What Is Pickleball and How Is it Played?
January 22, 2023
Looking for an exciting way to engage your family and friends while getting a good workout? Pickleball, the world’s fastest growing sport, can be played indoors or out and is a fun way to get your family playing together year round!
Pickleball has evolved from an obscure backyard game to one that’s attracting people from all fitness and skill levels, and the young and old alike. It doesn’t take a lot of equipment or training to get started, and people across the country and around the globe are finding that it not only has mental and physical benefits, but that it is truly fun to play.
Pickleball is the sport that everyone wants to play. Read on to find out more about how the sport started and why it is such a great choice for players of all ages and mobility.
What Is Pickleball?
For those uninitiated in the world of pickleball, here’s a little background that can help you become as obsessed as the over 3 million people who play the sport in America.
Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. It can be played by two or four players, either inside or outdoors, on a court slightly smaller than a standard badminton court. Like tennis, it includes a center net and hand-held rackets that are slightly larger than table tennis rackets. These are used to hit a small polymer ball (similar to a wiffle ball) back and forth over the net for points up to the winning score of 11.
When and How Was Pickleball Invented?
Since it was first introduced in the 1960s, this easy backyard game has grown massively into a sport that is considered the fastest growing in America. In fact, according to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), pickleball has had a 650 percent increase in numbers over the last six years. The idea of pickleball came in 1965 when Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell gathered their families to have some fun using an old badminton court. They had no rackets and had to improvise using makeshift ping pong paddles and a perforated ball. At that moment, pickleball was born!
Why You Should Be Obsessed with Pickleball
If you haven’t tried (or even heard of) pickleball yet, you may be wondering why it’s popularity has soared. People from all walks of life, ages, and skill levels are falling in love with this sport. Here’s why…
#1 Fun For All Ages & Skill Levels
Pickleball can be played by school-aged children and grandparents alike. This sport can adjust to the pace you and your partners can handle and can be ultra-competitive or casual. Unlike some sports that take years to master the fundamentals, pickleball can be fun for people of all ages and skill levels.
#2 Easy to Learn
Pickleball is not like many other sports with a series of complicated rules to follow. A few simple practice sessions with the fundamentals and you will be playing your first game in no time.
#3 Requires Minimal Gear After Installation
Once you have access to one of our pickleball courts, the gear is easy to obtain. A solid pair of sneakers and a racquet and you are ready to go. No need to load up on high priced equipment and lessons to get going with this sport!
#4 Amazing Health Benefits
If you are looking for a fun and interesting way to get some heart healthy exercise, boost your immune system, and improve your mental health, pickleball could be an easy answer. Play with your kids, play with your grandparents, or play with a best friend.
Sport Court’s Pickleball Options
Your family will love playing on a Sport Court pickleball game court. We build both indoor and outdoor multi-game sport courts and traditional pickleball courts. One of our newer surfaces is SportGame PB, that is easily retrofitted over most hard surfaces and outlasts conventional acrylic courts. The surface is low maintenance, non-skid, easy on the joints, and can provide hours of fun for the entire family.
If you are looking to add a pickleball court to your backyard or neighborhood park, check out SportGame PB. This ideal surface for pickleball can be the start of your newest sport obsession.