Pickleball Basics:

Pickleball is a paddle sport combining elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton.  The game is played both indoors and outdoors, on a badminton-sized court.  The net is a modified (slightly lowered) tennis net.  A plastic ball with holes, similar to a Wiffle ball, is hit with solid paddles made of wood, graphite, or composite materials.  The sport can be loosely described as either "miniature tennis" or "ping pong on steroids!"

 

Invented in 1965, but only becoming mainstream in recent years, Pickleball is often noted for being the fastest growing sport in America.  The reason for this is clear: the game is easy to learn and instantly fun for beginners, then reveals itself to be incredibly complex at advanced levels.  Like a chess match played at lightning speed (with volley speeds as fast as 50 MPH), this addictive sport requires strategy, reflex, and hand-eye coordination. Because pickleball does not heavily rely on physical strength and running ability, the game can be enjoyed and played competitively by people of all ages.

 

For more information, check out the videos below, and read the basic rules summary on the link for the website for the US Pickleball Association at USAPA.org.

 

EQUIPMENT:

 

Check out Pickleball Central at the link below. If you use the Club Discount code: CRYSPBC at checkout, you get a 5% discount on everything you purchase, plus the Club gets an additional 5% credit to purchase equipment in the future.