Pickleball is a fun paddle sport that is growing in popularity around the world. It’s played on a badminton court with a Wiffle ball and plastic paddles, but it’s much more athletic than you might imagine.
The main appeal behind pickleball is its simplicity. The rules are easy to follow, and its court can take place anywhere as long as there’s enough space for players to move around freely.
It is not an Olympic sport, but it is an excellent sport for all ages and fitness levels and has been popular with many different groups, including adults, seniors, and kids.
It’s also easy to learn and enjoy on any court surface or location, no matter the season or temperature outside.
What Is A Pickleball Made Of
The ball in Pickleball uses a non-toxic plastic composite material that can be molded and shaped into various sizes and shapes.
Making it involves using a mold to create the shape and then injecting carbon fiber or glass fiber underneath, which gives it its strength and durability.
The pickleball paddle is 15.5-17 inches long and weighs between 6-14 ounces.
On the other hand, the ball weighs around 6-9 ounces and has an all-plastic exterior. It comes in yellow, neon, orange, and white colors.
The ball can be used in all temperatures all year round without being damaged so that you can use the ball everywhere!
What Is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport using a small perforated plastic ball and a wooden or composite paddle on a court with a net between two players.
The name “Pickleball” was coined in 1965 by the game’s co-creator, Joel Pritchard, who invented the sport with his friends in the summer in Bainbridge Island, Washington.
The size of the court is slightly smaller than that of a badminton court, but it also has the exact dimensions of a tennis court.
The sport has been around since 1965, but it hasn’t seen widespread popularity until recently. There are now nearly one million pickleball players in the United States alone.
Pickleball is remarkably similar to tennis; players score points by hitting the ball back and forth past each other on top of a 4.5-foot (1.4 m) high net to land the ball within one of the quadrants of the court.
There are many different brands of pickleball that are available to purchase. You can get them at any sporting goods store, or you could try ordering them online.
Pickleball Is A Sport For Everyone!
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in America. It’s a fun and exciting sport for people of all ages and athletic abilities, and there’s even Para-Pickleball!
The point of Pickleball is to keep the ball in play, not necessarily to win. If you’re someone who likes playing games and wants a more social, less competitive experience than other popular sports, Pickleball could be your calling.
It’s also a great way to meet people from all walks of life, as it caters to every age group and physical fitness level. Since it’s so easy to learn, anyone who can swing a racket can play.
Moreover, you’re certainly not too old to play! Pickleball is also known as “the people’s game” because it attracts players of all ages and skillsets. It’s especially great for seniors, as it’s an easy game to learn and low impact on the joints.
How To Get Started With Pickleball
Pickleball uses a paddle to play, much like badminton or tennis. Since the ball is roughly the size of a softball, most people find this version of tennis quite fun and engaging.
The rules are simple enough that anyone can learn them quickly. After learning the basic rules, it’s easy to advance your skills with practice on any court or net at local parks, recreation centers, and even some hotels.
It’s played with a perforated plastic ball on any indoor or outdoor flat surface. Its game mode involves playing with two or four players in teams of two on each side. The net is 1.5 meters high at the center.
Pickleball takes place on a badminton-sized court with a net dividing it into two halves. A match is typically best-of-three games (sets) to eleven points (rally cap). Since each set can be won by either player, the first to win two sets wins the match.
Two-person teams serve back and forth across the net until one team wins 21 points by serving into its opponents’ side of the court.
The rules are similar to tennis and badminton, except those players can hit their opponents’ balls, which adds an element of strategy.
Practice Makes Perfect!
Pickleball is a fun and popular game, but it can be an intimidating one for beginners. If you’re interested in playing pickleball, the best way to get started is to practice a few different techniques on your own.
The first thing you want to do when practicing is to improve your footwork. You want to develop quick steps that enable you to cover the court easily while also moving smoothly from side to side while hitting the ball.
Practice without a paddle at first, and focus on getting in position quickly before going after the ball with a long stride.
The Rules Of Pickleball
The rules of pickleball are simple:
- It’s played with two or four players on opposing teams, who take turns hitting singles back and forth to each other until someone misses.
- Every serve must be made with one hand and hit with the other underhand below the waistline. If the server wins, that team performs the next serve from the opposite side.
- Pickleball usually takes place on a badminton court with a lowered net. If the ball bounces off the net or goes outside of the lines, then it is considered out and must be re-played.
- Players serve a perforated plastic ball over a net and must send it back to their opponent’s side before they can make contact with it again. The team scores a point when an opponent fails to return the ball or successfully does so.
- Players must serve from behind a line 3 feet from the net, and they can hit the ball out of bounds or into the net as many times as they want before hitting it back over the net. During your service, you have 10 seconds to hit the ball.
- You can win by serving:
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- when you or your partner has two consecutive serves that aren’t returned
- when you or your partner has three consecutive serves that aren’t returned
- when your opponent accidentally lets one go out (fault)
- when you and your partner hit an overhead serve into the net, and it drops over for a point, called a let
- if the opposing team commits any of several violations
- Unlike other racket sports, where players hit over a net, players in pickleball must bounce their balls off of the ground before hitting them over the net. It means that the service once made must bounce on the returning side, and the second has to return it to the first side with another bounce.
- Returns must be made below waist level.
- No player may hit the ball twice consecutively (only once for consecutive hits).
- The court has to be 44 by 20 ft with a 36 inches high net that separates the two sides in half.
- There should be seven feet on each side of the net, also known as the “no-valley zone” or “kitchen.” It’s a zone where no player is allowed to volley the ball from this zone.
- The serve can’t land in the no-volley zone.
- There are two ways of keeping score in pickleball: using a scoring machine or manually keeping track of the points. If there is no scoring machine available, players should be familiar with the scoring mechanics using tally marks on paper.
- The point of the game is to get 21 points—no more and no less. You can win as soon as you reach 21 points, or as late as the last point of the match. If no one gets to 21 before then, it goes into a tiebreaker where whoever has the most points wins!
The Equipment You Need To Play Pickleball
The game of pickleball may involve two to four players on a badminton court that’s twice as long as it is wide.
The equipment needed to play pickleball is pretty simple! You’ll need a paddle, ball, and net—available at most sporting goods stores for around $60.
It’s also helpful to wear padded tennis shoes with non-marking soles when playing on court surfaces other than asphalt or concrete.
Conclusion
Pickleball is one of the most exciting sports with rising popularity because it’s a fun, easy to play, and affordable game.
With its simple rules, it’s quick to learn too! We hope you will consider trying out pickleball in your community.
With its exponential growth, it could even make it into the Olympics!
