Pickleball Popularity Is Growing Fast In The United States

Have you ever heard of pickleball? Quite a few people will tell you that they have never heard of this game. Pickleball is becoming very popular in the United States. People of all ages are playing pickleball these days. While the game sounds like a mystery to some, pickleball is fairly easy to understand and play.

 

Pickleball and its rising popularity

Pickleball is a mix of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It can be played on a badminton-sized court. The paddle used to play pickleball resembles a ping pong paddle, although it is slightly bigger than a ping pong paddle. The pickle ball is a whiffle ball that resembles a tennis ball. The game is really fun, and it’s very easy to get hooked to it. The game is challenging and fun for young people. Older people also love pickleball, since it’s not so hard for them to play it. Pickleball gives older people a chance to stay active and have fun. The USA Pickleball Association estimates that there are currently more than 100,000 active pickleball players in the U.S. More and more tennis courts are being converted into pickleball courts, all across the country. The process of conversion is quite simple. 

The tennis court net needs to be lowered, and the court needs to be painted with different stripes. In fact, tennis courts are sometimes used for both tennis and pickleball. This is done by painting additional stripes on a tennis court. Even though pickleball is seen as a game for seniors, some U.S. schools have been offering the game to students, for years. A lot of students decide to play this game, and then get seriously hooked on it. The average person might take 2 to 3 lessons in order to understand the game. For most people, tennis is harder to master than pickleball. Tennis requires people to run more and chase the ball. Pickleball doesn’t require as much physical effort. That’s why it’s ideal for older people.

 

Pickleball - a budget friendly game that makes people more social

Pickleball is more than just a game that helps people stay in shape. This game is fun to play, and it connects people. This is especially true if there are two players on each side. On the one hand, pickleball is easier to play than tennis. But on the other hand, pickleball is played at a faster pace than tennis. With pickleball, you actually get more action and closer contact. It’s easier for players to cope with more action since the pickleball paddles are lightweight. You don’t need to have a lot of money to play pickleball, the pickleball equipment isn’t that expensive. You can buy a pickleball paddle for $30 to $80. A dozen whiffle balls cost around $20. Pickleball enables people to get lots of exercise. It's fun to to play pickleball that people can forget how much exercise they get during the game. People also get to bond with one another when playing the game. Pickleball is likely to get you laughing as soon as you start playing. 

It’s hard for people to be social on tennis courts, since they are so big. There is a lot more competitiveness on tennis courts, which prevents people from becoming too social. Pickleball brings people together, and is a lot more fun to play than tennis. But don’t mistake having fun for a lack of competitiveness. Pickleball is quite competitive, that’s why people get hooked so easily. If you watch a few pickleball games, you will see people of all ages playing together. It’s not uncommon to see younger and older people playing against each other.

 

Pickleball - helping people lose weight

People have reported losing weight by playing pickleball. That’s so much better than wasting years on inefficient diets. Going to the gym, jogging, and trying out various diets is definitely not fun. That’s why so many people feel that they can never lose weight. People who play pickleball essentially lose weight by having fun. One could argue that tennis also helps people lose weight. But tennis requires people to run a lot. That’s why many people choose not to play tennis in the first place. With pickleball, there is less ground to cover. Pickleball is also great for people that are mobility challenged. Thanks to the small court, disabled people are able to play this game without having to move a lot. People with back injuries, who are barely able to walk, sometimes play pickleball. And the sport is not so hard on the joints, as opposed to tennis.

 

The history of Pickle ball

In 1965, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, were returning to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island. they came home, they saw that their families were bored, and they decided to do something about it. Pritchard’s property had an old badminton court, so Pritchard and Bell decided to look for badminton equipment. They couldn’t find any racquets, so they just used ping pong paddles and played badminton with a plastic ball. Pritchard and Bell soon lowered the badminton net, since they saw that the plastic ball was bouncing quite well. The two men were essentially playing badminton with ping pong equipment. The following weekend, Pritchard and Bell invited a third friend over. They all got together and created rules for this new game. Most of these rules were based on badminton rules. 

The first real pickleball court was built in the backyard of Pritchard’s neighbor. In 1972, Pritchard decided to form a corporation in order to ‘patent’ the sport. In 1975, newspapers started talking about this new racquet sport in the U.S. In the following year, the first pickleball tournament was organized in Tukwila, Washington. In 1984, the USAPA (United States of America Pickleball Association) issued the first pickleball rulebook. In the same year, the first pickleball composite paddle was constructed. By 1990, pickleball gained wide recognition, and was played in all 50 states.

Some tips for playing pickleball

When you start playing pickleball, you will need to master the stroke by hitting your backhand ground strokes or volleys. If you’re playing outside and it’s windy, keep the wind direction in mind. The wind direction keeps changing constantly, so it’s important to adapt. If you aren’t sure about your ability to hit a shot, don’t hit it. Only hit shots when you’re really confident about making them. Never stay completely stationary on the ground. It will be easier for you to move your body once it’s already in motion. When you are hitting the ball, do it while your weight is going towards the net. When volleying, your best bet is to hit the ball when it’s at the highest point in the air. Purchase all your pickleball equipment needs here: http://www.wolfesports.com/

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