A milestone was reached on February 23rd, 2024, as Pickleball Australia celebrated a membership milestone of 10,000 official members.
This commendable achievement owes much to the concerted efforts of our State Associations and their network of affiliates, comprising clubs, associations, community groups, and businesses. Their relentless endeavors at the grassroots level have been instrumental in propelling participation.
But why does the figure 10,000 carry such significance?
It symbolises not just a numerical threshold but the embodiment of active engagement. These are not mere casual players; rather, they are committed members who have formally joined their local clubs by acquiring memberships, entailing affiliation with both their State Association and Pickleball Australia. These members enjoy an expanding array of benefits from both entities, hinting at a promising trajectory for the community.
To illustrate the rapid growth witnessed over the past year:
- The year 2023 commenced with slightly over 4,000 Pickleball Australia members.
- By the end of 2023, our ranks swelled by 99.7%, surging past 8,000 members.
- By the onset of January 2024, we breached the 9,000-member mark.
- Within a span of six weeks thereafter, we reached the milestone of 10,000 members.
- Presently, as of March 12th, our membership stands at 10,447.
Curious about the leading clubs/associations in Australia by membership count? Here are the top five:
- Gold Coast Pickleball Association (QLD) - 783 members
- Northern Beaches Pickleball Association (NSW) - 722 members
- Brisbane Pickleball Club (QLD) - 611 members
- Sunshine Coast Pickleball Club (QLD) - 589 members
- Pickleball in the Park (NSW) - 443 members
And where does Australia rank on the global stage in terms of official membership numbers?
- USA: 78,766 official members (December 2023)
- Canada: 50,000 (June 2023)
- England: 8,000 (February 2024)