Pickleball, America’s fastest-growing sport, has taken Dartmouth by storm. Students of all skill levels find opportunities to hit the courts located near Alumni Gym to play recreationally for a physical education credit or in the College’s intramural league.
The intramural program offers students a chance to compete in a tournament-style competition for those who enjoy the added competitive spirit. According to senior associate athletics director for regulatory affairs and recreation J.B. Weber, 1,096 students have participated in intramural pickleball since it was introduced in the fall of 2023. This summer saw 56 students enroll, making it the second most popular intramural sport behind ice hockey, which is offered in the winter.
Pickleball “is a very welcoming sport,” Weber said. “It is a great way to get to meet and interact with so many students, faculty and staff across Dartmouth’s campus.”
After a series of group-stage games throughout the term, the teams of two are put into a bracket where they face off in single-elimination playoff games. For Alan Lam ’27, the additional competition is an integral part of his pickleball experience.
“I began playing pickleball at public parks at home, where there’d be good competitions,” Lam said. “Intramurals remind me of that because of the competitiveness of the games, especially in the playoffs.”
Despite the competitive intensity, there’s no bad blood on the pickleball courts. In fact, it can foster new friendships and has an inherently social nature. Even though it’s fast paced, the game is easy to pick up, Lam said.
“It doesn’t have a steep learning curve,” Lam said. “The skill gap isn’t huge, which is important because you can play without having any experience.”
In the intramural leagues, there is a welcoming culture that encourages players to play regardless of their skill level.
“I really like how there’s a good mix of people to play whatever your skill set is, and it’s relatively easy to get pretty good at it,” Max Winzelberg ’27 said.
Pickleball is also a way for former tennis players, like Jayesh Choudhary ’27, to continue playing a racquet sport without the intense physical demands of tennis.
“I grew up playing tennis, and I first got into pickleball with a couple of friends back home,” Choudhary said. “It felt like a more relaxed version of tennis: you can still compete, but it’s way more chill and social.”
For those looking to get better at pickleball, Devan Amin ’27 recommends mastering the art of dinking: hitting the ball into the opposing team’s “kitchen” — the half of the court closest to the net — so that the other team cannot volley the ball back. According to Amin, placing the ball closer to the net prevents the other team from being on the offensive and thus puts players at an advantage.
“It’s really important to practice dinking if you want to get better at pickleball,” Amin said. “It’s what separates good players from great ones.”
All of the intramural players encourage others to try the game out and have fun, regardless of experience.
“Most people who play intramural are beginners, so just showing up and trying your best is what matters,” Lam said.
Lam reached the semifinals of this summer’s tournament, held on August 12, but fell to the championship winners, William Stafford ’27 and Charlie Phillips ’27. The pair have been playing together since their freshman fall, when they lost to the fall intramural tournament’s eventual winners in the semi-finals. That chemistry, as well as grit and determination on the court, contributed to their victory this summer.
“We had a really tough semi-final matchup against two well-drilled guys, but we showed grit to beat them,” Stafford said. “There were moments where we showed mental and physical fatigue, but we stayed focused and together, and that’s what really won us the game.”
Students can look forward to more pickleball in the fall. There will be two leagues, allowing students to choose according to their schedules and skill levels. Moreover, Weber stated that “there could be more added” depending on interest.
Students can also expect an expansion of pickleball in the future. Already, moves have been made to expand facilities for the sport at Dartmouth: the College recently added two new pickleball courts by painting pickleball lines on the basketball court behind the existing pickleball courts, Weber said.
More broadly, Dartmouth may become a pioneer in competitive pickleball by creating a club team — a very reachable feat given the widespread interest.
“Dartmouth could be one of the first teams in New Hampshire to be an official part of [collegiate] USA Pickleball,” Weber said. “Now there just needs to be a group of students interested in making club pickleball happen!”
Sid Singh ’27 is a sports editor and reporter. He is from Bethesda, Md. and Singapore and is majoring in Economics and Quantitative Social Science. Sid is also an engagement manager for Consult Your Community and a member of the Raaz dance team.
