Saddleback College Embraces Pickleball in the Classroom, But Not as a Sport

Pickleball is now considered one of the quickest-rising sports in America, entering not only retirement communities but public recreation centers, high schools, and college campuses. Although Saddleback College recognizes pickleball as a part of their kinesiology curriculum, it is important to state that Saddleback College has not established a competitive team in this increasingly popular sport.

At Saddleback College, pickleball is currently being offered solely for academic and recreational purposes and not for intercollegiate or club sport programs. At present, Saddleback College offers a variety of pickleball classes under Kinesiology (KNES). Some of these include Beginning Pickleball (KNES 187), which is a one-unit course; Intermediate Pickleball (KNES 188); and Advanced Pickleball (KNES 190); all of which are transferable to any of the California State University campuses for physical education or lifetime wellness credit.

Apart from the typical kinesiology programs, pickleball is offered in the Adapted Kinesiology course, where students with physical disabilities can participate in adaptive sports such as basketball, soccer, floor hockey, and pickleball. The variety of levels in both course offerings demonstrates an Saddleback College attitude towards pickleball, which embraces this sport not for competition, but for recreational purposes.

However, despite all this academic support, pickleball is surprisingly not part of Saddleback’s official athletic department. The Saddleback Bobcats have athletic programs such as baseball, basketball, soccer, tennis, and swimming, but pickleball is not among them. Additionally, a search on their official website of student life shows that there is no official pickleball club team among their students.

Such a strategy differs greatly when contrasted with other universities in the country which have adopted pickleball at a competitive level.

Drury University in Missouri marked a milestone in being the very first in the United States to establish a varsity pickleball team with professional pickleball champion and former tennis coach Jarrod Smith at the helm. Their pickleball team is given all the attention any other sport gets in colleges.

Additionally, Mississippi College launched a NCAA Division II varsity pickleball team; this is a major milestone towards recognizing pickleball in college games. The college management explained that they initiated the project due to the fast-rising popularity of pickleball among students.

Some other colleges have considered a club sport model. One of the most successful college pickleball teams in the country is a part of the University of Texas at Austin. UT’s team won a DUPR Collegiate National Championship, playing against over 60 teams in the country. Although not a varsity sport, they have official rosters, travel, and competition at a collegiate level.

Closer to Saddleback’s location, Grand Canyon University operates a pickleball club under its Club Sports umbrella. They offer a more organized team structure with a roster, playing schedule, and social media presence and offer competitive matches with other college teams in the southwestern part of America.

The contrast between Saddleback and these universities reveals a larger dynamic in college sport. While community colleges may focus on providing access, physical education, and student wellness, colleges with more budget and a sports department can more readily invest in a new sport. Pickleball, being a rather new addition to college sports, can begin life at a college as a course or recreational event before being organized into a club or varsity sport.

As USA Pickleball reports, over 100 colleges and universities have a pickleball club on campus, which continues to climb each year. A common path for these programs is a progression from educational classes to a student-driven club, which sometimes culminates in official recognition status.

As far as Saddleback College is concerned, the resources are already in place. The pickleball-capable courts and different levels of education available to students are already established and in constant demand. Further involvement in this sport might require students to organize a pickleball club in an attempt to compete with other local colleges such as Irvine Valley College or Orange Coast College.

At this point, pickleball at Saddleback is an in-class activity rather than a competition sport. However, with other colleges in the country taking pickleball to a team and competition level, the current state of pickleball at Saddleback could be seen as a beginning of a future possibility of going beyond class instruction.

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