The USA Pickleball is the first major governing body of the sport globally. It was founded in 1984 as the United States Amateur Pickleball Association by Bryan Olson and Sid Williams at its helm.
The USA Pickleball is also said to be the chief authority in deciding, framing, and revising the laws and rules of pickleball globally. The first edition of the USA Pickleball Association Official Tournament Rulebook rolled out in 2008. Annually, it gets revised and is considered to be the guidance document for players and coaches.
The organization is headquartered in Arizona (Surprise) with Mike Nealy as it’s chief executive officer. Over 78,000 players are registered with USA Pickleball. It hosts Pickleball events of different tiers that sees the participation of leading pickleball players.
The National Championship Series is the top tier of these events governed by USA Pickleball. It features six regional championships held in different regions of the country. Golden Ticket Events refer to those tournaments that set the path for the players to make it to the National Championship Series.
The Diamond Amateur Series comes next, which features the champions of various amateur regional tournaments held across the country. A win in the Diamond Amateur Series qualifies the player for the following year’s National Championship Series. The National Indoor Championships is another regional tier event that changes its venue annually.
USA Pickleball continues to be the leading official body of Pickleball. Not only does it lay out the rules of the game, but is also sets up regulatory standards for players, their equipment, and officiating protocols.
