Wasatch High students pioneer region’s first high school pickleball team

Wasatch High School's inaugural pickleball club team. Photo: Randi Stephens

HEBER CITY, Utah — The first high school pickleball club in the Wasatch Back is taking on its inaugural season at Wasatch High School in Heber City. Under the direction of Randi and Greg Stephens, 27 student-athletes are participating in the newly organized sport.

After years of involvement in the Wasatch Back’s pickleball community, the Stephenses knew they were the right pair to lead when the opportunity arose to start a club at Wasatch High.

When they first gauged interest during the school’s annual club rush, more than 100 students signed up to learn more. The 27 athletes now on the team meet once a week to practice together and prepare for weekly meets against other schools.

Pickleball has skyrocketed in popularity nationwide, especially in Utah. Greg believes part of the appeal lies in the sport’s intergenerational nature, which allows people of all ages, from young children to older adults, to play together. The game also offers a wide range of competitiveness and skill levels, accommodating both casual players and those who thrive on strategy and precision.

“I would say our goal is to grow as a team and to see them gain more skills in pickleball, learning to play the game at a tournament level,” said Randi.

The pickleball season intentionally runs from November to February, spanning the off-season for other popular high school sports. Many of the athletes also participate on the tennis, golf, and soccer teams. Eight meets are held throughout the season, culminating in the state team championships at the beginning of February and individual championships in mid-February.

The Utah High School Pickleball Association began during the 2024–25 season and is now in its second year. This year, 40 high school teams, divided into five regions, are participating. The Stephenses hope that other schools in the Wasatch Back will join the association to help build a more robust high school pickleball community in the region.

“These kids are pioneers, because the day is going to come that high school and college pickleball are sanctioned,” said Greg. “I think it’s cool that these kids—not only are they now playing pickleball and getting more people into the sport—but they’re at the very beginning of something that’s probably going to be an Olympic sport one day.”