Have You Tried Playing Pickleball Yet?
Have You Tried Playing Pickleball Yet?
by Roger Urbaniak
When I was much younger, I learned how to play tennis and concentrated most of my hobby exercising chasing and hitting those fluffy round yellow balls. It is easy to get injured aggressively playing tennis however and there have been times that I needed something else to do while I was healing but not quite ready to play tennis yet.
Pickleball turned out to be just what I needed as it combines elements of tennis, table tennis and badminton in its play which is suited for two to four people. I suspect that the quick reflexes that I developed playing close to the net in pickleball has helped improve my tennis game too. Following is some of the basic information that will allow you to get started too.
Pickleball Equipment:
Normally if you attend a regular place to play pickleball such as the YMCA in our area, the courts come with nets ready for you to use. Parks and Recreation tennis courts often have separate lines painted that allow the play of pickleball using the tennis net. Dimensions of a standard pickleball court are 20’ x 44’ (20 x 22 on each side of the net similar to badminton). If you bring some chalk and measuring tape you can modify temporarily modify a tennis court long enough to get in a game. Paddles are either wood or composite material which are used to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net. Since courts are usually free, it usually becomes a relatively inexpensive hobby.
If you wish to set up your own pickleball court, net, fasteners, 2 paddles and ball can be purchased for roughly $150 online. Quality paddles can start at $15 and go to over $100 for tournament quality. Online is suggested way to shop although I have found good value at paddles & balls from Walmart. Half size nets are also available online to allow practicing.
I have found pickleball to be a good workout but less strenuous than tennis on knees and shoulder. It has also proved to be a great way of meeting people at the YMCA. We often have 3 courts going simultaneously and people sitting on the sidelines waiting to play and easy to talk with. Typical age groups playing can range from 15 to 80. Like with most sports however as your skill level increases so will your physical effort. Played at the higher competitive levels, you will truly get a great work out and have fun at the same time. There are some play restrictions, like stay out of the kitchen, but you will likely learn what that means during your first game.
Due to recent demand and use City Parks and Recreation departments in several areas near me have either modified outdoor tennis courts or actually constructed Pickle Ball regulation courts for pickleball play only. The best way to find one near you is start with the internet. Once you find a court, ask some of the people you meet if they know of other courts. Quite often they know of some that have not made it to the internet. Popular Everest Park in Kirkland has 3 courts. They are practically always in play with people lined up to use the courts when the game (first one to 11 points wins) is finished. Most games are doubles, making it a good socializing opportunity, both while playing and while waiting to get a court. To indicate you are ready to play, most people just place their paddle near a court in play and when the game is finished, those waiting start up a new game.
