Details

If you’re looking for a new outdoor activity to enjoy with your family, consider pickleball. Although it’s one of the fastest-growing sports in the U.S., many people have only heard the name without knowing the rules of how it is played. The guide below looks closer at this game in case you’re curious about giving it a try. 

What to Know About Pickleball 

Why is it called pickleball? 

It was invented by Bill Bell, Joel Pritchard, and Barney McCallum for their bored kids on Bainbridge Island in 1965 as an amalgamation of several other games. While there are differing accounts of the origins of the name, McCallum claimed it was named after the Pritchard family dog, Pickles.

How is the court laid out? 

Similar to tennis, badminton, and volleyball, pickleball places a net across the width of a court, which measures 20 feet by 44 feet. The net hangs 36 inches from the ground where it is pinned on both ends and 34 inches in the middle. The no-volley zone, also known as the “kitchen,” is seven feet from both sides of the net.  

What do you need? 

The game is played with paddles fashioned from wood or composite materials. Most paddles have a circumference of roughly four inches with a weight between six and nine ounces. They can’t be longer than two feet. 

The ball is created from plastic, typically measuring nearly three inches in diameter and weighing slightly less than one ounce. It’s perforated with 26 to 40 holes. 

What are the rules? 

Whether playing singles or doubles, the objective is to be the first individual or team to reach at least 11 points, though you must be two points ahead of your opponents. Each point can only be earned serving. The servers score points if the receivers commit a fault, such as: 

Hitting in a no-volley zone 

Letting the ball bounce twice in their court 

Sending the ball out of bounds 

Failing to get the ball over the net 

The serving team continues serving until they commit a fault, after which the receivers become the servers. 

The game is put into motion with an underhanded serve. Each individual or team must allow the ball to bounce on their side once after the serve, and then they can hit it without a bounce, provided they’re out of the no-volley zone. 

Where can you watch or play it? 

Many parks and recreational centers have courts suitable for pickleball. The USA Pickleball Association (also called the USAPA) also live streams national tournaments on their website and social media. 

To play pickleball with your friends or family, go to Beavercreek Clay Courts Tennis Club in Beavercreek, OH. Open since 2017, they offer their courts for pickleball and tennis in addition to a clubhouse for social events, all for an affordable annual fee. They also host lessons and leagues so that you can learn more and meet new people. For details, call them today at (937) 956-8864. Visit their website to learn more about their membership program.