21 Sep 2013 Pickleball: A sport for all ages
by Karl Lenser
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing recreational sports in the country. The best way that I can explain this sport is to imagine a hybrid of Ping-Pong and tennis.
The game is played on a badminton-sized court, and it requires a small wooden or fiberglass paddle and a plastic ball (similar to a wiffelball, but with holes) and a net that is 34 inches tall in the center when it is laid out across the court.
It is fairly similar to tennis, but is played at a much slower speed. In general, tennis and Ping-Pong players easily pick up this sport because many of the strokes are the same. However, the two-handed backhand that many use in tennis is impossible and impractical in Pickleball because the paddle is too short.
Pickleball, in its early years, was played primarily by older athletes because the game is slower than tennis and other racquet sports and is played on a court that is much shorter and narrower than tennis. The game is based more on strategy and ball placement as opposed to tennis, which has become more of a power and speed game due to advancements in tennis racquet technology. During the past few decades, more junior high and high schools have begun to add Pickleball to their physical education class offerings. I have introduced this sport to the students and staff at Hendrix College, and many of them have become hooked on it.
Playing this game is a wonderful way to get some great exercise without beating up your joints and muscle tissue. Like many sports, you don’t realize that you are getting exercise because it is so much fun. Another plus is that it can be played on just about any indoor or outdoor surface.
I play both singles and doubles and can safely say that I get just as good or perhaps even a better workout playing Pickleball as opposed to tennis. The rallies are generally longer, and the time between points is so much quicker that your heart rate stays elevated between each point, which helps your cardiovascular system.
The sport originated in Seattle (Bainbridge Island) by Joel Pritchard, a Washington state congressman in his early 60s, as a way to combat the summer boredom that his children were complaining about. Since then, the sport has become a staple activity for seniors and some school districts because the sport is inexpensive and easy to play.
Nearly 100,000 players are active with this sport according to the USA Pickleball Association. Since 2010, the number of Pickleball courts in the United States and Canada has nearly doubled to more than 5,600. During the past five years, the USAPA indicates that they have reported 1,000 new players per year in the United States.
If you are currently a Pickleball player, I would love to hear from you. I am contemplating having a tournament at Hendrix over the Christmas holiday if there is enough interest.
The game is a different sport that is a lot of fun, and people of all ages, sizes and fitness levels can play. Find a gym or school that has courts and try it. You will like it!
A Conway resident, Karl Lenser is the director of wellness programs at Hendrix College. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. An accomplished runner, he can be reached at [email protected].
