The Game
Let's Play!
Created in 1965, pickleball began in Washington State in the backyard of Former U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard. After a day of golf, Pritchard returned home in search of a more family-friendly game. With makeshift paddles in hand, he and a friend began batting around a perforated plastic ball. Rules were set and, after a few weeks, "pickleball" was born.
Pickleball is a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. The ball is served underhand starting from the right-hand side of the court and is served diagonally to the opponent's service zone. The service return must bounce first. Points are scored by the serving side only and occur when the opponent faults (fails to return the ball, hits the ball out of bounds or steps into the non-volley zone while in the act of volleying the ball). A player may enter the non-volley zone to play a ball that has bounced. The player must exit the non-volley zone before playing a volley. The return of service must be allowed to bounce by the server (and partner in doubles play); i.e. cannot be volleyed. Consequently, the server or server and partner usually stay at the baseline until the first return has been hit back and bounced once. The first side scoring eleven points and is leading by at least two points wins.
Rules Summary - USA Pickleball - Feb 7, 2023
This document is an abbreviated form of the rules to give a quick overview of how the game is played. If there is a conflict
between this summary and the official rules, the official rules prevail.
Pickleball Videos for Introduction to Pickleball!
You may find the videos listed below helpful because they cover the basic pickleball fundamentals.
Introduction to Pickleball
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTvPYdKZqO0 2:17
Non-Volley Zone Rules
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGfLXDTzJck 6:55
Kitchen Rule
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QacxhVqHzvY 3:04
Scoring
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMEpFipIdrk 5:11
Court Lines - Ball in or out
What You Need To Know!
What equipment will I need?
When playing pickleball, each player will need a pickleball paddle, which is smaller than a tennis racquet but larger than a ping-pong paddle. Originally, paddles were made only from wood, however, today's paddles have evolved dramatically and are primarily made of lightweight composite materials, including aluminium and graphite. If you're attending an introductory clinic, we have paddles available for loan. The ball itself is unique, with holes through it like a wiffleball, and there are different balls models intended for indoor and outdoor play. The ball is usually white or yellow in colour however colour balls are also gaining in popularity.
What apparel and accessories are worn?
Players wear just about anything comfortable... court shorts, sweatpants, polo shirts, t-shirts, etc. Tennis style dresses and skorts for females are also common. Most important is proper and comfortable court shoes. For optimum performance and safety, proper court shoes are a necessity. As for accessories, players may wear hats, visors, safety glasses, sweatbands and light jackets or sweatshirts for cold, outdoor play.
Eye protection is important!
The Silveridge Pickleball Club enthusiastically endorses the use of eye protection while playing pickleball.
What does the court look like?
A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court and measures 20 x 44 feet. In pickleball, the same court is used for both doubles and singles play. The net is 36 inches in the middle. The court is striped similar to a tennis court with right and left service courts and a 7-foot non-volley zone in the front of the net (referred to as the "kitchen"). Courts can be constructed specifically for pickleball or they can be converted using existing tennis or badminton courts.
What type of paddle should I buy?
Excellent question!
A Google search for "pickleball paddle type" will quickly yield many useful results.
One option is to visit Pickleball Central's Pickleball Paddle Guide. They have created this guide to help players of all skill levels pick the best possible paddle based on their style of play, their physical attributes, and their experience level.
You can order a pickleball paddle and other equipment at “PickleballCentral.com” and use the discount code “CRSilveridge” to receive a 5% discount on your order. In addition, any purchase you make will automatically give our club the same 5% discount in a credit. They offer the lowest price guarantee and a 30-day 100% happiest return policy. Alternately, visit a sporting store near you.
If you intend to play pickleball more than once or twice, do not purchase a wooden paddle. Quality composite paddles are available locally for well under $100.
