Health & Wellness
Never a Dill Moment Pickleball on the Northshore by Poki Hampton
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Inside Northside
originated. One, the wife of one of the founders said she started calling it pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded her of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.” The more popular story, however, is that the game was officially named after a founder’s dog, Pickles, who would chase the
photo: PAIGE HENDERSON www.bellus.photography
“HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING?” If you’re not currently obsessed with pickleball, you probably know someone who is! According to Wade Partridge, the pro at Money Hill in Abita Springs, “Pickleball is easy to learn, but difficult to get good at. It’s great exercise (more so than tennis), a lot of fun and laughs and it’s a game both genders can play together.” Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world, building a reputation as an incredibly entertaining crossbreed of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It’s played on a badminton-size court, usually in pairs, using a perforated plastic ball and paddles originally made of wood. It’s a sport that can be played by virtually all ages, doesn’t require much money and will entertain friends and family for hours. Improvised by three dads in Washington State using a waffle ball, some ping pong paddles, and an old badminton net to entertain their kids on a family vacation, pickleball has been around since the mid1960s. The origin of the game’s name is interesting, especially since no pickles are used. There are two accounts of how the name
