Purdue Pickleball Club’s Competitive Rise: Purdue University’s Pickleball Club has seen remarkable growth, expanding from a small group of players to over 300 members in just a year. Founded in 2023, the club now provides students of all skill levels with opportunities to play, compete, and connect with a thriving community at the CoRec. The rapid expansion reflects pickleball’s nationwide surge, with CNBC reporting over 36 million players in the U.S.
“There’s three things that make it so popular. The first is it has been the largest growing sport in America. The second thing that makes it so popular is the accessibility. It’s a very low barrier to entry in sports. It’s not hard to learn, it’s not the most physical sport.” – (Sebastian Accetta, club’s vice president)
Building a Community Through Pickleball
Accetta joined the club in 2023 when it had just 55 members.
“I transferred to Purdue as a sophomore, and I was looking to get involved on campus. I really enjoyed pickleball, so I reached out to the old president of the club.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
Since then, the club has grown nearly sixfold, with open-play sessions welcoming players of all levels. The club’s $25 membership fee grants access to club events and equipment is provided, allowing students to play without additional costs. The social aspect is a major draw.
“The court’s so small you have conversations while you’re playing between points. There’s a good community of people mixing into games.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
Even Purdue faculty get involved in the action.
“Professors or Purdue faculty will go to the CoRec, and we’ll have people from our club play them. We call it professor play. It’s a really good community to meet people and get to do something fun and hang out.” – (Caleb Yeung, captain of the competitive team)
Limited Space and Financial Challenges
Despite its growth, the club faces logistical hurdles. The CoRec provides $700 per semester for club expenses, but the primary challenge is securing playing space. Purdue has only nine indoor pickleball courts, and the club is allotted six for three hours on Thursdays.
“There are nine mat courts inside, we only get six of them. There’s three reserved for general people.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
To address this, the club worked with Purdue’s recreation department to create additional outdoor courts.
“We actually petitioned for the outside courts. We worked with recreation and wellness to get those built. I helped them figure out what nets, what dimensions and how many courts they should put in.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
Competitive Team Faces Tournament Challenges
The club’s competitive team, consisting of 32 players, competes in regional and national collegiate tournaments.
“We have to determine which regionals we can feasibly make it to. We’re going to try those regionals where we have the best chance of getting a bid. We were lucky enough this year to get bids for all three national tournaments.” – (Caleb Yeung)
Attending these tournaments requires significant financial planning. Travel and entry fees for national competitions cost thousands of dollars, and players often miss class to compete.
“Money can definitely be a constraint. We would like to go to more tournaments if we had the available funding. But we just don’t have that much money because we raise it all ourselves.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
Matches at these tournaments are intense, lasting from morning until late evening.
“After the first day, your body is hurting, you’re aching and sore. You have all that adrenaline coming out of your body. Singles are really killer, you’re sprinting around the court trying to hit passing shots down the line.” – (Caleb Yeung)
Pickleball Club Strengthens Campus Bonds
Despite challenges, Purdue’s Pickleball Club continues to flourish, bringing students together through their shared love of the sport.
“I’ve seen countless friendships made through the club. People come out all the time. All these people are just introducing themselves, making new friendships.” – (Sebastian Accetta)
As pickleball continues to grow across the country, Purdue’s club stands as a testament to the sport’s appeal and the strong community it fosters on campus.
News in Brief: Purdue Pickleball Club’s Competitive Rise
Purdue’s Pickleball Club has grown from 55 to over 300 members since 2023, reflecting the sport’s nationwide rise. The club fosters a strong social community despite space and financial constraints. Its competitive team competes in regional and national pickleball tournaments, showcasing the sport’s rising popularity among college students.
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