Although almost unheard of in other parts of the world, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, attracting players from young to old. Research about motivation and participation behaviors of pickleball players, including how they use technology is, thus far, understudied. The present work examined motivation of pickleball players and level and type of technology use, focusing on age-related differences. 479 pickleball players completed a survey including the ENJOY Scale, questions about their technology use related to pickleball and demographic information. Although all age groups expressed high levels of intrinsic motivation for pickleball, younger players (<44 years of age) expressed higher levels of Pleasure, Competence and Challenge than did older players (>65 years). Feelings of Relatedness and Engagement did not differ between the younger and older group. Younger and older groups were also more likely to use technologies, such as social media, to enhance their pickleball experience than were middle aged adults (45 to 64 years). Those who reported technology use reported higher levels of motivation on all ENJOY Scale dimensions. The current study provided information about the behavior of pickleball players across age groups. As the sport continues to grow and become more professionalized, more research is needed.

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Understanding Pickleball: Player User Experience, Motivation, and Use of Technology by Age

  • Barbara Chaparro,
  • Christina Frederick,
  • Barbara Cazzolli,
  • Abigail Threatt

摘要

Although almost unheard of in other parts of the world, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States, attracting players from young to old. Research about motivation and participation behaviors of pickleball players, including how they use technology is, thus far, understudied. The present work examined motivation of pickleball players and level and type of technology use, focusing on age-related differences. 479 pickleball players completed a survey including the ENJOY Scale, questions about their technology use related to pickleball and demographic information. Although all age groups expressed high levels of intrinsic motivation for pickleball, younger players (<44 years of age) expressed higher levels of Pleasure, Competence and Challenge than did older players (>65 years). Feelings of Relatedness and Engagement did not differ between the younger and older group. Younger and older groups were also more likely to use technologies, such as social media, to enhance their pickleball experience than were middle aged adults (45 to 64 years). Those who reported technology use reported higher levels of motivation on all ENJOY Scale dimensions. The current study provided information about the behavior of pickleball players across age groups. As the sport continues to grow and become more professionalized, more research is needed.