|
Printer Friendly Adobe PDF Version Printer Friendly Word Version |
| History |
| Pickle-Ball was started by Joel Pritchard,
Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum when improvising a game using only what equipment
was available to them. It started out as family fun, but soon developed
rules, was spread by word-of-mouth, and had a corporation formed which
copyrighted the rules. It spread to high schools, junior colleges, and
youth athletic programs. There is even a United States Pickle-Ball
Association (U.S.P.A.). Interesting Fact: The game was named after
the Pritchard's dog, Pickles.
|
| Basics of the Game |
| The main objective of Pickle-Ball is to
keep the ball in play over a net that is three feet off the ground, while
utilizing placement and pace. Pickle-Ball can be played as either singles
(2 people) or doubles (4 people) on a court the size of a doubles badminton
court. Equipment consists of oversized Ping-Pong type paddles and a
plastic perforated ball. Hitting strokes are similar to those used in
tennis.
|
| The Court |
| The size of the court is 20' x 44' for both
doubles and singles. The net is hung 36" on the ends, and hangs
34" in the middle. Pickle-Ball courts are identical to a doubles
badminton court.
|
| Serve |
| Players must keep one foot behind the back
line when serving. The serve is an underhand serve that must be hit in the
air; it may not be bounce first. The serve is made diagonally cross-court
and must clear the non-volley zone. Only one serve attempt is allowed
except if the ball touches the net on the serve and lands in the proper service
court. Then the serve may be taken over. At the start of each game,
the first serving team is allowed only one fault before giving up the ball to
the opponents. Thereafter both members of each team will serve and fault
before the ball is turned over the the opposing team. The player in the
right hand court will always start first.
|
| Volley |
| To volley a ball means to hit it in the air
without it first bouncing. All volleying must be done with the player's
feet behind the non-volley zone line. It is a fault if the player steps
over the line on his volley follow through.
|