
Pickleball
“What is Pickleball, and, how do you play Pickleball,” you ask? Invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, just outside of Seattle, Washington – Pickleball is a combination of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton that is played on a court about one-third the size of a tennis court (same dimensions as a badminton court) with a net that is 34 inches high at the center. Pickleball is played with a paddle (think over-sized ping-pong paddle) and perforated ball – somewhat similar (but not really) to a Wiffle Ball. When Pickleball started, players would play with wooden paddles. However, technology has changed over the years. The wooden paddles of yesteryear have now been replaced with graphite and fiberglass paddles made with honeycomb cores.
Currently, the sport of Pickleball is exploding in popularity. There are now nearly 8,500 locations with more being built every week. The spread of the sport is attributed to its popularity within community centers, gym classes, YMCA facilities and retirement communities. The sport continues to grow worldwide as well with many new international clubs forming on multiple continents.
