VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Carlos Rodriguez loves pickleball.

“I love getting out here and running around, throwing my body around,” he said.

And the Beach resident is good at it—very good. He’s ranked ninth in the world in the 50+ singles pro division.

While 2025 marks the 60th year the sport has been around, it has recently become the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.

“I call it tennis light, ping pong standing on the table, or badminton on a low net,” said co-owner of Pickleball Virginia Beach, Jim Aldrich.

Watch related: Beach elementary students start first pickleball club Beach elementary students start first pickleball club

The game was invented in 1965 in Washington state by a group of families on vacation. The kids were bored, so the parents gave them some ping pong paddles an

See Full Page