In an Instagram post, the official Asbury University Intramurals account (@asburyintramurals) announced that they would be building on their spring schedule by adding pickleball to their existing catalog of volleyball and basketball.
Pickleball, one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States, has been made popular by seniors over the age of 60 and people under the age of 30, spurred on by its explosion on social media. The Asbury University Athletics Department added to the statistic in the 2022-2023 school year by adding it as a club sport.
The club team has been growing in both size and popularity on campus, even sending three doubles teams and two singles to the Association of Pickleball Players (APP) 2024 Collegiate Championships on Jan. 3 and 4.
Coach Zeke Friedman received an email from the APP Collegiate director, inviting the team to demonstrate its skills and compete with 25 other college pickleball teams at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, Ind. for the Championships.
Although Asbury was eliminated on the first day of the two-day event, junior Eden Wilson, the club team captain, regards the losses as a means of growth: “It was still really fun, and we learned a lot. It’s always good to read other teams instead of your same team just to see where you’re weak, see where you’re strong. It was a really cool experience.”
Having sensed the stir on Asbury’s campus, the intramural staff has stepped forward and vocalized their decision to add another sport to the spring season. Anna Thatcher, one of the managers on the intramural staff team, states, “It allows students who don’t have time or ability to play for the club sport to have the opportunity come play a game they enjoy.” Beyond the rising enthusiasm on the part of the students, Thatcher speaks for the entire leadership team when she says, “I’m really excited to see how this new addition increases participation and enjoyment in intramural sports!” Thatcher also mentions that many students have already signed up and are excited to play.
With the news of the places the club team is going, and adding the sport as an intramural, there have been positive responses from students, whether they play on the club pickleball team or are simply looking forward to its place next to the other sports. Wilson says in response to the new addition, “Anyone can play, and then anyone can get good if they want to. So, I’m glad that more people can go out and have fun doing it for intramurals, and it’s low pressure.”
By the end of this intramural season, if any students are interested, they can join Asbury’s club pickleball team. Wilson herself played in high school as well as intramural pickleball at Asbury Theological Seminary, before joining Asbury’s club team her sophomore year. She mentions the aspect of fun that goes into any sport but makes sure to stress how seriously the club team takes the game. It becomes more than a game.
Wilson says, “We’re just trying to do something to push people to grow—grow athletically, grow in fellowship and community.” This quality expands further than the pickleball program; the entire club sports branch of athletics here at Asbury (which includes roundnet, disc golf and ultimate). Pickleball will be the second of the club sports to join intramurals, preceded by roundnet.
See the pickleball spirit moving through campus by watching an intramural match on Wednesday and Thursday nights in the Luce Center gymnasium.