On any given night near the Heskett Center courts, passersby can hear the familiar popping of the latest sports craze — pickleball.
Pickleball is a paddle-based game that is played with up to four players on both indoor and outdoor courts, and according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the sport has grown in popularity and participation by over 158% over the past three years.
In the greater Wichita area, that popularity is reflected in the Chicken N Pickle that opened in 2019, and the pickleball courts at the Heskett Center that opened in the fall of 2021.