write next door In a Pickle

with columnist Colleen D’Angelo

In a Pickle

Just one more game – please!

I have a confession. I am truly addicted to pickleball. My husband jokes that he has lost me to a cucumber soaked in vinegar and spices. The truth is pretty basic: pickleball is fun and the people who play it are even more fun. It’s a natural mood booster, easy to learn, tough to master and impossible to stop.

It may seem like the sport came out of nowhere, but pickleball was actually invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Good friends Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum tried to devise a game to keep their bored children occupied. They used whatever they had on hand including paddleball paddles, badminton racquets and table tennis paddles, as well as a tall badminton net. At some point, they lowered the net so they could hit the ball harder and shaped new paddles out of scrap plywood. Finding the perfect ball was a struggle, but the Wiffle ball did a decent job except that it split into pieces too easily. Eventually the Cosum Fun Ball hit the scene and the adults on Bainbridge Island became so obsessed with the game that the kids couldn’t get any court time. The game was fast and fun but easy enough for the entire family to play.

At first, there were no official rules, but gradually the friends committed to formalizing the game and making it a real competitive sport. They combined elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis to create a balanced, neutral game for all players. One story is that this combination of sports reminded Joel Pritchard of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen are chosen from the leftovers of other boats, and they started calling this new game, “pickle.” The story that garners more attention is that the Pritchards had a cockapoo named Pickles that chased and hid the ball when they played.

The first pickleball tournament was played in 1976 in Tukwila,Washington, and the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed in 1984 to help grow the game at a national level. The first official paddle and rule book also debuted in 1984, with pickleball being played in every state by 1990.

Today there are more than 4.2 million players across the U.S., up 21.3 percent from 2019, according to the USAPA, and the number keeps growing by dinks and lobs (a little pickleball humor ).

Fifty-five years after the “pickle seed” was planted, pickleball has developed into the fastest growing sport in the U.S. for many of the same reasons it was invented. I asked a group of dedicated Dublin players what they liked about the sport and this is what they said: • It is easy to learn so the very first time you step onto the court, you can have fun and enjoy the game. • It’s great for families of all ages and a fun couples sport. • It isn’t too hard on the body so you can continue to play as you age. • It improves your reflexes, balance and range of motion. • It is athletic, strategic and absolutely addicting!

Many top players have a tennis or racquetball background, but that isn’t necessary. Pickleball is suitable for all fitness levels and backgrounds and is now being taught in many physical education programs in schools, at community centers and at retirement facilities. Watching top tournaments and lessons on YouTube is popular and the Pickleball National Championships will be broadcast on ESPN Nov. 6-13, 2021.

Another reason for the growth of pickleball is the accessibility. During the COVID pandemic when we were all staying home and looking for safe activities, I bought a pickleball net and set it up in our cul-de-sac. Soon, the neighbors and their children joined in the fun, which helped all of us feel less isolated.

Do you want to play in Dublin? Eight new pickleball courts were recently built near the Justice Center and Dublin skate park. They are open to Dublin residents daily until 11 p.m. and feature lights, bathrooms, a fence around the facility and four-foot fences in between each court. There are plans in progress to offer lessons to children and adults, so keep an eye on the City of Dublin website.

New pickleball and paddle ball courts are being built at The Country Club at Muirfield Village. The Holbrook Recreation Complex Courts, which are part of the Muirfield Association, also have open play and lessons for beginners, while the Dublin Community Recreation Center offers open play in the gymnasium.

See you on the courts!

Colleen D’Angelo is a freelance writer who lives in Dublin with her husband, three children and several small animals. She enjoys playing tennis, walking the Dublin bike paths and traveling.

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