Pickleball is America’s fastest-growing sport. More than 36 million people played last year! Were you one of them? If not, we encourage you to find a court and try it.
So how did this craze start anyway? Believe it or not, it’s been around since 1965. Three middle-aged fathers invented the game. It’s a quirky hybrid of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton with a funny name. It was either named after a family dog called Pickles (so cute!) or because it reminded the inventors of the pickle boat in the crew — depending on who you ask!
How to Play
You play with a paddle and perforated plastic ball on a badminton-size court with a low net. Usually, you play in doubles with four players. Each doubles player stands to the right or left of the center line.
To start, you determine which team will serve first using whatever method you like. The player on that team on the right side serves underhanded diagonally to the opposing left side. The server has to clear the “kitchen” and net. The kitchen is the area surrounding the net marked by a line.
Once you get the game going, you can hit two kinds of shots: groundstrokes and volleys. You hit a groundstroke off the bounce or a volley from the air, but not in the kitchen. That’s the no-volley zone. You continue playing after the serve until there’s a fault, like a ball hitting the net, going out of bounds, or a serve landing in the kitchen.
Rules of the Game
We mentioned a couple of rules, but here are a few more to prepare you for the competition! You only get points on the serve, and the first team to 11 wins — but only if there’s a 2-point difference between teams.
You can hit groundstrokes in the kitchen, just not volleys. Before anyone can volley, the ball has to bounce on both sides. Finally, both players on a team take turns serving. Who’s up next is part of the score callout. For example, if the score is 2-1 and you serve as the first player in the rotation, you call out 2-1-1 before you serve from the right. If you lose the point, the serve goes to your teammate (player 2, so 2-1-2). Announce the score before each serve.
Pickleball Chic
Sounds like fun, right? But what do you wear? We adore the pickleball collection at Willow House, right here in Celina! You’ll look fabulous in their cute shorts, skirt, cropped tank top, and sports dress. Add the beaded pickleball paddle necklace, bracelet, and earrings, and you’ll be the best-dressed player on the court.
Chicken and Pickle Anyone?
If this makes you want to play, you have lots of options. Personally, we like combining chicken with our pickleball! Head over to Chicken N Pickle in Grapevine for delicious food and fun on the court, with another location coming soon to nearby Allen! You can reserve a court and even play in a tournament.
The Parks at Wilson Creek Pickleball Court
When you live at The Parks at Wilson Creek, you can play pickleball without leaving the community at our resident-exclusive pickleball court, opening summer 2024! Maybe start a community tournament and pair the games with potluck dinners. Contact us today to find your new home and prepare to perfect your game.