Pickleball, once a niche backyard game played mostly by retirees, has become one of the fastest-growing sports in America. According to national participation data, the sport has exploded across parks, schools, and recreation centers throughout the country, with millions of Americans now regularly picking up a paddle.

That growth is beginning to ripple into communities like New Glarus, where local nonprofit New Glarus Cares has begun planning a new pickleball complex that could become one of the town’s most popular recreational spaces in the years ahead.