by Pickleball has brought young and old together to share the court in a fun-filled game.
Even though pickleball was invented quite some time ago, it really gained popularity in recent years.
If you’ve been thinking about getting into this growing sport, here’s everything you need to know about its history, how to play, and where you can get involved.
Pickleball has become an extremely popular sport to play both casually and in a more competitive environment. (RJ Sangosti/MediaNews Group/Denver Post via Getty Images/File)
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- What is pickleball?
- Why is pickleball so popular?
- How is pickleball played?
- Where can I play pickleball?
1. What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a game that is kind of a cross between tennis, badminton and ping-pong. The game was invented in 1965 by three parents who were looking for something to do.
Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum were looking for something to do on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Washington, and began searching the house for supplies.
They ended up with some random teams, which ended up being the birth of pickleball.
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Pickleball is often played tournament style. (Arden S. Barnes/For The Washington Post via Getty Images/File)
2. Why is pickleball so popular?
In recent years, pickleball has become the “fastest growing sport”. There are many elements of pickleball that have allowed it to become more and more popular. One of the main things is the wide age group of people that it attracts. It’s a popular game among older people, but children, teens, and young adults have also shown interest and become more involved over the years.
The concept of the game itself is fairly easy to understand, and while it’s fast, exciting, and provides a good workout, it’s not as difficult or demanding on the body as tennis, which makes it appealing to more people.
Playing pickleball is a very social event that brings communities together and is an addictive game. Once people start, they often come back for more.
Another reason why pickleball is popular is because of how affordable it is to play. Getting involved in sports is often an extremely expensive feat with all the equipment needed to play. All you need to play pickleball is a paddle, a ball, and a court to play on.
The rules of pickleball are fairly easy to learn, making it a fun game for beginners. (iStock)
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3. How do you play pickleball?
In general, pickleball is an easy sport to learn for children and adults. The game can be played inside or outside and as singles or doubles.
To start the game, the two teams must decide who will serve first. A classic method for this is to flip a coin or play rock-paper-scissors.
After deciding the serving team, the player on the right side of the court will serve the ball. The ball can be served underhand or from a bounce. Either way, the ball must be served across. Another service rule is that the ball must be hit over the kitchen line (the first horizontal line on the opposite side of the court), which is also known as the non-volley zone.
When the rally starts, there is a two-bounce rule. This means that off the serve and on the return, the ball must bounce down the court once before a player hits it. After this, for the remainder of the rally, the ball may be hit on the rebound or in the air.
Pickleball is normally played in pairs, but can also be played individually. (iStock)
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Play continues until there is a double bounce, the ball goes out of bounds, or the ball goes into the net. If the ball is outside your side of the net, be sure to yell “out” out loud.
Another rule to keep in mind during a rally is that you cannot hit the ball while your feet are in the kitchen, the zones on either side of the net. Make sure you keep your feet out of the kitchen when you’re hitting the ball, and don’t let the urge to hit the ball drive you into the kitchen, either. However, you can hit the ball in the kitchen as long as your feet stay out of line.
The only slightly confusing element of pickleball for some is the game’s scoring. The most important thing to remember when it comes to scoring is that you can only score a point when you win a rally and it is the team that serves. If you win a rally, but you are not the serving team, you do not win a point.
When the serving team scores a point, the two servers will switch sides and serve on the other diagonal. If you lose a rally as the serving team, everyone stays where they are and the serve goes to the next player. If the serve moves to the other side of the court, the player on the right side has the first serve.
One of the great attractions of pickleball is how cheap it is to play. All you need is a paddle, a ball, and a place to play. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images/File)
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Anyway, this is how double works, which is the most popular way to play. In singles, the serve depends on the score. For even scores, serve from the right side, and for odd scores, serve from the left side.
When you are about to serve, be sure to clearly call out the game score first. For doubles, the score will contain three numbers. The first number is the serving team’s score, the second number is the receiving team’s score, and the third number is the service turn. For singles, you will only say the scores of the serving and receiving team.
The pickleball game is played to 11 points, but the winning team must win by two.
After a game has concluded, be sure to show good sportsmanship by hitting players on the other team with your paddle.
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If you’re looking for a more competitive pickleball environment, try a tournament or league. (Bruce Yeung/Getty Images/File)
4. Where can I play pickleball?
Fortunately, since there is such a high level of interest in pickleball, courts are being built in many more places.
If you’re looking for a casual place to play with family or friends, a local community center might be a good place to start.
If you’re looking for a more competitive environment to play, look for available tournaments and leagues to join near you.
