Individual Sports PICKLEBALL

National Gold Medal Match

The Story of a Dog Named Pickle One summer in 1965, two dads in Bainbridge Island, Washington were desperate to find a game to entertain their kids. At the time, badminton was a very popular sport, but the dads had a problem… no one could find the birdie. They set up the net anyway and set off to find an alternative. While they were rummaging in the garage, their pesky little dog Pickle came bounding around the corner with his favorite whiffle ball in his mouth, begging someone to play fetch. Almost immediately, the two dads got an idea! They snatched up Pickle’s ball and decided that they would make new rackets to hit the whiffle ball over the net instead of the birdie. They grabbed some plywood and made wooden rackets for the kids.

Once the rackets were finished, the kids started playing this new game by hitting the whiffle ball with their rackets over the net, similar to badminton. The only problem was that every time the ball got loose, Pickle sprinted after his ball and forced the kids to chase him down to get it. All of this chasing led the kids to name the new sport “Pickle’s Ball” since they were playing with the dog’s ball all along. Eventually, they shortened it to Pickleball, and that’s the name that stuck!

PICKLEBALL EQUIPMENT Paddle Ball Nets

Pickleball How To

HOW TO PLAY Pickleball is played in singles or doubles. First server is determined by a coin flip. Serving begins in right-hand court, underhand only. Only serving team can score. Winner of the game is the first person to score 11 points. Each game must be won by 2 points. Player scores if his/her opponent: Fails to return the ball Hits it out-of-bounds Faults One must win 2 out of 3 games.

Pickleball Court

EASTERN FOREHAND GRIP This grip is like a handshake with forefingers extended up and behind the handle.

EASTERN BACKHAND GRIP Start with forehand grip and rotate the paddle a quarter turn counterclockwise with the thumb either diagonal or across the back of the handle.

CONTINENTAL GRIP Grip the handle midway between the forehand and backhand

SERVE A shot that initiates play At least one foot must be behind the end line Served across court at a diagonal clearing the non-volley zone Must be underhand and hit below the waist without a bounce PICKLEBALL SERVE VIDEO

FOREHAND DRIVE SHOT Using a continental grip contact the ball with a flat paddle face swing the paddle slightly upward with a firm wrist

BACKHAND DRIVE Similar to the forehand drive but taken from the opposite side of the body and the back of the hand faces the ball

LOB HIT High or upward hit used when opponents rush up to the net VOLLEY HIT Hitting the ball in the air with the center of the paddle using a lifting motion on balls below the net and a blocking or downward motion on balls above the net

TOPSPIN Keep the paddle face flat lifting upward and across the top of the ball on contact the ball should rise, drop sharply, then bounce forward BACKSPIN Open the paddle face slightly on contact then drop the paddle face downward through the ball the ball should rise slightly, lose momentum, and die or bounce sharply upward

HIT DROP SHOT/DINK SHOTS A shot that barely clears the net