Do you know what the fastest growing sport in America is? Have you not heard of Pickleball? Well good thing we can educate you on all things Pickleball. So…what is Pickleball? Have you played tennis, badminton, or table tennis? If you have, then you have basically already played Pickleball. Pickleball is a hybrid sport that combines aspects of all three sports. This game can be played on a tennis court, gymnasium floor or in your neighborhood's cul de sac on good ole concrete. In other words, this game can virtually be played anywhere you can lay some lines down and design a court. The game of Pickleball uses paddles, not racquets, to hit a plastic wiffleball over a net. The court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, almost a ⅓ of a regulation size tennis court. 

The Court

Like mentioned before, the Pickleball court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. The court consists of two service squares and a non-volley zone known as the “kitchen.” Players are not allowed to volleyball the ball while standing in the kitchen as this is what separates Pickleball from tennis, badminton and table tennis. This allows for a safe space for the ball to land allowing people of all ages to compete together. 

The Pickle “Ball” 

The actual ball used to play Pickleball is none other than your standard wiffle ball. However, it depends on the surface in which you are playing. If you are playing outside on a hard surface, you should use a firmer wiffle ball. If playing indoors on a softer surface, there is a pickleball with less holes drilled into and not as firm. 

Gameplay

The gameplay of pickleball is pretty straightforward. This game, similar to tennis, can be played as either singles (1v1) or doubles (2v2). Games are played to 11, win by two, and a Pickleball match is played best 2 out of 3 games. To start a Pickleball game, one player serves the ball from behind the baseline into the diagonal service square on the other side of the net. When that ball is returned, the ball must bounce once before it can be played. From there, the game goes on like tennis. Points are earned when the ball is hit out of bounds, into the net, or bouncing twice.  So grab some friends, grab a pickleball, some paddles, and head to your nearest pickleball court (I guarantee you there is one closer than you think!). And don’t forget to grab your FITAID to recover after a couple Pickleball matches! Are you in a Pickleball league? Tag us on Instagram with your favorite Pickleball stories! @FITAID