LAFAYETTE, Colo. — In the pursuit of love, many Coloradans find themselves navigating the complexities of modern dating apps with little success. However, a new dating app born in Colorado looks to make finding that special someone a bit easier and more fun through the sport of pickleball.
The app, called PickleMatch, aims to connect singles via their shared love of pickleball, helping to break the ice before any romantic potential is explored.
For many in Colorado, pickleball has emerged as a vibrant community, especially for those who discovered the sport during the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It's a huge blessing for me and for thousands of people, millions of people. You know, across the U.S. that really peaked at the height of social isolation during COVID,” said Caroline Moore, pickleball teaching pro at Boulder Pickleball. “It was a way for people to get out of the house, do something social, where we didn’t necessarily have to wear a mask.”
But for those looking to find love in addition to friendship, the process of online dating can feel laborious. Anneliese Niebauer, co-founder of PickleMatch, experienced this firsthand after trying out several dating apps.
“I became single for the first time in like 10 years. I was downloading the apps and creating profiles," she said.
Tired of navigating the profiles and weeks of small talk that often leads to lukewarm first dates, Niebauer began filtering potential matches based on connections made through pickleball.
“The people I met through that, they didn't all turn out to be romantic, but I'm still good friends with a lot of the people that I met in that way,” she said.
PickleMatch will allow users to create profiles that feature their skill level, favorite pro players, and preferred courts. The app is currently in beta testing and is expected to launch soon.
“You get on the app, you know, you have something in common,” Niebauer explained. “You instantly get on the court, and then, if it's a good fit, you know, you can see each other again off the court, but if not, like, you had fun.”
Co-founder Michael Watson-Fore said the app will have a positive impact on singles looking to connect over a mutual interest.
“Hopefully, we're kind of greasing the wheels a bit in terms of allowing people just to meet for fun, but also for romantic things, if that's what they want,” he said.
The unique approach of PickleMatch contrasts with the traditional dating scene.
“First dates can feel like interviews, especially nowadays, and so if you're sitting at a coffee shop, you kind of go through the checklist of, like, green flags, red flag questions,” Niebauer said. “At pickleball that doesn't happen. You just see if there's a connection, and if you play well together, and then, of course, you can discuss the important things down the line.”
With the app still in development stages, there has already been considerable interest.
“With very little promotion or anything, we got the first 100 subscribers,” Niebauer said.
In a world where many feel disconnected, especially following the isolation of the pandemic, PickleMatch looks to provide an innovative option for singles to meet and form connections.
“That’d be a really cool thing to be able to facilitate,” Watson-Fore said. “Not every day do you get to kind of help people meet in that way.”
As the app gears up for its public launch, the founders are hosting a launch party on Friday, July 25 at the Relish Food Hall in Louisville. If you'd like to attend the launch party, or find out more information on PickleMatch, you can visit their website.
