Pickleball passion: Racket sport sees surge in popularity
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing paddle sports in Canada.
A combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, pickleball can be played by people of all ages.
“You have the kids, the parents, and the grandparents playing. People think it’s an old people sport, but it’s getting younger and younger all the time,” said Angela Weld, membership chair with Pickleball Nova Scotia.
The game is played with a paddle that has a honeycomb core and a plastic ball with holes in it.
“Pickleball is a super fun game that people can pick up really easily. It has a really quick learning curve, so if you’ve never played a racket sport before, you can pick up pickleball and become competent enough to go out and play with your friends and have a lot of fun,” said pickleball player Karen Furlong.
The court measures 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. It can be used for singles or doubles play.
Pickleball court measurements. (Source: Pickleball Canada)
“Basically you serve crosscourt, when the ball comes back it has to bounce,” said Weld.
“That area that’s close to the net, seven foot on either side, that’s called the no-volley zone and people call it the kitchen. You can’t volley in that area.”
“After completing a return of serve, the ball can be hit out of the air (a volley) or it can be hit after only one bounce. If a ball bounces twice before a player makes contact, that player has committed a fault and they lose that rally,” states Pickleball Nova Scotia on its website.
To win, a player or team must reach a score of 11 and win by a margin of two points.
“This means that if the game is tied at 10 to 10, one team must win by a score of at least 12-10 or the game will continue until the score ends up with a victory margin of two points such as 13-11,” says Pickleball Canada.
Furlong says the sport is a great way to meet new friends.
“I’ve met so many people through pickleball and have had so many great experiences,” said Furlong.
“When you go to a pickleball court, you hear the laughter all the time. People are just having a great time,” said Weld.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Iran fires at suspected Israeli attack drones near Isfahan air base and nuclear site
Iran fired air defences at a major air base and a nuclear site early Friday morning near the central city of Isfahan after spotting drones, which were suspected to be part of an Israeli attack in retaliation for Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile assault on the country.
NEW After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
In his new book 'As Long as You Need', hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.