Pickleball, Anyone?
Two young people play pickle ball on a court with blue and white lines.
One of the fastest-growing sports in the United States in 2022 is pickleball, but you should know that it has absolutely nothing to do with pickles. (We'll get to the name later.)
Pickleball is a lot like tennis. There's a court with white lines, a ball, and a net, and the point of the game is to hit the ball over the net before it bounces twice on your side of the court. If you don't, that's a fault, as is hitting the ball into or under the net or over the sidelines. Players win and lose points—not to mention games and matches—because of faults.
But pickleball has several features that are all its own. You hit the ball with a paddle instead of a racket, and the ball is plastic and has holes in it. There's also an area on either side of the net called the non-volley zone (NVZ). If your foot—even just a toe—happens to be in the NVZ when you're initiating or returning a volley, that's a fault. The thing is, sometimes you can't stay out of the NVZ because of how fast you're running to hit the ball—and then you're really in a pickle.
The game was invented in the summer of 1965 by U.S. Representative Joel Pritchard. He, his pal Bill Bell, and their families were bored one day. So together with a neighbor, they whipped up a game with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. Pritchard's wife, Joan, came up with the name. She said that the way pickleball combined parts of other sports reminded her of a pickle boat in crew. (In a rowing competition, boaters from different teams who are left out of the main boat race are thrown together in the pickle boat.)
Nearly 60 years later, about 5 million Americans play pickleball regularly in parks, community centers, retirement communities, and as part of leagues. The game is catching on internationally, too. Clearly, pickleball is a sport that people everywhere seem to really, um…relish.
Pickleball, a sport that has been rapidly growing in popularity in the United States and internationally, is often mistaken for having something to do with pickles. However, the name actually has its roots in a creative concept.
Similar to tennis, pickleball is played on a court with white lines, a net, and a ball. The objective of the game is to hit the ball over the net before it bounces twice on your side of the court. If the ball hits the net, goes out of bounds, or fails to clear the net on your side, it results in a fault and the opposing player earns a point.
One of the distinctive features of pickleball is the use of a paddle instead of a racket to hit the ball. The ball used in pickleball is made of plastic and has holes in it, giving it a unique appearance. Additionally, there is a designated area on either side of the net called the non-volley zone (NVZ). Players are not allowed to be in the NVZ when initiating or returning a volley. If any part of their foot touches the NVZ, it results in a fault.
The game was invented in 1965 by U.S. Representative Joel Pritchard, along with his friend Bill Bell and their families. Looking for a way to pass the time, they decided to create a game using ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. Pritchard's wife, Joan, came up with the name pickleball because the combination of different elements from various sports reminded her of a pickle boat in crew racing. In crew racing, boaters from different teams who are left out of the main boat race are thrown together in the pickle boat.
Today, pickleball is played regularly by approximately 5 million Americans in various settings such as parks, community centers, retirement communities, and leagues. The sport's popularity is also spreading internationally. It seems that people all over the world are developing a strong affection for pickleball.