Pickleball??
The game with the funny name!
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 Bainbridge 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 Pritchard’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 together.
Pickleball was created in 1965.
The first rulebook was published in March, 1984 and "the USAPA was formed in 2005 to promote the sport. It maintains the official rules, sanctions tournaments, provides player rankings and produces the annual National Pickleball Tournament. It is run by an Executive Director and a volunteer board of directors supported by thousands of dues-paying members." ~USAPA. In 2020 USAPA rebranded as "USA Pickleball", aligning more consistently it with other US sports governing bodies and our USA Pickleball National Championships. ~USA Pickleball
popularity!
There are more than 4,004,113 total participants that play pickleball. (~SFIA report 2021) Up from more than 2,815,000 participants in the 2017 SFIA report! The average age for all players is 41 years old. (~SFIA report 2019) From 2019 to 2020, there was a 21.3% increase in pickleball participants. In 2020, there were 2,578,000 male pickleball participants and there were 1,193,000 college graduate pickleball participants. (~SFIA report 2021)
Where to play?
There are currently 8,235+ places to play in North America alone. Find locations by clicking "Where/When to play?" or download our "Pickleball Locator" app on the Apple, Google and Amazon Appstore’s.
Pickleball, The Name
Pickleball has a very interesting name, especially since no pickles are used. Accounts of how the name originated differ. (1)According to Joel Pritchard’s wife (Joan), she started calling the game pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats”. (2) However, according to Barney McCallum, the game was officially named after the Prichards’ dog Pickles who would chase the ball and run off with it. According to McCallum, “The Pritchards 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 actually 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 Pritchards purchased a cocker spaniel and named it Pickles. As the game progressed, an official name was needed and “pickleball” was it. ~USA Pickleball
Our focus
Bringing Pickleball to the masses!!
Playing Locations
Education
equipment
Tournaments
fun!!!
rules
usapa
Videos
Need a Pickleball PADDLE, BALL or BAG?
Our Vendor & Supplier Team
Engage
Selkirk
Onix
Gamma
on court off court
vulcan
Charmoz Designs
Pickleball, Inc.
LATEST NEWS
Click on an article to read more
Pickleball Now On Live TV, Pickleball Portal, on November 24, 2021 at 5:10 pm
… Read more The post Pickleball Now On Live TV appeared first on Pickleball Portal., … Read more The post Pickleball Now On Live TV appeared first on Pickleball Portal. ,
Get to know Diadem Pickleball
We recently sat down with Diadem Pickleball to ask about how their expertise in the racket industry brought them to pickleball and what we can expect from them now and in the future! With their recent launch of the Warrior Paddle known as the thickest paddle on the market coming in at 19MM, Diadem Pickleball,
-> Continue reading Get to know Diadem Pickleball
Pickleball Channel – Trailer, Pickleball Channel, on November 4, 2021 at 1:37 am
Never heard of Pickleball Channel? This gives a great overview of everything we offer at Pickleball Channel in just over a minute. If you are a lover of pickleball and even trying to grow the sport, let those around you know about Pickleball Channel!, Post Content,
PROLITE Sports: The company that changed Pickleball
We recently chatted with Neil Friedenberg of PROLITE Sports Pickleball about PROLITE’s past and present. The first company to begin making paddles outA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the refereeAny object on or near the court, including hanging over the court, that can interfere with play. Permanent objects include the ceiling, walls, fencing, lighting fixtures, net posts, net post legs, the stands and seats for spectators, the referee, line judges, spectators when in their recognized positions, and all other objects around and above the court. More and/or players that a live ballThe point in time when the referee or server (or server's partner per rule 4.D.2) starts to call the score. More has not touched in the required courtThe area inside the outer dimensions of the baselines and sidelines. More space. The preferred word to
-> Continue reading PROLITE Sports: The company that changed Pickleball
Is Pickleball a College Sport?, Daniel Langston, on October 25, 2021 at 11:04 pm
… Read more The post Is Pickleball a College Sport? appeared first on Pickleball Portal., … Read more The post Is Pickleball a College Sport? appeared first on Pickleball Portal. ,
Oneshot Pickleball and Pickleball Central Sweepstakes
NOA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the refereeAny object on or near the court, including hanging over the court, that can interfere with play. Permanent objects include the ceiling, walls, fencing, lighting fixtures, net posts, net post legs, the stands and seats for spectators, the referee, line judges, spectators when in their recognized positions, and all other objects around and above the court. More and/or players that a live ballThe point in time when the referee or server (or server's partner per rule 4.D.2) starts to call the score. More has not touched in the required courtThe area inside the outer dimensions of the baselines and sidelines. More space. The preferred word to indicate a line callA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the referee and/or players that a live ball has not touched in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is “OUT”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line call. Words such as “wide”, “long”, “no”, “deep” are also... More is “OUTA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the referee and/or players that a live ball has not touched in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is “OUT”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line call. Words such as “wide”, “long”, “no”, “deep” are also... More”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line callA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the referee and/or players that a live ball has not touched in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is “OUT”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line call. Words such as “wide”, “long”, “no”, “deep” are also... More. Words such as “wideA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the referee and/or players that a live ball has not touched in the required court space. The preferred word to indicate a line call is “OUT”. Distinctive hand signals can be used in conjunction with a line call. Words such as “wide”, “long”, “no”, “deep” are also... More”,
-> Continue reading Oneshot Pickleball and Pickleball Central Sweepstakes
Oneshot Launches New Pickleball Paddles Designed With Aero Flow Technology
Oneshot Pickleball is family owned and operated Two families bonding over a game of pickleball, having fun with a little friendly competition, and it didn’t take longA loud word(s) spoken by a player or line judge(s) to indicate to the refereeAny object on or near the court, including hanging over the court, that can interfere with play. Permanent objects include the ceiling, walls, fencing, lighting fixtures, net posts, net post legs, the stands and seats for spectators, the referee, line judges, spectators when in their recognized positions, and all other objects around and above the court. More and/or players that a live ballThe point in time when the referee or server (or server's partner per rule 4.D.2) starts to call the score. More has not touched in the required courtThe area inside the outer dimensions of the baselines and sidelines. More space.
-> Continue reading Oneshot Launches New Pickleball Paddles Designed With Aero Flow Technology
Adidas Enters Pickleball With A New Line Of Paddles For Every Player
New Sport. Same Attitude. For more than seventy years, adidas has excelled at the art of the possible when it comes to leading innovation in sport. We are excited to announce that adidas has launched their first line of Pickleball paddles in 2021! With growing recognition and excitement around Pickleball we are seeing some major,
-> Continue reading Adidas Enters Pickleball With A New Line Of Paddles For Every Player
Finding Your First Paddle
So many of us have been introduced to the game of pickleball by friends, family or chance only to become hopelessly addicted. We start with borrowed paddles and soon can’t wait to get our very own. Then when we go shopping and are just overwhelmed with all the choices. How do you pick your very,
-> Continue reading Finding Your First Paddle
How Pickleball Can Help You Thrive and Stay Alive, Daniel Langston, on September 10, 2021 at 10:57 pm
… Read more The post How Pickleball Can Help You Thrive and Stay Alive appeared first on Pickleball Portal., … Read more The post How Pickleball Can Help You Thrive and Stay Alive appeared first on Pickleball Portal. ,