Pickleball
~ story and photos by Evan Markley
What is pickleball? You might have heard the name of this sport that is sweeping the nation, but you might not know enough about it to want to give it a try. If you are curious, let’ s delve into the details of the game that is becoming so popular here in Brown County.
Pickleball has been around since 1965, but has seen its most recent boom in the last three years since the pandemic started. This fast-growing sport is low-impact, meaning it’ s not real hard on your joints. The court is smaller than a tennis court, making it easier to return the ball. The equipment is low cost compared to other sports, and the nets are often portable and easy to set up. Some pickleball players at the Brown County Community YMCA were asked what they liked best about the game. While a few said it was an exceptional workout, or called it undeniably fun, the most popular answer pointed to the social aspect of the game.
According to statistics provided by Brown County Pickleball Club president, Danny Key, there are over 36.5 million pickleball
34 Our Brown County May / June 2023
players and over 10,000 places to play in the United States.
Pickleball is played on a 20ft x 44ft court, the same size as badminton. Players use special paddles to hit a hollowed ball over a net. It can be played indoors or outdoors— each with its own style of game and ball design.
It can be played in doubles or singles competitions. Doubles are played most often here due to local demand for court space.
There are two different types of hits when it comes to pickleball: groundstrokes and volleys. A groundstroke occurs when the ball bounces once on your side before you hit it over the net to the other side. A volley occurs when you hit the ball back to the other side without it hitting the ground on your side.
There are some rules that take away some competitive advantages one might have going into the game. These guidelines allow pickleball players to range in age, gender, and physical fitness level.
On both sides, closest to the net, there is a seven-foot section of court called the“ kitchen.” Players cannot hit a volley while their feet are in the kitchen, even if it’ s just a toe. This rule deters players from easily overpowering opponents at the net. Groundstrokes in the kitchen are allowed and are often called“ dinks” because of the softer, repeated sound that’ s made.
Every point begins with a serve and ends when there is a fault. A fault occurs when the ball does not cross the net, the ball lands out of bounds, or when the ball bounces more than once on one side. The serve is always underhand, and the
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