On most mornings, the Meycauayan City Commercial Complex in Bulacan welcomes a steady stream of people before the mild rays of the sun become uncomfortably hot.
Bikers and runners begin their daily routine as families and fitness enthusiasts gradually fill up the grounds. Parents carrying toddlers, young adults, and gray- and white-haired seniors find their spots—different generations sharing the same public space seeking recreation, exercise, and community.
Just a few steps away from the main track, a small group gathers at the pickleball court. Players arrive with paddles tucked inside duffel bags, water bottles in hand, and exchange familiar greetings with each other before stepping onto the court.
Most are adults who have made playing the paddle sport part of their morning rituals. Among them are Alex Dizor, JV Pingul, and Jonjon Cortez—friends who once spent much of their free time cycling, running, and swimming.
These men in their 50s are regulars on the pickleball court, where their passion for the new sport grew from curiosity about an unfamiliar game. Their introduction to pickleball began with a chance encounter.
In 2024, Dizor was in Makati when he noticed a group of people playing a game similar to tennis. “Then I heard the distinct ‘tok, tok, tok’ sound,” he said in an interview.
Curious, he took a closer look. The paddles were different from those used in tennis, while the light hollow plastic ball, slightly bigger than a tennis ball, had evenly spaced holes all around. After searching online, he learned that the sport was called pickleball.
A few weeks after another visit to Makati, Dizor headed back to Bulacan carrying a newly purchased net and a set of paddles to introduce the game to his friends in Meycauayan.
Former triathletes
At the time, Dizor and his friends were more engaged in endurance than racket sports. They were triathletes who used to swim, bike and run, according to Pingul. “He (pointing to Dizor) was the reason pickleball was introduced in Meycauayan,” Pingul said.
The appeal of the game was immediate for Cortez. “My friends were mostly bikers and runners. Then someone introduced pickleball to us,” he said. “We tried playing it. Eventually, all of us enjoyed it.”
After a few sessions of trying out the new sport, it soon became part of their daily activities.
According to them, the first court consisted only of lines drawn on rough concrete. As interest in the sport grew, players made voluntary contributions of whatever amount to improve the playing area and acquire equipment. The collective effort eventually led to the formation of the Meycauayan City Pickleball Club (MCPC) in 2024, which introduced the sport to more residents in the city.
Over time, some players who spent weekends on long rides or training runs began spending more time on the pickleball court. The sport gave them a good workout, healthy competition, and a chance to connect with other people. This is the inclusiveness of the sport that aficionados describe.
Pickleball in a nutshell
Created as a backyard game for families six decades ago, pickleball slowly became an international sport. It was introduced in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, making it relatively easy to learn and become competitive.
Pickleball is played on a court measuring roughly 6 meters by 13 meters (20 feet by 44 feet), the same size used in badminton for a doubles match. Players use solid paddles made of graphite, fiberglass, wood, or carbon fiber. The plastic polymer balls typically have 26 holes for indoor play and 40 holes for outdoor play.
The game may be played in singles or doubles, although doubles is the more common format.
Most recreational pickleball games use a scoring system in which only the serving side can score points. The initial serve is an underhand stroke. Games are commonly played to 11 points, but a player or a team must win by at least two points. If the score becomes tied at 10-10, play continues until one side establishes a two-point advantage.
Some tournaments, however, use rally scoring, in which either side can score a point regardless of who served.
A distinctive feature of pickleball is the non-volley zone, called the “kitchen,” and another is the double-bounce rule, which requires both the serve and the return to bounce before volleys are allowed. According to USA Pickleball, these rules encourage longer rallies and emphasize strategy and placement.
Although often described as a blend of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, pickleball has developed its own identity. It also differs from pelota, where the ball is traditionally struck against a wall.
By 2010, the game had grown into an organized international sport with the founding of the International Federation of Pickleball. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association has identified pickleball as one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.
Pickleball invasion
The sport’s visibility has also expanded through popular culture. Television personalities and former professional athletes, including former tennis stars Andre Agassi and John McEnroe, have helped introduce pickleball to a wider sports public. In the Philippines, actress Heart Evangelista and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray have shared their participation in the sport.
The sport’s growth in the Philippines has largely been driven by grassroots communities.
On Feb. 11, 2016, Mandaue City in Cebu hosted the first pickleball clinic in the Philippines led by Sara Ash, a professional pickleball player. Sara introduced the sport to the founders of Philippine Pickleball Federation (PPF), providing them their first portable net, paddles and balls.
According to the PPF, the country’s organized pickleball traces its roots to Street Pickleball Ortigas, which the federation describes as the birthplace of Philippine pickleball. The initiative began in 2018 with a single court marked by chalk lines on Emerald Avenue in Ortigas Center, Pasig, before growing into one of the country’s most active pickleball venues on weekends—from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Currently, the federation’s directory lists 492 member clubs, 46,428 pickleball players, and 427 venues nationwide, reflecting the sport’s rapid expansion. Through clinics, tournaments, and local ambassadors, pickleball has established a presence in schools, sports complexes, residential subdivisions, malls and commercial sports facilities throughout the Philippines.
The sport is relatively easy to learn, requires less space than tennis, and allows players of different ages and athletic backgrounds to compete.
Entry-level pickleball paddles in the Philippines cost around ₱1,000 to ₱3,000, while a pack of balls typically costs ₱250 to ₱600. By comparison, beginner tennis rackets generally range from ₱2,500 to ₱7,000, excluding other equipment.
A pickleball court for beginners typically rents for ₱150 to ₱800 per hour, depending on whether the player chooses open play or a private court rental. Renting a tennis court could cost ₱100 to ₱2,000 per hour for beginners, depending on public or private options. These figures make pickleball a more affordable entry point.
Social media, word-of-mouth recommendations, and the migration of former tennis and badminton players to the sport have further accelerated its growth.
“If you will notice, tennis and badminton players are into pickleball already,” Pingul said.
As more Filipinos discover the sport and more facilities become available, Pingul believes pickleball’s future in the country remains bright.
“It will keep growing and growing. In the future, many talented players will emerge from the Philippines,” he said.
‘All’ in pickleball
Unlike many sports where players are grouped by age or skill level, pickleball brings together people from different generations on the same court. Beginners can play alongside experienced players, while younger participants can compete with adults. Its simple rules and welcoming nature make it easy for people with different levels of experience and athletic backgrounds to play together.
Pingul believes pickleball’s accessibility is one reason it continues to attract new players. “It is easy to learn for people from 3 years old to 99 years old,” he said.
That inclusivity is reflected on courts like the one in Meycauayan, where beginners, their families and friends, and players of different generations share the same space. And that continues to set the sport apart.
“It’s a game for all,” Cortez said. CS
K Cleto, a third-year journalism student at the University of the Philippines’ College of Media and Communication, is an intern at CoverStory.ph.
