A Guide to Getting into Pickleball
Pickleball is a fun, easy sport that has been rapidly spreading across the world recently. It’s a simple game that doesn’t need much equipment or explanation. A combination of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, played with hard paddles on a badminton sized court with a low net like tennis. Instead of a tennis ball or birdie, it uses a pickleball, which is similar to a wiffle ball but harder and with smaller holes.
We’ll walk you through everything you need to know to get started on a pickleball court. But be warned, once you start playing, you’ll only want to play more.
The rules of pickleball are similar to tennis, but not exactly the same. The inside of the court is smaller than tennis and there is a no-volley spaced directly in front of the net. That space is called the kitchen. Pickleball is played with singles (one player per side) or doubles (two players per side). Play begins with an underhand serve from one of the two designated squares behind the no-volley zone. The ball must bounce once on both sides of the net before either team can volley (hit the ball before it has bounced). Play continues until a fault is committed, at which point a team is awarded a point or services changes. Points can only be scored by the serving teams. Here are the faults in pickleball.
– The ball is hit out of bounds.
– The ball does not travel over the net.
– The ball bounces more than once on the same side of the net.
– The ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone.
– Touches the non-volley zone on a serve.
These are the base rules of pickleball. But the best way to learn the more nuanced techniques and tips is to get out there and play.
Like any sport, it is impossible to play pickleball without the tools for the job. For this particular sport, there are two pieces of equipment of vital importance, and a few others that will help you out along the way.
1. Paddle: Equivalent to a tennis or badminton racket in their respective sports, the pickleball paddle is the most important piece of equipment you need to play. It’s what you need to hit the ball over the net, and they come in varying styles. Whether you’re looking for power or control, an expert or a beginner, the paddle is going to matter a lot when it comes to direction and velocity of the ball. So do your research.
2. Ball: The piece of equipment that gives pickleball its name. There are variations for indoor and outdoor balls, as well as changes in materials and size of holes. When you’re getting started, this is more about personal preference, so try some out to see what you like.
Other equipment will become important later as well. If you’re fashioning your own court, a net is a necessity, if you want to engage in high level play you should look into proper shoes and apparel, but when you’re just starting out all you need is a ball and a paddle. And of course, somewhere to play.
Pickleball Leagues
With the increase in popularity of the sport, the increase in the number of leagues opening up is also exploding. Check local rec center websites and YMCAs to see if there are public leagues near you. You can also do a quick online search to see if there’s something opening up in your area. Whether it’s firmly established or just starting out, we’ve found that leagues and teams all over the place have started to gain traction, so if there’s not a perfect fit right now, you can widen your location a little bit and you might be in luck.
Our goal is to get as many people excited about the sport we love as possible. So let us know if you ever have questions about getting started. We’re here to help!
