Just the facts about ... Pickle ball

by Sam Crawford

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing participant sports in the world, especially among age-55+ adults. There are an estimated 2.5 million players in the United States alone.

• Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, WA, by a group of dads who wanted their restless kids to get some healthy outdoor exercise.

• “A cross between mini-tennis and pingpong on steroids” is how pickleball has been described.

• A standard pickleball court (20’ wide by 44’ long) is roughly half the size of a tennis court (36’ wide by 78’ long). The net in both games is about three feet high.

• Pickleball can be played year-round on indoor courts or outside, where the elements can come into play. The only other difference is in the pickleball itself, which looks like a large plastic whiffle ball: there are 26 holes for the indoor ball and 40 for the harder, heavier outdoor model. Fluorescent yellow is the preferred color for tournament play.

• A basic pickleball paddle is made of wood, weighs about 10 ounces, and can cost as little as $15. More advanced models are a bit lighter, made of composite cores with graphite faces, and range in price from $35 to more than $200.

• Like tennis, pickleball is a serve-and-volley game for singles or doubles, and points can only be scored by the serving side. One major difference is the non-volley zone called “the kitchen,” which is situated seven feet on either side of the net and prevents smash returns.

• Nearly all new age-55+ active-adult communities are building pickleball courts as part of their recreational infrastructure, and most established racquet clubs are adding them for players of all ages to enjoy.

• The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA.org) is the game’s national governing body and has a searchable database of more than 15,000 courts at over 6,000 locations in all 50 states.

The Margaritaville USA National Pickleball Championships will be held at California’s Indian Wells Tennis Garden from October 31 through November 8, 2020.

PEOPLE WHO VACATION IN ARKANSAS OFTEN END UP CALLING THE NATURAL STATE HOME FOR GOOD LATER IN LIFE. FIND OUT WHY THE LOCALS LOVE IT AND OUR VISITORS CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IT.

by Jan Cullinane