Last year, Mark McDonald learned just how tight-knit San Antonio’s pickleball community could be when his then-fiancé suffered pregnancy complications that ended the pregnancy.
The same day, McDonald, who coaches the sport, was scheduled to participate in a tournament and intended to cancel. Although he originally planned to remain quiet about the reason, emotion got the better of him, and he told the owners of the site holding the tournament about the heartbreaking loss of his unborn son.
“Within 20 minutes, I had everybody reaching out to me in the community, asking, ‘What can we do?’ ‘Are you alright?’ ‘Anything you need, let us know,’” McDonald said. “The community came together. There were some that I didn’t even talk to on a daily basis who reached out.”
Fans of the fast-growing sport remember the days before the pandemic, when pickleball-focused bar and restaurant chain Chicken N Pickle, 5215 UTSA Boulevard, was one of the few options for top-quality courts and players often had to drive across town for a court.
Since then, San Antonio’s pickleball scene has grown to 200 courts spread across 29 venues, according to the website courtsource.us. The city offers a mix of free municipal courts in addition to commercial ones. Additionally, 12 venues offer indoor courts for year-round play.
That brisk growth mirrors a national trend.
With 24 million active players, pickleball has emerged as the nation’s fastest-growing sport, according to the Sports Fitness & Industry Association. Meanwhile, the number of outdoor public pickleball courts in major cities exploded by 650% from 1998 to 2024, according to the Trust for Public Land.
Created in 1965, pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. Its relatively compact court means less running than tennis, and the underhand serve makes it easier on players.
Driving the popularity, the game is easy to learn and gentle on the body, which allows players of all ages to enjoy it, according to enthusiasts. The games also play quickly and don’t require big investments in equipment.
Beyond the ease of play, however, pickleball also offers a sense of connection and a way for people young and old to socialize, McDonald said.
“We all go through troubles in life outside of this court. [Pickleball] is something we do for fun, right?” McDonald said. “People need community, that’s why this sport continues to grow, especially here in San Antonio.”
Filling a need
Earlier this year, Brian Birdy opened a 24,000-square-foot pickleball facility at 5131 Beckwith Blvd. near the University of Texas at San Antonio as a franchise operation of the Dill Dinkers chain.
He’d previously opened a separate Dill Dinkers site in the Blanco Market area at 18450 Blanco Road, Suite 101.
Birdy became a franchisee for the Maryland-based company after he and his wife became addicted to the sport in 2020. At the time, they played at Chicken N Pickle and in their own backyard.
Birdy said he and his wife noticed they weren’t the only fans looking for new facilities. Demand was surging — especially as younger players discovered the sport.
“I told [my wife], look around, the age of the room has dramatically dropped,” he recalled.
San Antonio’s two Dill Dinkers sites are built for tournament play, and the staff focuses on both the development of skilled players and bringing new ones into the sport.
By offering structured open-play rotations, competitive tournaments and social events, Birdy said Dill Dinkers has built a multi-generational community around the sport, which can range from retirees to teens and even working adults who play during their lunch breaks.
Technology and accessible play
San Antonio’s appetite for the sport also caught the eye of national brand the Picklr, which opened a location in Live Oak this May. The facility at 16648 San Pedro Ave. features 14 indoor courts, including an ADA-accessible championship court created for high-level competition and wheelchair accessibility.
The Utah-based Picklr brand, which has sites in 25 states, places a high emphasis on bringing new technology to the sport, according to brand ambassador Madonel R. Pascual.
In addition to its ADA-accessible championship court, the facility will feature the “Wingfield” artificial intelligence system plus a three-camera network installed on each court that tracks line calls, keeps score and evaluates each player’s skill metrics.
A 24-year U.S. Army veteran, Pascual understands the appeal of pickleball for those who seek exercise and camaraderie but don’t want to engage in a high-impact sport. Injuries during his military career left him with arthritis in his neck, back, elbows and knees.
“I play pickleball for physical therapy and wellness and health,” Pascual said. “While playing, I’m working on my joints, my mobility, and the motion of my arms and legs.”
Using the ADA-compliant courts at the Picklr’s 34,000-square-foot indoor center, Pascual is also trying to create a team of adaptive players, even in a hybrid format that allows players without disabilities to play alongside wheelchair athletes.
While technology and corporate backing continue to professionalize pickleball and feed its expansion, the soul of the game remains its community.
“It’s a social thing where families can come together and play as a family,” Pascual said. “You can have your kids, parents, aunts, uncles play, and we’ve had birthday parties here.”
McDonald, the coach, agrees.
He struggled with drinking problems in his youth and is reaching a milestone this month by staying sober for two and a half years. He credits support from the pickleball community for helping him reach the achievement.
“Everybody is willing to help with anything you’re going through,” McDonald said. “It’s just such a healthy outlet … . What it does is it takes you out there and keeps you active.”
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