 years, and the first permanent pickleball court was built in the backyard of Pritchard’s neighbor.
In 2013, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) reached a record 4,701 members, and by 2015, the association surpassed a membership of 10,000.
In 2019, the “USAPA reaches almost 40,000 members by the end of the year, a 1,000% growth rate since [the] beginning of 2013.” According to reports on USA pickleball, the sport has spread to 15,910 courts nationwide, a 4,000-member increase from last year alone.
Fallon Middle School has gotten into the action as the nets hung on the pillars of the new solar panels. The compact courts make it easy for the P.E. department to accommodate the large number of students in each class.
Although pickleball is on the rise, there are some complaints. For one, pickleball has been taking over public tennis courts. Tennis player Adam Si complains, “It takes up space on tennis courts. If you are gonna play pickleball, play on a pickleball court.”
Golf
The largest-growing sport. “Golf is 90% mental and 10% physical.” Despite being labeled as “one of the most difficult sports to play well,” golf is nevertheless growing in popularity. This social sport is most vaguely defined as the sport where people swing clubs and hit balls at real and/or virtual targets. Golf has traditionally been an expensive sport. Throughout the years, golf has become far more accessible, thus gaining large traction among less (but not limited to) wealthy communities.
The modern game of golf is said to have originated back in the 15th century, Scotland. However, the true beginning can be traced back to the Roman game of paganica, in which participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball.
Today, a round of golf typically consists of 18 holes, each with a par or standard based on its yardage. Most likely, par is 72 strokes for a round of golf. Opposite to most games, the lower the score, the better. To earn a lower score, players must make the ball into the hole in the least number of strokes. This may be done with a maximum set of 14 clubs. Each club is used for different distances, and each gust of wind or elevation is reserved for your consideration. This is where golf becomes a test of your mental capability and not your physical. Each hole ends with a flag that marks the cup, measuring 4.25 inches in diameter. This makes the sport a test of precision.
The Coronavirus was one of the biggest factors contributing to the sudden increase in interest in golf. During the pandemic, the sport’s outdoor environment and because it is non-contact, made it safe enough to continue even when social distancing practices were at their height. As a result, many people have turned to golf as a way to stay fit. This was the first spike in popularity since Tiger Woods made a name for himself in 1996. In a report by the National Golf Foundation, 47.2 million people over the age of 6 have played either on or off the course. The rate of beginners has increased as well. Before COVID, about 2.5 million people were beginners each year. Since COVID, that rate has changed to 3 million per year.
Unsurprisingly, Fallon Middle School has its own golf team. These young golfers are back-to-back champions of the Tri-Valley Athletic League. Tyler Chow, one of the golfers who has been on the Fallon Golf Team through sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, remarks, “My favorite part is the mental aspect, and seeing yourself improve every day.”
Flag football
The fastest-growing women’s sport. Flag football, the alternative to tackle football, is the safer way to enjoy the thrills of the NFL. The sport has grown to be in the Summer Olympics.
Originating in the 1940s during World War II, soldiers brought home this new game after playing it for recreation. It was originally called “Touch and Tail” before the soldiers returned, and the name was changed to “flag football.”
The game is played on a smaller field measuring 70 x 30 yards, excluding the 10 yards on each end marking the end zone. The normal NFL field measures 100 x 53.3 yards. Flag pulling replaces tackling. This removes the need for protective gear, making it more accessible for people. Unlike normal American football, in Flag, players have 4 downs to reach the half mark. If successful, players have another 4 downs to reach the endzone. A touchdown is 6 points, and the team has a choice to go for one from the 5-yard line or two from the 10-yard line. The game is played in two 20-minute halves, and if the score is tied after 40 minutes, it goes to sudden death.
The sport has grown over the last few years. Youth participation has increased in flag football as it has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the country. According to NFL Flag, “the number of 6-to-12-year-olds playing has increased by 38 percent, to more than 1.5 million, since 2015. And NFL FLAG is leading the way as the largest flag football league in the U.S., with more than 1,800 leagues in 50 states.”
The growth in women’s participation has also increased. According to NFHS, “In 2023, about 500,000 girls ages 6-17 played flag football – a 63 percent increase since 2019.” The impact of women on the sport has grown further than the youth participation. Flag football will be introduced to the Summer Olympics in 2028. Team USA are two-time world champions but they were beaten by Mexico in 2022.
Women have also been represented playing Flag in commercials. Mexico’s quarterback, Diana Flores, was in a commercial during the 2023 Super Bowl, evading many people who were trying to pull her flag.
Fallon students have an opportunity to play Flag football during PE as well as in high school for girls. In California high schools, including Emerald High School (EHS) and Dublin High School (DHS), flag football is reserved as a varsity sport for girls only. 8th grader, Alexis Lai, a great quarterback herself, said, “I wanna play flag football in high school.”
In conclusion, pickleball, golf, and flag football have emerged in the modern world as the fastest growing sports for different reasons. Pickleball for its low-impact exercise, golf because of the Coronavirus, and flag football due to its appeal to women. These sports are on the rise bringing thousands of people together to exercise and have fun.
Sources:
Pickleball
Golf
Flag Football
Flag Football