Celebration of National Pickleball Day 2025, Initiated by Its Creator Dee Morris
Celebrating National Pickleball Day: A Tribute to a Growing Sport
Every year on August 8th, pickleball enthusiasts across the United States come together to celebrate National Pickleball Day. This day was founded in 2021 by Deirdre Morris, an American pickleball instructor, to honour the sport's origins and promote its growth, community spirit, and health benefits.
The choice of August 8th was symbolic, as it marks the year pickleball was first played in 1965, and also serves as a reminder of the sport's rapid growth in recent years, making it the fastest-growing sport in the U.S.
Deirdre Morris, fondly known as "Dee," teaches and coordinates group events at the Walnut Creek Pickleball club, based out of Rudgear park in Walnut Creek, California. Dee herself started playing pickleball in 2015 and noticed that there was no official day dedicated to the sport. After some research, she applied for National Pickleball Day through the National Archives.
In 2023, National Pickleball Day started gaining recognition, and the first sanctioned tournament was held in Concord. The day really gained awareness in 2024. Dee produced a video celebrating National Pickleball Day, which is available on YouTube. This year, National Pickleball Day falls on August 9th, 2025, and the Walnut Creek club is hosting a pizza party to celebrate.
Dee considers playing, teaching, or giving back to the community as the purpose of National Pickleball Day. She retired last year and now considers pickleball her "retirement job." Dee is a Certified Pickleball instructor and USA Pickleball ambassador, and she didn't come from tennis or racquet sports; pickleball was a new experience for her.
National Pickleball Day is meant to bring awareness to the sport and to give back by hosting events, teaching, or donating equipment. It's a day to celebrate the sport's heritage and community in the U.S., though some local celebrations may vary, such as the 2025 event on August 9th in Fort St. John, Canada. Despite these variations, August 8th remains the nationally recognized date for honoring pickleball’s heritage and community in the U.S.
Post publishing corrections were made about Dee's details. It was revealed that Dee chose August 8th as the date for National Pickleball Day because it was already being celebrated by the Canadians on that day in 2020.
As the 5th annual National Pickleball Day is being celebrated this year, it's a testament to the sport's growing popularity and the spirit of community that Dee envisioned when she founded the day. So, whether you're a seasoned player or a beginner, grab a paddle and join in the fun!
- After establishing National Pickleball Day in 2021, Dee Morris, the USA Pickleball ambassador, has been instrumental in promoting the sport's lifestyle and growth across various sports-analysis platforms, including home-and-garden magazines and lifestyle blogs.
- This year, as the Walnut Creek Pickleball Club hosts events to celebrate National Pickleball Day, they aim to showcase the sport's integration into various aspects of our lives, proving it to be more than just a sport—it's a vibrant part of our home-and-garden, sports, and lifestyle.
