The Power of Pickleball Documentary

Updated: April 10, 2026

The Power of Pickleball is a heartfelt documentary that details how a backyard game from 1965 became a bold movement uniting generations.

Now streaming!!  The Power of Pickleball is available free on Documentary+ and on American Airlines and United Airlines during your flight! As of March 16, 2026, it’s available to rent and purchase on Apple and Amazon!  “Pickleball is sweeping across America, and this film is a fantastic showcase of that movement,” said Geoff Clark, CEO of Documentary+. “It’s exceptionally well made, and we’re confident audiences will love it.”

Alexander, the producer, shares: “It has been a long, crazy, and incredibly fulfilling journey bringing this film to life. We did our best to make a documentary that highlights the passion and dedication of the people who love this sport… the people who grew the game grassroots through community and volunteerism. Pickleball may sound silly to those on the outside, but those on the inside truly understand the power of pickleball. Pickleball changes lives.”

Check out the film’s trailer and read below to learn how it came about and see my photos of its premieres. 

The film was directed by Alexander Jeffery and produced by Susan Anderson (Alexander’s aunt), Brittany Fallow, Chris Lyon, and Paul Petersen. It features interviews with big names: pro players Ben and Colin Johns, Catherine Parenteau; business: Steve Kuhn (MLP), Jared Paul (The Kitchen), Chris Evon and Terry Graham (US Open), Melissa McCurley (Tournaments); PHOFers Steve Paranto, Fran Myer, and Jennifer Lucore ME!!! (author of History of Pickleball…). Pickleball founders’ children and relatives, Frank Pritchard, David McCallum, Scott Stover, and sooo many more people who love and make a difference in lives through the sport.

The world premiere of the documentary took place on August 29, 2025, at the historic Fox Studios lot in Los Angeles, CA:

On January 11, 2026, I attended the Arizona premiere of the documentary at Happy Trails Resort in Surprise, AZ. There were over 600 people in attendance. Wow! What another FUN pickleball evening:

I really enjoyed meeting all the film crew and getting to know Alexander – what a great guy! I wanted to share a bit more with you (my blog readers), so I asked Alexander the following to get some behind-the-scenes:

Alexander, how did the idea of creating a pickleball documentary come about?

In January 2023, I was on vacation with my family, my mom, and my aunt Susan. We were sitting at breakfast, which happened to be next to some pickleball courts. I had just made a documentary called “You Have No Idea,” which follows one family’s journey with autism in South Arkansas. My aunt Susan had seen that and really liked it, and I think she said we should make a documentary about pickleball. I was like, yeah, we should.

Most of my work is about heartfelt, human relationships, so the community aspect of pickleball really intrigued me as a storyteller.

A month or two later, I emailed her to ask if she was serious about it. She said she was. So I started reaching out to people, doing research, and everybody who plays Pickleball knows that the community was just so welcoming, with a warm embrace. We would interview one person, who would suggest four others, and it just became this Pickleball Effect. Gathering all these really interesting stories and trying to capture the heart and the spirit of the origins of the sport.

How many people were involved in creating the documentary?

Outside of the lovely pickleball community, it was a team of primarily 5 people making the documentary.

How many films have you created before the Power of Pickleball?

This is my 6th feature-length film, and I’ve made over 20 short films.

Such a great film! And for a repeat – The Power of Pickleball is now streaming on Documentary+ and coming soon to Apple and Amazon platforms.

History of Pickleball – More Than 50 Years of Fun!

You will see me (Jennifer Lucore) and the book my mom and I wrote is featured many times throughout the film. Why not get your copy now? It makes the perfect gift!