Let’s play some pickleball!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never heard of pickle ball before. Have you?

Well, apparently this game has been a national sport since the mid 1960s.  Since most people are not pro tennis players, this is the best sport to use all the tennis courts around the area.

What is Pickleball, you ask?

Pickleball is a combination between ping pong, badminton, and tennis. It’s played with a small plastic ball with little holes, a large over-sized paddleball. It’s played on a badminton sized court with a tennis sized net. The court size is 20 X 44 feet and the net hung 36 inches with a center 34 inches. So, the best place to play the game is on a tennis court- indoor or outdoors.

Pickleball is fantastic sport for people of all ages and abilities. The idea is to volley the ball back and forth until someone misses. It’s a game for two to four players.

How did the game get it’s name? After the founder’s family pet dog- of course!

Where can you play?

Just about anywhere with a tennis court is a great way to start. But, there is one court that is already set up to play the game- Dominick Lofino Park Tennis Court located at 640 Grange Hall Road. The courts are now ready for play. Lines are painted for both tennis and pickleball.

Here are some game slang terms to know if you’d like to play the game:

*Baseline
*Centerline
*Crosscourt
*Dink
*Fault
*Foot Fault
*Half-Volley
*Lob
*Poach
*Kitchen

To learn the meaning of the terms and the rules of the game- visit www.usapa.org/what-is-pickleball/.