Pickleball is the New Sport for Active Seniors

Rules, Trivia, History and Future of this New Sport

Jul 29, 2008

The history of pickleball has a forty year run inspired by tennis. The sport is unique, however, as it has its own playful terminology and simplistic rules.

Here's a riddle--what do you get when you combine the elements of tennis and ping pong, add a whiffle ball of sorts, and throw a few falafels into the mix? Think this riddle's pickle? You're right. It's a pickle--ball that is.

If you've never heard of pickleball, don't worry, you will. This tennis-inspired activity is sweeping the nation. Forget the bocce ball of yesteryear, pickleball is the new favorite of vibrant seniors.

Invented by Congressman Joel Pritchard

The game my sound like a newbie but the pickleball has been kicking about for forty years. It began with a family trip to Bainbridge Island, outside Seattle, in 1965.

During the trip, would-be Congressman Joel Pritchard would famously improvise the game, amusing his children with a plastic ball, a ping-pong paddle, and an overgrown badminton court. He and co-creators William Bell and Barney McCallum later refined the game and named it for the Pritchard's family dog-- Pickles.

Basic Rules

An association for the sport was founded in 1984 to promote the growth of pickleball on a national and international level. The USA Pickleball Association sanctions an official rules book written by their appointed board of directors. But don't be alarmed--the rules of pickleball are fairly simple:

Simple enough eh? Pickleball also hosts a playful use of terminology such as a falafel to describe a dead paddle in which the ball is hit with little force, or the Pickledome noting the court on which a championship game is played.

Future of Pickleball

And these days you're unlikely to find a retirement community without a Pickledome. One of the largest national pickleball tournaments in the nation is hosted annually by The Villages, a retirement community near Orlando that boasts 44 different pickleball courts. Pickleball also serves as an athletic alternative to seniors no longer able to withstand the rigors of tennis.

But don't expect pickleball to take a back seat to tennis anytime soon. With pickleball leagues popping up all around the nation, the USAPA's dream of an official pickleball event at the Senior Olympics may become a reality.

So Congratulations! Now that you know the history, the rules, and the funny terms--you're only a paddle away from discovering what millions already know. So find a court, some buddies, and a ball--and remember, don't be afraid to get yourself in a pickle.

The copyright of the article Pickleball is the New Sport for Active Seniors in Tennis/Racquet Sport is owned by Eva Hamilton. Permission to republish Pickleball is the New Sport for Active Seniors in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.