Popularity of pickleball continues to grow in east Idaho, with goal of eventually becoming a high school sport

IDAHO FALLS – Is there a sport more fun than pickleball?

Judging by the non-stop action at the Spitfire Pickleball courts on a recent Thursday night, it’s hard to imagine a sport more inclusive and entertaining.

It’s no wonder pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the country.

“I love pickleball,” said Lincoln Brunson, an eighth grader from Shelley, who’s playing in the American Youth Pickleball Organization. “My friends, they love it.”

Pickleball is a cross between tennis and ping pong, played with small paddles and a plastic ball.

The league is in its third year and features eight teams from area high schools, as well as a few middle school players like Brunson, who plays on the Shelley team.

The league competes at Spitfire Pickleball in Idaho Falls on Thursdays, and h