The Push for a Pickleball Emoji Gains Momentum

If Apple includes a pickleball emoji in the upcoming release of iOS 19, it might be thanks to the passionate efforts of Nick O’Brien, President and Chief Operating Officer of TeachMe.To—a platform that connects students with coaches for private lessons.

In mid-April, O’Brien launched a Change.org petition to urge Apple to approve a dedicated pickleball emoji design. His mission? To give the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. the digital recognition it deserves.

According to a report by Serena Neumeyer in the Times of San Diego, O’Brien is aiming to gather 25,000 signatures. His argument is simple: pickleball enthusiasts are currently forced to use the ping pong emoji (🏓) or other unrelated emojis when talking about their sport online.

“It’s the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., and even more so here in San Diego and Southern California because you can play year-round,” O’Brien explained. “But all these people…are using makeshift emojis every time they’re texting or tweeting about it.”

O’Brien believes that a dedicated emoji will boost awareness and foster community engagement around pickleball, both online and offline.

“It’s going to change the way people are able to actually communicate about the sport,” he added. “Even obscure sports like curling have an emoji. It’s time pickleball gets recognized.”

The emoji design was created in collaboration with graphic designer Michael Celedonia and submitted to Apple. Thankfully, it doesn’t rely on the common pickle (🥒) or ping pong (🏓) emojis. It’s a clean, paddle-and-ball graphic that truly represents the sport.

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“The absence of a pickleball emoji forces players to fight an uphill battle just to be seen online,” writes Neumeyer. “A dedicated emoji would validate the sport and create a more accurate digital language around it.”

The petition has already gathered over 50 signatures and is steadily gaining traction.

“Over half of people who use emojis daily also play pickleball. They should be able to express that part of their life,” said O’Brien. “If you’ve ever picked up a pickleball paddle or stepped onto a pickleball court this year, this is your chance to help.”

✅ Join the movement for a pickleball emoji and help bring this beloved sport to keyboards everywhere!

Click here to sign the petition on Change.org