Pickleball is an exciting new sport that draws from tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It is usually played on a surface smaller than a tennis court, with a net across the middle. Played with a perforated plastic ball similar to a wiffle ball, players strike the ball with paddles that look like oversized table tennis paddles.
Like tennis, players serve across the net so they can score points by making the ball land in the opponent’s side of the court. Pickleball can be played singles or doubles, with opponents using strategy, finesse, and quick reflexes rather than raw power. This makes it ideal for all ages from small children to active seniors.
Adding to the skill required to score points, is a marked area close to the net called the “kitchen”. In this zone players are not allowed to hit the ball in the air without letting it bounce. This distinctive feature of pickleball makes it more challenging.
Origins of Pickleball
The origins of pickleball go back to 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA. A group of friends decided to come up with a summertime game the whole family could enjoy. They first experimented, setting up on a badminton court, using ping pong paddles and perforated plastic balls similar to Wiffle balls.
Just like that, pickleball was born!
Why “Pickleball”?
The name may have come from a family dog named Pickles who enjoyed chasing the balls around the court. Or possibly it originated from the term “pickle boat,” referring to a boat crew chosen from the leftovers of other boats.
Regardless of where the name came from, pickleball grew in popularity and rapidly spread across the content.
Pickleball in Waterloo Region
You can find all sorts of places to play pickleball in Waterloo Region here:
Pickleheads.com
I’d really like to give this a try. When I looked at pickleheads it told me they have it going at RIM. Neat.