Pickleball: A paddle sport created for all ages and skill levels. The rules are simple and game is easy for beginners to learn, but can develop into a quick, fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.
The Basics:
- A fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.
- Played both indoor and outdoor on a badminton-sized court and a slightly modified tennis net.
- Played with a paddle and a plastic ball.
- Pickleball is a very fast paced sport, yet easier on the joints than tennis or other racquet sports
- Pickleball facilities are located in all 50 states.
- Many kids and teenagers play it in physical education classes in middle and high schools.
- Seniors enjoy the social aspects and the ability to stay active in towns and retirement communities.
- Tennis, racquetball and ping pong players love the competitive nature of the sport and regularly participate in competitive tournaments.
- Under consideration for next summer Olympics
- StoneRidge has 6 brand new, dedicated courts
- StoneRidge has more dedicated courts in one single facility than anywhere in Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon or Washington
Pickleball History
1965: After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington state and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard’s home on Brainbridge Island, WA (Near Seattle) to find their families sitting around with nothing to do. The property had an old badminton court so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. At first they placed the net at badminton height of 60 inches and volleyed the ball over the net. As the weekend progressed, the players found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface and soon the net was lowered to 36 inches.
The following weekend, Barney McCallum, was introduced to the game at the Prichard’s home. Soon, the three men created rules, relying heavily on badminton. They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play.
History of the name
The Name Pickleball:
Pickleball has a very interesting name: especially since no pickles are involved. Accounts of how the name originated differ.
- According to Joel Pritchard’s wife (Joan), she started calling the game pickle ball because, “the combination of different sports reminded me of a pickle boat in crew where oarsman where chosen from the left-overs of other boats.
- According to Barney McCallum, the game was named after Pritchard’s dog Pickles who would chase the ball and run off with it. “The Pritchard’s had a dog named Pickles, and you’re having fun at a party, right? So anyways, what the hell, let’s just call it Pickleball.”
Others claim both accounts may be true. In the early years, no official name was assigned to the game. However a year or two after the game was invented, the Pritchard’s purchased a cocker spaniel and named it Pickles. As the game progressed, an official name was needed and “pickleball” was it.