pickleball university

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport taking the world by storm.  It is like a combination of ping-pong and tennis that can be as competitive or as slow as players wish. Using a 'pickleball' aka a wiffle-like ball each player with a  paddle competes to volley the ball back and forth until one team makes a mistake. Played as singles or doubles the court is 1/4th the size of a tennis court so fast-action is the name of the game provided you stay out of the 'kitchen' as it is known otherwise the no-volley zone is located by the net on both sides. Points can only be won when the serving side forces the other team into a mistake and once one side makes it to eleven, with at least a 2-point lead, that team is declared the winner.

What is the history of Pickleball?

Pickleball is a relatively young sport with a unique origin story that dates back to the mid-20th century. The game was invented in the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a small community near Seattle, Washington, USA. The credit for the creation of pickleball is typically attributed to three friends: Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum. Here's a brief overview of the history of pickleball:

1. Invention and Early Development: In the summer of 1965, Joel Pritchard, a Congressman, and his friend Bill Bell returned home to Bainbridge Island after a game of golf. They found their families bored and looking for something to do. Pritchard and Bell improvised a game using badminton paddles, a plastic ball, and a lowered badminton net. They set up the makeshift court in Pritchard's backyard, and the game they created was a combination of badminton, tennis, and ping-pong.
2. Naming the Game: The game's name, "pickleball," has a somewhat humorous origin. According to Barney McCallum, the third friend involved, the name was inspired by a dog named Pickles who would often chase after the ball during the early games. The name stuck, and pickleball became the official name of the sport.
3. Spread of Popularity: Pickleball's popularity quickly spread among friends and neighbors on Bainbridge Island. As word of the new game spread, more people became interested in playing. The game's easy learning curve, combined with its fun and social aspects, contributed to its growing popularity.
4. Formalization and Rules: As the game gained momentum, official rules were developed to standardize gameplay. The USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) was founded in 1984 to promote the sport and establish consistent rules and guidelines.
5. Expansion and Growth: Pickleball's popularity continued to grow throughout the United States and beyond. The sport attracted players of all ages and skill levels, making it a popular activity in schools, community centers, and retirement communities.
6. International Recognition: In recent years, pickleball has gained international recognition and has been introduced in various countries around the world. It has become a competitive sport with organized tournaments at local, regional, national, and international levels.

Today, pickleball is played by millions of people worldwide and continues to attract new players due to its accessibility, social nature, and engaging gameplay. The sport's inventors likely could not have predicted the global phenomenon that pickleball would become when they first created the game in their backyard.
 

Can I Play Pickleball?

The short answer is YES! While there are many levels the truth is Pickleball is best played with people of similar skill, experience, and agility. Doubles play is often the choice of those seeking a lower impact and for those seeking a high-intensity cardio-driven game singles may be better suited. 

What are the Rules of Pickleball?

The rules of pickleball are relatively straightforward and are designed to promote fair play and enjoyable gameplay. Here's an overview of the basic rules of pickleball:

Game Setup:

1. Pickleball is typically played in doubles (two players on each team) or singles (one player on each team) format.
2. The game is played on a rectangular court, similar in size to a badminton court. For doubles, the court dimensions are 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. For singles, the court width is the same, but the length is reduced to 20 feet.
3. A non-volley zone, also known as the "kitchen," extends 7 feet from the net on both sides. Players are not allowed to volley the ball (hit it in the air without letting it bounce) while standing in the kitchen.

Serving:

1. The serve must be made diagonally, starting from the right-hand service court for the server.
2. The server must keep both feet behind the back boundary line and the sideline when serving.
3. The serve must be underhand, and the paddle must contact the ball below waist level.
4. The serve must clear the non-volley zone and land within the diagonally opposite service court. The serve is faulted if it hits the net, lands out of bounds, or fails to clear the non-volley zone.

Scoring:

1. Only the serving team can score points. The receiving team must win the serve to have the opportunity to score.
2. Games are typically played to 11 points, and the team that reaches 11 points with a 2-point lead wins the game.
3. When the serving team scores a point, the server switches sides but continues to serve from the same service court. If the receiving team wins the serve, they become the serving team, and the player who served before becomes the receiver.

Volleying and Non-Volley Zone:

1. Players are not allowed to volley the ball while standing in the non-volley zone (kitchen) unless the ball bounces in the non-volley zone first.
2. After hitting the ball, players must step back outside the non-volley zone before volleying again.

Double Bounce Rule:

1. Each team must let the ball bounce once on each side before volleys are allowed. This means that the serve must be returned with a bounce, and the serving team must also allow the return to bounce before they can volley.

Faults:

1. A fault is committed when a player makes an illegal serve, violates the double bounce rule, steps into the non-volley zone, and volleys the ball, or hits the ball out of bounds.

These are the basic rules of pickleball, but there are more details and nuances that you may want to explore in the official rulebook provided by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA). As you play and gain experience, you'll become more familiar with the rules and strategies of the game.