Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. What started off as a game to keep families from becoming bored in the summer has become a game that is highly addictive and is played by people of all ages. So what os pickleball anyway?
Pickleball is a game that combines various elements from tennis, badminton and ping pong. The games are played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes. It is played on a badminton-sized court, but the net is only 36 inches high. The game is really like table tennis played with a wiffle ball on a smaller court.
While the pickleball craze is relatively new, the game has been around since 1965. The story goes that during the summer of 1965 Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum families were bored with the usual summer activities. There was an old badminton court on the property, and when they win to find badminton equipment there wasn’t enough equipment for 4, but there were enough ping pong paddles. And that is how pickleball game to be. The game evolved and rules were created over the next few years. The game now has official rules and a formal pickleball association.
So all of that doesn’t explain the games name, how did it become to be called pickleball. There are two stories. One is that Joel Pritchard’s wife as a reference to the pickle boat, which was made up of different oarsmen that were leftover from other boats. The other story is that the Pritchards dog whose name was Pickles like to chase the ball during the game and even run off with the ball. The name is most likely a result of a combination of both stories which are both very charming.
The main takeaway is that this game was created so that a whole family could play at once and have fun doing something together, and that remains today. This is a game that has physical activity, but you also hear lots of laughing and people having fun while they play this game. You don’t have to have a ton of skill to play, and because the court is smaller, you won’t be running as much as you would in a traditional tennis match.
This is a game that allows all skill level to play together. If you just want to have fun and get some exercise pickleball can be your game. If you have a competitive nature, pickleball is still your game as there are many national tournaments around the country. You can find your local pickleball court on a map on the USA Pickleball Associations website. https://www.places2play.org/
Another good thing about this sport is that the cost of entry is low. You can find two paddles and a couple of balls for as little as 9.99, and you can buy sets that include a net as low as 40.99. Once you have played the game and you’re hooked, and by all accounts, those who try, do get addicted, then you can purchase more expansive equipment if you chose.
Of course, we carry a large selection of tennis eyewear which will work very well for your pickleball games. We offer both prescription and non-prescription sports eyewear.
We do have one warning about his sports, every interview that we have seen indicates that this game is fun and as stated earlier, addictive. The reporter below stated that she played for 5 hours the first time and she only left because she had to catch a plane.
Here are some other resources that you might find helpful. Take a look there is even a pickleball YouTube Channel.