All about Pickleball for Adults
Pickleball is sweeping the nation! This fun, social, and easy-to-learn game has simple rules and the equipment is rather inexpensive. Pickleball is a great way to get exercise and is a fun way to spend time with friends and even your family.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is an active game that shares some components of badminton, tennis, and ping pong. It is played on a badminton court and uses a tennis net and a plastic ball- almost like a Wiffle ball. Players use large paddles similar to ping pong paddles to hit the ball over the net according to the rules. Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles. The play style is similar to tennis, but no need to worry about playing like a professional! Play starts by using a simple underhand serve to start each point.
Where Did Pickleball Originate?
Talk about a great story! Pickleball was invented by two friends who wanted to play a game with their families. In 1965, Washington State congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bel had finished a day out golfing and returned to Pritchard’s home to find the family sitting around with nothing to do. There was a badminton court but they had no racquets. They decided to improvise using ping-pong equipment. After a weekend of experimenting, pickleball was born.
Pickleball seems to be a strange name. The most common story for how the name came to be is that Joel Pritchard owned a dog named Pickles, who would often run away with the ball during the game. Once the game started becoming more popular and needed a name, Pickles stole the show, and Pickleball became the official name of the new sport.
When Did Pickleball Become Popular?
In 1984, The United States Amateur Pickleball Association was formed and published its first rulebook. By 1990, pickleball gained traction in all fifty states due to the simplicity of the game and its similarity to other racquet sports.
Are There Health Benefits in Pickleball?
Of course! There are many benefits of pickleball. Playing pickleball provides light, aerobic exercise without much risk of injury. Research has shown that active adults who play pickleball three times a week for an hour each time saw improved blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness. Pickleball injuries are rare and generally only occur in the more intense players. Pickleball is also a social sport - you need at least two people to play a singles match and four to make it an even more exciting doubles match. For active adults, Pickleball can not only improve physical health but mental health as well by providing a social activity. Staying social is so important, as it helps to provide meaningful interactions that fight off loneliness and depression.
Larkspur at Creekside is located in New Braunfels, TX, and is a 55+ Active Adult Community. Focus on your health and well-being while you play, stay fit, stay focused, gather, learn, and relax! You can even enjoy a game of Pickleball on one of our Pickleball courts!