Pickleball for all!

This page is dedicated to all things pickleball. Here I will point out the key features and "rules" to get you started on the fastest growing sport in the United States, starting with the basics.

So what is pickleball?

Pickleball is a paddle sport that blends elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a badminton-sized court with a modified tennis net. Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over the net in singles or doubles matches. The game is easy to learn, accessible to people of all ages and skill levels, and known for its social and fun atmosphere.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time dinker, pickleball is a sport that doesn’t take itself too seriously—and neither should you. So grab your paddle, gather your friends, and remember: in pickleball, laughter is just as important as the score.

The court and equipment

A standard pickleball court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long, which is the same size as a doubles badminton court. This playing area includes the boundaries for the sidelines, baselines, and the 7-foot-deep non-volley zone (kitchen) on both sides of the net.

Tidbit: The original pickleball court was indeed an old badminton court the owners of the house repurposed to entertain visitors.

The net dividing the two sides of the court should be 36 inches tall at the sidelines, and 34 inches tall in the center. This is important to understand as knowing the center of the net is slightly lower can help you optimize the slow game and the side-to-side shots.

Pickleball balls are categorized as either indoor or outdoor, with indoor balls featuring larger holes, thinner plastic, and a lighter, softer feel for extended rallies, while outdoor balls have smaller holes, thicker plastic, and a heavier, harder construction to withstand wind and endure hard court surfaces. Other factors such as color for visibility and overall durability are also important considerations when selecting a pickleball ball.

Tidbit: The most important factor is the playing surface; use an outdoor ball on a hard court, even if it's indoors, and an indoor ball on a softer indoor surface. I only use outdoor balls.

Pickleball paddles (please don't call them rackets) are categorized by player style into three main types:

Control paddles, offering precision and feel;
Power paddles, designed for aggressive, strong shots; and
All-Court paddles, which provide a balance between the two.

Tidbit: Consider paddle materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass, and composites, as well as factors like shape, weight, and handle length, to find the best fit for their game and preferences. Bottom line - test a few until you find your best fit. I wouldn't go too expensive unless you want to engage in formal competition.

The "complex" terms

Ace: A serve that the opponent cannot return, resulting in an immediate point for the server.
Approach Shot: A shot hit while moving forward toward the net. I don't recommend hitting the ball while moving - it's better to anchor your feet to allow for better control.
Dink: A soft, gentle shot that arcs over the net and lands in the opponent's kitchen (non-volley zone). My favorite shot; and what I believe makes this sport a mental as well as a physical game. statistics show that the use of a third-shot drop, a shot designed to set up a dinking exchange, is a major differentiator between competitive levels.
Drop Shot: A soft shot that lands just short of the opponent, often designed to be unreturnable.
Lob: A high, arcing shot hit over the opponent's head, intended to land near their baseline.
No-Volley Zone (NVZ), a.k.a. the Kitchen: The area near the net where players are not allowed to volley (hit the ball in the air).
Paddle: The flat-surfaced equipment used to hit the pickleball.
Poach: In doubles play, a player crosses into their partner's side of the court to hit a shot. I clarify this is only when your partner has a clear chance to return the ball.
Rally: A series of shots exchanged between two teams after the serve, before the ball becomes dead or a fault occurs.
Third Shot Drop: A common strategy where the player hits a soft, high, arcing shot after the opponent's return of serve, aiming to give their team time to advance to the net.
Volley: A shot where the player hits the ball in the air before it bounces.

Fundamental Rules

Serving: The serve must be underhand, with the ball contacted below the waist, and must clear the non-volley zone (kitchen) and land in the diagonal service box. Only one serve attempt is allowed per server except for the first serve of the game where the serving side gets only one chance.

Double Bounce Rule: After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side of the net before either team can volley (hit the ball in the air).

Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen): Players cannot volley the ball while standing in the kitchen or on the kitchen line. If YOU are standing in the kitchen, then the ball has to bounce before you can hit it.

Scoring: Points are only scored by the serving team. If the serving team wins a rally, they score a point and the same server continues serving from the opposite side.

Serving Rotation: After a fault, the serve switches to the other partner in doubles, and if they fault, the serve goes to the opposing team.

Scoring:

Calling the score: In doubles, the server verbally announces the score before each serve using three numbers:

The serving team's score.
The receiving team's score.
The server number, which indicates if it's the first or second server on the team.

Tidbit: So, in summary, a score of 2-3-2 means that the serving team has 2 points (they're losing), the receiving team has 3, and it's the serving teams' second serve. On the first serve of the game, the server can call 0-0-2 or 0-0-start to indicate the start of the game as they only have one serve possible.

Game End: Games are typically played to 11, 15, or 21 points, requiring a two-point lead to win.

Playing the game (Finally)!

But I'm only talking about doubles as the game is easier to play)

Serve and return: Choose who is going to be the first serving team; a coin toss is easier, but you can do it anyway. The player on the right serves to the right service area of the opposing team, and the opposing player returns it after one bounce.

Tidbit: All lines touching the kitchen are part of the kitchen, so it is a fault if the ball touches those lines on serving.

Tidbit: You can volley the ball or let it bounce only once, except as described by the two-bounce and Kitchen rules.

Serving team's return: The serving team must let the return bounce before hitting it back.

Advance to the kitchen: After the initial bounces, players try to move toward the kitchen line to gain an offensive advantage.

Dinking and volleys: From the kitchen line, players often engage in a "dink" battle—soft shots that land just over the net and in the opponent's kitchen. Players also try to hit aggressive volleys and smashes when opportunities arise.

Scoring and switching: If the serving team wins the rally, they get a point, and the server switches sides to serve to the other opponent.

Side out: If the serving team loses the rally, they lose the serve. In doubles, the second partner then serves. If they also lose the rally, it's a "side out," and the other team serves.

Governing bodIES

As in any serious sport, Pickleball also has governing bodies

In the United States that is USA Pickleball
Internationally, rely on the International Pickleball Federation

Hope this is enough to get you started. Don't fret, it's not as complicated as it seems; hopefully you'll get the hang of it soon.

Tidbit: My biggest issue when I started was waiting for that darn two-bounce rule.

The second issue (which persists today) is remembering the score 😂. I've tried a scoring app on my iPhone (Side Out) as well as one on my Garmin watch; but those have failed me because I need to pause the game to use them.

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