If you have an elderly relative, a grandma or even a parent, chances are their doctors have told you at least once to look into Pickleball as a suitable physical exercise for them. Pickleball is more than just old people’s sport though, it’s a fun way to pass the time for anyone.
Put badminton and tennis together and you have pickleball, only this sport is easy on the joints and easy on the exercise too. Old people can enjoy it mainly because of the relatively smaller courts, and because the kind of shots allowed in the game are easy on their joints.
Now that you’re curious enough, you’re ready to learn more about the game. Keep reading for a quick run-down of everything you need to know about pickleball. Before you get started, its best to arm yourself for battle. If you want to know more about the best pickleball paddles in the market, check out Pickleballin.
Table of Contents
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a cross between tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It’s a fun game that can be played by all ages and all skill levels, and while it’s suggested by doctors for the elderly, youngsters and kids enjoy it just as much.
You can okay it both indoors and outdoors, as long as you have enough area. Most people like playing it on a tennis or badminton court with a slightly modified net – the ones for pickleball aren’t as high as the ones used for other such sports.
You can play pickleball in pairs or in singles, and the game doesn’t require too much running about.
How Was it Invented?
Pickleball is a fairly new sport that was invented in 19665 on Bainbridge Island. Three dads named Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum are said to have created the game for their kids, who were bored with the usual holiday activities.
Soon, other people picked up on the game and it became popular, moved on from the usual handmade equipment, and is now starting to spread to areas like Asia and Europe. Today, more than just kids are interested in the game, not just as a beloved pass-time but even ona competitive level.
The reason for this popularity is that Pickleball is easy to start and the rules are simple, and its even easier to get hooked on the game given the easy skill level required. Once you start, you can even get better at it very quickly.
How Do You Play Pickleball?
As we said before, you can play pickleball in singles and doubles. The close proximity of all the players in the game allows for much conversation during the games, which is half the fun for most pickleball players.
You can play it on a badminton court or a specially designed court just for pickleball. The court has to be 20 by 44 feet, with a 36 inches high net on both sides, which is 34 inches high close to the middle.
Once you have the right clothes on – practical sports gear that doesn’t get in the way, and the right equipment – special rackets, called paddles that are a cross between tennis rackets and the ping pong racket, you can start playing with your friends and even in clubs specially for pickleball that have started in some areas.
Rules For Playing Pickleball
A pickleball game is played with proper rules and a scoring system in place. ntil one team scores an 11, and wins a game by 2. You can only score while serving, and all serves must be underhanded with the paddle below your waist. The ball has to cross a seven foot area on both sides of the net known as the “kitchen” to be considered a valid serve, and the scores for both the teams are said out loud before a serve, with the winning team’s scores being said first.
This is all for the basic information about all things Pickleball. With the way it’s growing in popularity, more and more people have started taking it seriously and it will only grow from here, so it might be a good idea to get those training shoes on and get playing!
