by Samantha Giving

Created on: July 25, 2008   Last Updated: August 07, 2008

What is pickleball and how do you play it? Are you really bouncing a pickle? No, but pickleball is being relished by many seniors. The sport which is a cross between ping-pong, badminton and tennis was created in 1965 as a sport that could be played by the entire family. Today, pickleball has become the latest craze at active-adult communities.

The court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long; the same size as a badminton court. On either side of the net, there is a 7-foot non-volley zone. The equipment consists of a net, wooden paddle racquets and a plastic ball with holes.

The goal of the game is to accumulate 11 points, and you must win with a 2 point lead. The game is played by either singles or doubles, and is initiated by an underhand serve where each team must play their first shot off of a bounce; called the double bounce rule. After each team has satisfied the double bounce rule, they are free to volley (return the shot without a bounce) or play the ball off of one bounce. No volleying is permitted in the non-volley zone.

Points are scored by the serving team only. When serving, the paddle must pass below the waist and the serve is made cross-court clearing the non-volley zone. Faults include hitting the ball out of bounds, hitting the net, not following the double bounce rule, or volleying the ball in the non-volley zone. The 1st serving team of each game passes the serve over to the opposing team after the first fault. Thereafter both team members may serve and fault before the ball is turned over.

The popularity of this sport among active retirees is easy to see. It is low-impact, played on a smaller court which enables players with varying degrees of mobility to take part and was created to include players of all ages; making it a fantastic family sport in which multiple generations can play. The rule which prohibits volleying in the non-volley zone reduces the smashes over the net that are common in tennis and makes the game more about strategic placement of the ball rather than brute force; which is more appealing to the 55+ crowd. In addition to being fun, pickleball is also a fantastic work-out.

More and more 55+ active-adult communities are adding pickleball courts to their amenity packages. The demand for pickleball is high, the equipment is reasonably priced and only a small amount of space is required. Four pickleball courts can be set up in the space required for one tennis court, and an entire starter equipment package can be purchased for under $200.

Pickleball is just taking off. It has been added to the curriculum of many high school phys-ed programs, is being played in colleges and many community centers. Players are learning pickleball at a young age and will be enjoying this fun sport well into their golden years. Get with the craze!

Sources: www.pickleball.com

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