Leadership, Growth, Promotion and Pathways for all Pickleball players throughout Aotearoa New Zealand

All About Pickleball

Pickleball is a court game played either outdoors or indoors, and it can be enjoyed by almost all ages and abilities.  Play is with two (singles) or four (doubles) players.  The court is the same size as a doubles badminton court with the outside lines creating the court boundary lines, 6.09 meters wide and 13.41 meters long.   The net is hung at 91.5 cm at the ends and 86.4 cm at the centre.  The paddles are made of wood or composite material, and the ball is a plastic Wiffle ball.  Different balls are used depending on whether play is indoors or outdoors.  Watch this short Intro to Pickleball video, courtesy of USA Pickleball, to learn more about the general rules of the game. 

Or, download this handy All About Pickleball informational PDF. 

Origin of Pickleball

After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island, WA (near Seattle) to find their families sitting around with nothing to do.  The property had an old badminton court so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets.  They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball.  At first they placed the net at badminton height of 60 inches and volleyed the ball over the net.  As the weekend progressed, the players found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface and soon the net was lowered to 36 inches.  The following weekend, Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard’s home.  Soon, the three men created rules, relying heavily on badminton.  They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play together.

What about that funny name?

Pickleball has a very interesting name, especially since no pickles are used.  Accounts of how the name originated differ.                      (1) According to Joel Pritchard’s wife (Joan), she started calling the game Pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats”.                                                  (2) However, according to Barney McCallum, the game was officially named after the Pritchards’ dog Pickles who would chase the ball and run off with it.  According to McCallum, “The Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you’re having fun at a party, right? So anyways, let’s just call it Pickleball.”  In the early years, no official name was assigned to the game.  As the game progressed, an official name was needed and “Pickleball” was it.

Pickleball is for all Ages

Have you introduced Pickleball to people of other ages around you yet?  Pickleball is such an awesome sport because it is so inclusive of players of all ages.  What other sport can you share with a grandparent or grandchild?  And even compete together?  It truly is a great reason to love the sport.  Pickleball truly can bring us all together.  Spread the love of Pickleball to everyone around you…no matter the age!

Check out this video to see how amazing Pickleball is!