Summertime on the campus of Iowa State University is often very quiet and a huge change from the 10 months of large numbers of students.
One area that quiets down is intramural sports. However, one of the fastest-growing sports in America is giving students who are on campus for the summer an opportunity to learn the sport and compete for an intramural t-shirt.
“Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports, and the reason is that it is a sport for anybody and everybody,” intramural coordinator Kourtney Graham said.
Pickleball is very similar to tennis, but played on a shorter court. The game is best played with a partner, and there are lines where the ball can’t be hit into. The games go to 11 points.
The shorter court and the fact that the game is relatively easy to learn and easier to play than tennis could be a strong reason for the sport’s explosion in popularity.
The other benefit of pickleball is that it can be played indoors and outdoors. Intramural pickleball at Iowa State was played indoors at State Gym.
Intramural pickleball is one of many ways to stay active in the summer, while being able to meet other college students and staff as well. Iowa State hosted 36 teams in total; nine were student teams, while 27 were composed of faculty from Iowa State.
The duration of intramural pickleball started on June 8-29. The format was set up to have pool play, then a tournament at the end.
Along with the competitive nature of pickleball, there is also a strong social aspect, as with any other sport.
“Pickleball can be competitive, but also casual and controversial, which really adds another aspect of camaraderie to the game,” junior Kael Blanchard said.
Blanchard and his doubles partner, Kale Riherd, were able to win the tournament after a long battle of winning games in both pool play and then the final tournament at the end.
“Winning the tournament itself did bring a rush of relief, and my first ever coveted intramural championship t-shirt,” Blanchard said.
It is always fascinating to see the different motivations of all intramural participants for the games. Most people are there to have fun and enjoy intramurals, while some focus more on winning.
The main glue that keeps intramurals going is the overall enjoyment in the experience, while still being able to get a good level of physical activity and interacting with people. This seems to be a very consistent answer for people who participate in intramurals.
“The goal of the Iowa State intramural program is to bring together the students and faculty of the university in a fun and competitive way,” Blanchard said.
There is also a strong possibility that pickleball will return for fall intramurals, as it was one of the intramurals featured in the fall of 2025. Pickleball is on the rise at Iowa State, and the hope is to continue bringing people together through their shared love for it.
