What’s Pickleball Anyway? Everybody’s Talking About It

Whether out in the summer sun or in a local gymnasium, a bizarre little game has gotten a resurge in popularity. Its name is pickleball.

What's pickleball? An odd combination of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, pickleball is a fast-paced game that is easy to learn, hard to master, and fun for all ages.

Interested in learning more? We have the details here on the fun little game everyone is talking about.

What's Pickleball

Pickleball's origins came in 1965 when a group of families eager to change up their summertime fun made up a wild combination of rules. Pickleball has rule pieces of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, and can have 2 to 4 players.

The name has odd origins as well. The story goes that it came from the family dog or as a reference to pickle boats with its hodgepodge of game mechanics.

With a humble beginning and silly name, it has become an endearing classic across the US and beyond.

Getting Down the Basics

Pickleball is set up in much the same way as the games it has come from. The court is a rectangle layout with 2 sections on each side and a net in the middle with a dead zone around it.

The two teams, either with a single player per team or as a pair of players, play on either side of the net. Like all the games before it, a ball goes back and forth until one team can score.

There are a few basics, similar to tennis and badminton, that pickleball relies on.

• One team serves the ball and must do so underhand and from the right to the left-hand side.
• The ball must bounce once before the other team can hit it back.
• A team serves until they hit a fault, which involves the ball not clearing the net or hitting the wrong area.
• Scoring goes to the team that serves. A team continues to serve until a fault occurs. Scoring happens when an opponent misses a non-fault serve.
• Scoring goes till 11, but a team must win by a difference of at least 2 points.

The game is quick and very back-and-forth, similar to its predecessors.

Tournaments and Popularity

As with all games with solid and set rules, tournaments are inevitable. The spirit of competition was to uptake the game and organizations stepped forward. Competing for personalized trophies are commonplace across the country.

While tournaments are everywhere, the real popularity has been rising in sports clubs and community centres across the US and in many other countries.

Whether you are looking for a small league or an intense tournament, there is pickleball to be had far and wide. Looking for a group? The USAPA website has a pickleball play finder, letting you track down the game you want.

Good Games and Greater Awards

So what's pickleball? If you are looking for a quick and fun game for both competitive and casual settings, you found it. Pickleball is a ton of fun and a great social back-and-forth.

With big tournaments and booming popularity, there is an increasing desire for nice pickleball trophies! We have trophies covered, so if you are eager to host or even win a pickleball tournament, we'll supply the rest.