Pickleball has been one of the best recreational sports globally over the past five years. Played with a paddle and a whiffle ball, the game can be picked up by an individual of any age group and rally it out on the concrete turf. The whiffle ball used in Pickleball is one of the highlights of the sports, as its perforated architecture contributes the unique aerodynamics of the game. So is it the same as Pukaball?
The United States of America (USA) was the first country where the exponential rise of the sport’s popularity was first witnessed. One of the states to embrace this sport was Hawaii. The Oahu Pickleball Association governs the sport in Hawaii. Owing to its spirit of Aloha, the Hawaiian community embraced the sport with open arms. When they were first intrduced to the sport, they were clearly fascinated by a bouncing ball that had as many holes. In Hawaii, a hole is also called “puka”. Thus, the locals of Hawaii fondly refer Pickleball as Pukaball.
According to Pickleball Magazine, Hawaii now has 800 adult Pickleball players. At least 50 tennis and volleyball facilities have been converted to Pickleball courts. The community also launched a “Pukaball Hawaii” after-school program for kids to indulge in the sport. Hawaii has been consistently hosting state championships since 2020. The tournament attracts an overwhelming cunt of over 50,000 spectators that are gathered to see over 200 athlete’s in action. These athletes mostly fall in the ae group of 18 to 49 years.
As eccentric as it may sound, but Pukaball has certainly been one of the cornerstones of Pickleball’s growth. The latest Pukaball tournament was held in Muai in Hawaii.
