There's a new sport that's sweeping the nation, especially amongst seniors. Pickelball is not actually new. It was created in 1965 in Bainbridge Island near Seattle, by three dads. It's a combination of tennis, badminton and ping pong. It's played on court smaller than a tennis court, with a net a little lower than a tennis net. It's played with a small racquet, with a perforated ball. It is played either as singles or doubles. The advantage for seniors is that they don't have as much ground to cover as they do in tennis. They still get a great workout, are social, and competitive. How did it get its name? One of the creators of the game had a dog name Pickles, that kept stealing the ball while they were playing, hence the name Pickelball.
Pickleball has been gaining in popularity over the past decade, but I was unable to find any hard numbers on how many players are active in the sport. All I know is that everywhere I go, to senior centers, Y's, 55+living communities, pickleball is one of the most popular activites. I have heard that there are Pickleball leagues and traveling teams, which play at a very high level. Check it out on U Tube. You can see pictures of games being played, and see how much fun participants are having. Even men and women in their 90's can compete! The game requires good hand/eye coordination, so if you played tennis or ping pong, this might just be for you. I can't wait to try it, as soon as my knee is ready.
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