Pop. Pop. Pop. Pop.

A sound that over 48.3 million people have grown to know and love. 

Pickleball has soared in popularity over the past years. The sport is the fastest-growing in America, with a 223.5% growth rate since 2020. Contrary to popular belief, pickleball does not actually involve any pickles. The sport originated in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington when three ingenious dads wanted to occupy their children who became bored with typical summertime activities. Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum handmade equipment and developed simple rules for the game, but hadn't come up with an actual name for it. According to McCallum, "the Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you're having fun at a party, right? So anyways, what the hell, let's just call it pickleball".  

Thus, pickleball was created and about 50 years later, the sport grew into a nationwide sensation. Let's talk about why.

The Rules of Pickleball

The rapid growth of pickleball is due to how easy it is to play and understand. 

A pickleball court is similar to tennis or badminton courts, but it is much more narrow. The court is made up of four service areas, with a left and right service area on each side. In doubles, each player will stand in an area, whereas players in singles matches will move around both areas. 

There is a 7-foot non-volley zone called the "kitchen" on each side of the net. Players cannot volley the ball from inside this zone unless the ball bounces in it first. Stepping on the kitchen line or entering the zone to hit a ball that hasn't bounced is considered a fault. 

Beyond the baselines (back of the court) and sidelines (sides of the court) is out of bounds. Hitting the ball outside of these lines is considered a fault. 

To serve in pickleball, stand behind the baseline in your service area. Using an underhand grip, hold the ball in your non-dominant hand below your waist. Drop or slightly toss the ball, keeping it below your waist, and use an underhand motion to serve the ball with the paddle.

In doubles, when your team's score is even, the player in the right service area will serve. When the score is odd, the player on the left will serve. Servers switch sides when they score a point. If the serving team loses a rally, everyone stays put and the other player on the team will serve. 

You must serve diagonally across the court, aiming to land the ball in the opposite service area. The ball must clear the kitchen zone and bounce once before it can be returned. 

After the ball is returned and bounces once on either side, players engage in a 'rally', where the ball is hit back and forth until a player fails to return the ball, hits it out of bounds, or commits a fault. Examples of faults are hitting the ball into the net or failing to have the ball bounce on each side before volleying. When rallying, the ball does not have to bounce before it can be hit, as long as it is hit outside of the kitchen. 

It's important to remember that only the serving team can score points in pickleball. If the serving team faults, the opposing team will serve with a chance to earn a point. 

The server is responsible for calling out the score before serving. In singles, this is called simply as server score, then receiver score (i.e. 8 - 4). In doubles, you must also add the number of the current server, which will be 1 or 2. This number applies only to the current turn and is reset when the opposing team scores a point. 

Pickleball is typically played in a 'best of three' format. To win a match, you or your team must score 11 points and win by 2 or more points. 

You can read more about the rules of pickleball to get more comfortable with the game.

Starting to get the hang of the rules? It's time to get out and start playing!

What You Need to Play Pickleball

Thankfully, pickleball doesn't require too much equipment to play the game. Here's what you need:

1. A durable paddle: there are paddle buying guides that can help you best determine the type of paddle for you, but paddles are all gender neutral. Key factors to consider when choosing a paddle is the shape, material, weight, size and comfort. 
2. Pickleballs: depending on where you plan to play, you need to purchase indoor and/or outdoor balls. The two types are very different, so it may be helpful to have both on hand! 
3. Comfortable clothing and shoes: you don't have to go out and buy specific pickleball outfits- just dress in something light and comfortable! If you're playing outside, you may want to bring a hat and sunglasses to shield your eyes from the sun. 

Where to Play Pickleball

Whether you just want to practice, play for fun or play competitively, Spooky Nook Champion Mill is your go-to place to play pickleball! If you become a member of our fitness center, you have all day access to 2 member-exclusive pickleball courts. You can also purchase a day pass to play on our sport courts, but day passes are based upon availability.

If you want to play competitively, we offer adult pickleball leagues throughout the year. This is your opportunity to improve your skills and play with those in your skill level. Learn more about our adult rec pickleball leagues.