Pickleball

Pickleball is an American sport created in 1965. It was originally a backyard game for kids in Washington State, USA. It is similar to tennis, table tennis, and paddleball.

Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated and hollow ball. The equipment limits how hard and far they can hit it.

Here are the basic rules: The ball must be served underhanded and to the opponent's opposite service court to the one you are serving from. The ball must not bounce on your side.

Only the serving side scores. You must alternate sides when serving. The server serves until the serving side faults. You must hit at least one ground-stroke before approaching the net to volley.

The first side to 11 points, with at least a two-point lead, wins. If both teams reach 10 at the same time then the game will continue until 15. This could go up to 21 points if one side still fails to get a points lead.

History

In 1965, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell returned home and their families were bored. They wanted to play badminton, but no one could find the shuttlecock. Joel asked his children to think of a new game and they invented pickleball. According to Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard's wife, "The name of the game became Pickle Ball after I said it reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats."