Who has ever heard of Pickleball?
Apparently one of the fastest growing sports in North America – it is in fact, a mix of tennis, badminton, ping pong and squash. Although fun and easy to learn and play, it does take some getting use to. Tennis, badminton and squash players typically pick this game up pretty easy. Regardless of whether you have played any sport or not, with practice you can further your skills quite quickly.
Pickleball’s history dates back to 1965 when, according to legend, a couple of Dads in Bremerton, Washington, invented the game for their bored children during the summer. The game caught on quickly and spread because it could be played by all ages, required minimal equipment, and was easy to learn. Young children who had never played a racquet sport could enjoy it, as could seniors.
Picklebal
l is played on a badminton-sized court: 20′ x 44.’ While official courts are nice, pickleball can be played indoors on basketball or volleyball courts and outdoors on just about any hard surface. Hopefully you can use a court that marks out the kitchen of seven foot “no volley” zone. As this is an important factor in the game.
The whiffle ball is served diagonally across a net hanging low to the ground, and points can only be scored by the side that serves. Players on each side must let the ball bounce once before volleys are allowed, and there is a seven-foot no-volley zone on each side of the net, to prevent “spiking.” The server continues to serve, alternating service courts, until he or she faults. The first side scoring eleven points, and leading by at least two points, wins. Pickleball can be played with two or four players. We typically play to 7 points if lots of players are waiting for a court. But not everyone does that.
And why the name, Pickleball? There are two stories floating around: one, that it was named after the dog of one of the inventors of the game because Pickles kept running off with the ball, and the second, the fact that the Dads couldn’t find a shuttlecock and substituted a whiffle ball, was reminiscent of the pickle boats whose oarsmen were picked from leftovers of other crews. So you decide, but really – does it matter? NAH…it is fun either way.