It’s said to be the fastest growing sport in the U.S. and it’s finally catching on in Coeur d’Alene.

Pickleball—a combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong—made its Lake City debut recently with the opening of McEuen Park and courts will soon be striped for the game at Northshire Park in western Coeur d’Alene.

“It’s growing by leaps and bounds and Coeur d’Alene is way behind the curve in catching up with the popularity of it,” said Ken Heydon, an avid Pickleball player who deems himself an ambassador for the sport.

Played on a tennis court with striping that reduces the play area, Pickleball players use solid wooden paddles to bat a wiffle ball over a tennis net. “Visualize yourself standing on ping pong table and playing—that’s about as accurate as you get.”

During a broadcast on NBC news earlier this year, Pickleball was deemed America’s fastest growing sport. And it’s much more than a competition, Heydon said, it’s a social event for people of all ages.

“I’ve played 10-year-old kid the other day and two courts down a 93-year- old gentleman,” he said. “A majority of the average novice players are 60-75 years old.”

Pickleball is easier to learn than tennis but equally as challenging to excel at the game.