What started out as a game among friends in the Pacific Northwest, only to become a fitness craze that’s enjoyed around the world? Pickleball!
This fun game is perfect for beginners because it’s low-impact and easy to learn. And once you start playing, there’s a good chance you’ll be hooked.
Please give Pickleball a try at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, where we offer Pickleball inside our Thornton gym one morning per week:
Pickleball with Jamie
Fridays from 9:30-10:30 am
All levels welcome!
For those of you who are not familiar with Pickleball, it’s more than just a game with a funny name. From its humble beginnings, Pickleball has grown into a serious sport complete with official equipment, referees, tournaments, and national championships. Read on to learn more.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is usually played on a badminton-sized court with a net across the middle that’s about two inches lower than a tennis net. The players use special solid Pickeball paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a ball that’s similar to a wiffle ball, only a little smaller. Two or four people can play Pickleball (one or two players per side) by hitting the ball back-and-forth across the net.
As you can see, the game combines elements of ping-pong, badminton, and tennis, but certain features of Pickleball make it more accessible to people of all ages and abilities. For example, instead of being won or lost over a powerful serve, Pickleball requires the ball to bounce once on your side before you can volley it back.
That means beginners can enjoy a relaxed game of Pickleball, while more competitive and experienced players are able to test their prowess against each other, as well.
Where did Pickleball come from?
Pickleball is a family game invented by a family. It all started in 1965 at Bainbridge Island, which is just a ferry ride away from Seattle, Washington. Congressman Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and William Bell arrived home after a game of golf one day, only to find their kids complaining of boredom. To keep the kids occupied, the men created a game they hoped would carry them through the long days of summer.
So they handed the kids a wiffle ball and table tennis paddles, took them out to the badminton court, and told them to hit the ball back and forth. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and the rest is history!
In the coming days, they lowered the net to make the game more accessible and started to create rules as they went along. Soon, both kids and adults fell in love with Pickleball and it started to catch on with neighbors and friends, too.
As time went on, people began making their own Pickleball paddles in a size and shape that worked better for the game than ping-pong paddles. Some used their own badminton courts with the net lowered, while others set up their own courts in backyards and driveways, drawing the borders with chalk. News of the game spread from there by word-of-mouth.
In 1972, Pickle-ball® Inc. was incorporated to legitimize the popular game and address the demand for official paddles, balls, nets, and other gear.
Today, Pickleball is played worldwide in neighborhoods, gyms, PE classes, retirement communities, YMCAs, and more. It’s estimated that more than 2 million people play Pickleball in the United States and it’s growing internationally, too, with courts in Canada, Europe, and Asia.
Why is it called “Pickleball”?
For a game that has nothing to do with pickles, Pickleball has an interesting name.
There are multiple accounts of how the game got its name, but according to Joel Pritchard’s wife, Joan, she called the game Pickleball because it was a combination of different sports, which reminded her of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.
Barney McCallum, however, said the game was named after the Pritchards’ dog Pickles, who liked to grab the ball and dash off. McCallum is credited with saying, “The Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you’re having fun at a party, right? So anyways, what the hell, let’s just call it pickleball.”
Still others say the game didn’t have a name for a while, but a year or two after it was invented, the Pritchards got a cocker spaniel and named it Pickles. As the game became more popular, it needed a name, and “Pickleball” was chosen.
One final note about the name — “Pickleball” can also be spelled “Pickle-ball” and “Pickle Ball.” They all refer to the same game with the same rules; different organizations simply choose to spell the name their own way.
What are the rules of Pickleball?
While it’s best to learn Pickleball from someone who knows the game well, here are a few rules that will help you gain a better understanding of how it’s played.
- Pickleball can be played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles (one player on each side), but doubles is most common.
- The same court and rules are used for both singles and doubles games.
- All serves must be made underhand.
- Players must make paddle contact with the ball below their waist (navel level).
- Only one serve attempt is allowed per turn, unless there’s a let (a let is when the ball touches the net on the serve and lands in the proper service court; this serve can be replayed).
- On a doubles team, both players have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault (except for the first service sequence of each new game).
- Points are scored only by the serving team.
- Games are normally played to 11 points, and won by 2.
- When a server scores a point, they switch sides and initiate the next serve from the left-hand court.
- As they score more points, the server continues switching back and forth until they commit a fault.
- When the ball is served, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning it, and then the serving team must let the ball bounce before returning as well.
- After the ball bounces one time in each team’s court, both teams may either volley the ball (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it off a bounce.
- Volleying is prohibited within the non-volley zone (called “The Kitchen”), which is within 7 feet on both sides of the net.
- A fault is a rule violation that stops play.
- A fault by the receiving team gives a point to the serving team.
- There are many ways that a fault can occur. A few faults include hitting the ball out of bounds, volleying a ball in the non-volley zone, allowing a ball to bounce twice before hitting it, or a ball in play that strikes a player or anything the player is wearing.
What are the benefits of Pickleball?
There are many reasons why Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America, including:
- For new players, the sport is easy to learn.
- It can be played by people of all ages and skill levels.
- The ball moves much slower than in tennis and many players find the smaller court easier on their bodies than a tennis court.
- It can boost your mood and mental health.
- It burns calories.
- Injuries are rare because of the game’s low-impact nature.
- It helps you improve your hand-eye coordination, balance, and agility.
- It offers the same advantages as other exercises such as enhancing your cardiovascular health, toning your muscles, decreasing your risk of chronic disease, and increasing your energy.
- It’s a social sport that helps you make friends wherever you play.
Practice Your Pickleball Skills at AFAC
Adventure Fitness Athletic Club is excited to offer Pickleball at our gym every Friday morning from 9:30-10:30 am, led by Jamie. We welcome players of all experience levels, including beginners. Please join us for a fun time and great way to get exercise.
For more information about Pickleball, contact our gym or visit our front desk. You can also call Susan at 720-849-0245 or email her at susan@adventurefitness.club. Club members can register for Pickleball on MINDBODY. There is a $10.00 fee for non-members.
To read more articles from Adventure Fitness Athletic Club, check out our Adventure Corner blogs by clicking here.