What is this "Pickleball"?
What is this sport that is taking over the nation?
Only the most fun, exciting, and addicting game out there! (in my opinion of course).
Pickleball started back in the 60's, a combo of tennis, badminton, and ping pong! You can find out how it came into reality on many sites, so I won't go in to details here, but you won't get the exact truth. There are 2 theories floating about, I choose to like the one that involves a dog named pickles!
This game has just begun sweeping the nation despite its long history. If you play a few times, enjoy the physical activity, social aspect, competitiveness and down right fun, that comes with playing, you just might wind up addicted to playing it as often as you possibly can!
To get started, all you need is some athletic footwear (preferably court shoes), a paddle, ball, net and an opponent! People mostly play doubles, but singles can be played as well. So gather your 3 best friends or drag some family members to the court and get out there!
The key to beginning, is just get a feel for hitting the ball over the net. It won't bounce like other balls, since this is a whiffle style ball. Make sure to use an underhand motion to get a sense of what, a lot of, your shots will be. Hit the ball a few times and try to get it in the "kitchen" (the non-volley zone, that spans 7ft in front of the net). Get used to hitting the "soft shot" and don't play the hard hitting tennis style (save that for singles play). There are a few soft shots that will improve your game, the DINK, the 3rd SHOT DROP, and the RESET shot. We will be discussing each one in more detail in later posts. There is a lot to learn and it can take some time, but like most sports the more you play, the better, and the MORE FUN it gets!
If you have never played before, It is suggested getting into a nearby clinic to help understand some of the basic rules and shots. Here at Jarhead Pickleball we can get you situated in the Greater Philadelphia area just contact us!
Keep checking back for tips, tricks and snippets of goodies on how to better your game!