The game of pickleball is a very unique sport. However, if you play the game of tennis, you will swear that you have seen this before. Many people describe it as an offshoot of tennis, a game that is played on a court with rackets. However, pickleball is a little bit different. It is more of a paddle sport, similar to how you would play table tennis. Yet it is played on a court, outside or inside, and it follows a very specific set of rules. This game has expanded greatly since its inception, and is now very popular in a multitude of cities across the country.
How is Pickleball played?
Pickleball is a sport that is played on a court.You would require a pickleball set It is outlined in a rectangle, divided down the middle by a net that is about 3 feet in height. The size of the court itself is virtually identical to a court for badminton. It measures 20′ x 44′ in size. As with tennis, the ball is served diagonally, always beginning on the right hand side. This is called serving, and this puts the ball into play, and the players must continue until the wiffle ball hits the net or goes outside of the lines.
Overview of the Pickleball court?
The court is primarily divided into a volley and no volley zone. Both of these are on each side. There are two rectangles side-by-side at the far ends of the court. It is permissible to hit the ball without it bouncing which is called a volley. However, the larger longer rectangles adjacent to the net are referred to as the non-volley zone. There are also several other rules including the double bounce rule, rules regarding what a fault is, and it is scored by counting points up to 11, with the winner two points ahead of the loser.
Why it is hard to learn the rules of Pickleball?
Due to the similarity of pickleball and the game of tennis, those that have played tennis all of their lives may find this very challenging. It is as if someone has taken a tennis court, made it smaller, and change the rules to make the game more difficult. However, many of the rules are just the same. When you serve the wiffleball, the server must keep their feet behind the line. However, other rules are different such as serving the ball under hand and not crossing the threshold of your waistline. Once you understand the rules, it will become second nature to abide by them and simply play the game.
Why is pickleball addicting?
There are many theories as to why this is such a popular game. It is likely more popular with people who enjoy racket sports. Anyone that has played tennis, badminton, or even racquetball, will find themselves right at home on the pickleball court. Whether they are playing with two players or four players, they are going to be engaged in high-speed play from the beginning to the end of every point. It could be the speed at which the wiffleball moves, or simply the familiarity that they have with the formation of this tennis like court.
10 most popular cities are playing pickleball
Since its inception back in the mid-1960s in Washington, it has grown in popularity at a rapid pace. In places like Bainbridge Island, which is where it was first started, it is very popular in this state. However, it’s also popular in the capital city of Seattle, St. Paul Minnesota, Madison Wisconsin, and also as far east as Virginia Beach. There are even teams that play in Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska, Chesapeake Virginia, and Plano Texas. There are two other places that are very different than all of the others. One is Henderson in the state of Nevada and also Honolulu Hawaii. These are the 10 most popular cities where pickleball has become as popular as other racket.
Will its popularity extend into other states?
Pickleball is a unique sport. It does require a particular type of athlete to truly appreciate how fun it actually is. You will notice certain characteristics or similarities between the states where it is the most popular. Obviously, Seattle would be at the top of the list because it was first started in this state. Therefore, it’s popularity would be the strongest there. However, as you look at other states including Nevada, Hawaii, Virginia, and Nebraska, it’s hard to see why it has become popular there. Nevada is primarily a desert like state, with few trees, which is a stark contrast to places like Washington state. Hawaii is a beautiful place that is warm and inviting, whereas Nebraska tends to have much colder weather and very difficult winters. Therefore, it seems to have spread as a result of players that lived in different areas, promoting it as a new game that everyone should play. Therefore, it has a good chance of becoming popular in all 50 states just as it has in these top 10.
If you have not played pickleball before, it should be at the top of your list. It is a fun filled game that people of all ages can play. You will often see retirees playing together, and having fun, all the while getting plenty of exercise on the smaller court that are easy to play. On the other hand, you may see children playing pickleball, and this is a great gateway to other games like racquetball and tennis. It’s not as demanding, yet it does require a specific skill set to become accurate in placing the shots that you make. The hardest thing about pickleball is unlearning rules that you may have regarding similar sports. Once you get past that, you will then be able to enjoy this game which is very popular in all of these states.