How to Get Started Playing Pickleball

The “newest” sport that is sweeping the world is pickleball. If you haven’t heard about it – well, where have you been?! Pickleball is a fun, social, friendly, and sometimes competitive game. The rules are simple to learn, and once the basics are mastered, the game quickly develops into a fast-paced, driven sport. Let’s dive more into this exciting game!

What is Pickleball?

Let’s start with the basics, what exactly is pickleball? Well, it’s a paddle sport that two or four players participate in. They hit a small, hollow, perforated plastic ball back and forth over a 34-inch high net until one side is unable to return the ball, or breaks one of the many rules. The game is typically played on a tennis-style court, but it is far from tennis. The sport of Pickleball has been around since 1965 but began to grow in 2021. The growing popularity of the sport has been attributed to the easy learning curve, the ability of a wide range of ages and fitness levels to play, and its cheaper start-up cost. This fun game is also a great indoor or outdoor game, which makes it even more accessible to everyone. 

Brief History of Pickleball

As I mentioned, pickleball was created in 1965 in Washington at the summer home of Joel Pritchard. He and two of his friends, Barney McCallum and Bill Bell are credited with coming up with the game, the name, and all the rules. The story goes that late one afternoon, Pritchard and Bell returned from a golf game to find their families bored. Their attempt to set up a game of badminton was unsuccessful because the shuttlecock was missing. Pritchard and Bell then challenged their kids to come up with their own game. The result: Pickleball! There have been a few changes made to the sport since its conception back in 1965, like the type of ball being used, and the type of paddle, but for the most part the rules have remained the same, and in 1968 Pritchard and McCallum’s son and two other friends formed “Pickle Ball Inc.” and the name was trademarked shortly after. As of 2023, nearly 8.9 million people are participating in Pickleball, and that number is only growing.

Benefits of Playing Pickleball

As more and more people discover the game of pickleball, they also discover the physical health and social benefits that come along with being physically active.

Mood and Mental Health

Playing pickleball can improve your mood and your mental health. As you play and your heart rate increases, your body begins to release endorphins that make you feel good and take your mind off your worries. 

Burns Calories

While you aren’t running a marathon or lifting weights, you are still moving your body and increasing your heart rate, which burns calories. Pickleball is a great alternative to more strenuous physical activity because of its lighter aerobic exercise. It gets you on your feet and moving around without being too strenuous on your body. 

Improves balance and agility

A game of pickleball can also improve your balance. Regular activity, including the aerobic exercise pickleball requires, can improve our balance even as we age. As more players perfect their pickleball game, they can build their stamina, footwork, and control. Since a pickleball moves much slower than the speed of a tennis ball, a pickleball game is a lot easier on older bodies. This allows players to tone their muscles and improve their agility

Make New Friendships

Pickleball is also a social sport. Whether you play a single or doubles game, learning how to play pickleball can put you on the court with other enthusiastic players. That way, you’re making social connections as you play, which can improve your mental health too. Whether you are playing singles (one on one) or doubles (two on two), pickleball is a great team-building sport as well. Working together with others to not only enjoy the game but hone your skills and learn to work well with others. 

Pickleball Equipment

There are a few things you will need for a game of pickleball. First is a court to play on. A regulation-size court is 20ft by 44ft with a net in the middle. There is a line on either side of the net known as the kitchen, or the non-volley line, but we will get more into that later. The net is smaller and lower than a traditional tennis net standing 36in tall and 22ft long. You will also need a pickleball paddle, which should be less than 24in combined length and width, though there are no thickness or weight requirements. The ball that is played with is similar to a waffle ball. It’s small and durable with a smooth surface, must have either 26 or 40 evenly spaced circular holes, must weigh between .78oz and .935oz, and measure between 2.87in and 2.97in in diameter.

The gear you choose for your pickleball experience is really up to you and how you play. The minimum requirements for both the paddle and the balls leave it up to the players how they want their playing experience to be. As you play the sport more and continue to improve you may find yourself trading out your cheaper first paddle for something lighter and newer. And that’s great! Finding what works best for you is part of the fun of the game.

How to Get Started with Pickleball

To start playing pickleball is rather simple – reach out to your local tennis court, health club, or, if you have one, your local pickleball court. They will be able to tell you when people are playing or how to get signed up. You can also check out social media (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) or do a quick Google search to find places near you that host games.

How to Play Pickleball

The rules of pickleball are fairly basic. The score is announced before each serve by an official or the server. In doubles, the score will have three parts, the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the serve number. A 1 or 2 indicates whether the server is the serving team’s first or second server. In singles: The score has two parts; the serving player’s score and the receiving player’s score. The first serve of the game comes from the right service court or the “even service” court. A serve must land in the diagonal service court on the opponent’s side of the net. The serve receiver must allow the ball to bounce once before returning the ball to the server’s side of the net. Once the receiver has returned the ball over the net, the serving side must also allow the ball to bounce once before returning the ball to the non-serving side. This is known as the two-bounce rule

After the first two returns, either side may volley the ball (return) before it bounces. The ball can never bounce more than once before it is returned. No player may volley the ball while standing in the non-volley zone or touching the lines around the no-volley zone, known as the kitchen. The game will continue alternating sides until a player commits a fault, such as a ball going out of bounds, bouncing more than once, or volleying in the kitchen. 

As a new pickleball player, there is a lot to learn. And the best way to learn is to practice! One of the great things about this sport is how friendly everyone is, so when you step onto the court there will always be someone there ready to help you learn how to play the game and even just work on some of the harder skills. Mastering the basics of serving, volleying, and drinking (when you lightly tap the ball back and forth over the net while in the kitchen without letting it bounce) will set you up for success in your gameplay.

Pickleball Techniques

When serving, the server must be behind the baseline on one side of the center line and serve the ball to the opponent’s diagonal service court. Two types of serves are permitted, a volley serve or a drop serve.  A volley serve is when the server’s paddle strikes a ball without the ball contacting the ground. This serve must be made with an underarm stroke so that contact with the ball is made below the waist in an upward arc and the highest point on the paddle head must be below the wrist. A drop serve is when a ball is dropped to the ground and allowed to bounce before the server’s paddle strikes it. The ball cannot be tossed or impelled by the server in any way. The ball can bounce more than once before being hit, and unlike the volley serve, there are no restrictions on how the player must hit the ball.

Once the game has begun there are two different ways to get the ball to the other side of the court. Dinking, and volleying. Dinking can only be done within the lines of the kitchen. The ball does not touch the ground before you hit it with your paddle. A volley is when you hit the ball with your paddle outside of the kitchen and the ball has hit the ground one time before you make contact with it. A volley is usually done further away from the net and tends to be a harder stroke than a dink.

Pickleball Courts and Locations

Many cities have either constructed dedicated courts or repurposed their tennis courts to accommodate pickleball, reflecting the sport’s soaring popularity. The simplest way to locate a playing venue is to conduct an online search or seek advice from someone in your network who plays.

If a court isn’t readily accessible, you always have the option to create one at home! The key elements for setting up a pickleball court at home include the dimensions (40ft x 64ft playing area), a suitable surface (such as concrete, clay, plastic, or grass), and markings—while not all the lines of a regulation court are necessary, demarcating boundaries and the non-volley zone is important. Establishing a home pickleball court can be tailored to fit various budgets, offering a convenient solution for those without nearby courts and enabling you to host enjoyable gatherings with friends and family.

Pickleball for Seniors

Pickleball is popular with all ages, stages, and walks of life. But particularly among seniors, which is great. It’s a low-impact activity that gets you up and moving while having fun and making friends. The low-impact nature of the sport makes it great for seniors, as it allows you to move your body in a safe manner that still gets you some physical activity. Getting physical activity in your daily (or even weekly) routine not only does wonders for your physical health but it is proven to increase your mental health as well. The other major appeal of this sport is the community that it provides. 

Part of pickleball’s appeal is that, while it does take coordination, and you have to be physically healthy to play, it’s not that hard to learn. Combined with the smaller court, lower net, and the fact that you play with a plastic wiffle ball, it doesn’t take too much out of your body. It doesn’t require much running, other than the occasional short “sprint”, and since the ball is so light, hitting it is easy on the joints. Regularly practicing, or playing pickleball can also help improve your overall balance and coordination, which helps in all aspects of your life. 

Pickleball Tournaments and Events

Pickleball tournaments and events are happening all the time. There are a few places to check and find one of these events to either watch or participate in. 

Here are a couple of places to find major tournaments and events. You can also watch some online through some of the major streaming apps if they are going on. 

• https://pickleballtournaments.com/
• https://pickleball.si.com/guides/the-best-pickleball-tournaments-to-compete-in

To find local Pickleball tournaments or events to watch or participate in, look no further than your local court, or local social media outlets. It can be as simple as a group of people just wanting to get together and play, or as big as a local fundraiser event. For these events, you can opt to participate (if available) or just be a spectator. The only rules for being a spectator are to not be a distraction to the players, and to be respectful! Which is easy in a fun game like pickleball. 

Pickleball Community and Resources

There are thousands of online communities and forums for those who love Pickleball. The fastest place to find these is a quick Google search. That quick search will direct you to multiple verified websites to join in on the fun conversations, meet new people, and learn new skills! To begin, try visiting the Pickleballist Community or Reddit.

As for blogs, websites, and instructional videos, look no further than Feedspot. They have a running list of the best blogs and news websites to take your Pickleball skills to the next level. Follow along here to see the latest.

Ready to Play?

Now that you know the basics, and have access to more tools and resources, there is only one thing left to do. Get out there and give it a try! It will take a little time to learn, but I know you’ll fall in love with the sport just like millions of others (including myself and my family!) all over the world. And remember, have fun! That’s what it’s all about!