Chicago-area man inducted into 2023 Pickleball Hall of Fame
New book draws parallels between Pickleball and life
A lot of athletes say sometimes they learn more about themselves and the people in their lives after playing a sport. The game of pickleball has been exploding, and one woman says since picking up a paddle, she has learned more about herself than she ever imagined. PJ Weiland, author of the "Dinking thru Life: Lessons from the Pickleball Court", joined Good Day Chicago to talk about her new book.
CHICAGO - It's been called the fastest growing sport in the country. Some say pickleball's recent success can be attributed to one Illinois man.
A long time Riverwoods resident, Seymour Rifkind, was among five people inducted into the 2023 Pickleball Hall of Fame.
Rifkind, also known as Rif, has been called the godfather of modern day pickleball.
Rif started the first professional teaching organization in the sport of pickleball, IPTPA (International Pickleball Teaching Professional Organization) back in 2015.
In 2017, Rif founded the Pickleball Hall of Fame as he and several other colleagues recognized that many of the greatest players and contributors going back to 1965, when the game was invented.
The World Pickleball Federation WPF was also founded by Rif just year later, his third not-for-profit corporation in the name of the sport he loves.
He continues efforts to bring pickleball to the Olympic stage.
The awards dinner and induction ceremony will take place Nov. 9 in Plano, Texas, in conjunction with the USA Pickleball National Championships.