Funny Name, Serious Game: Pickleball is the Latest Craze

Talk to a group of people and most have probably never heard of the up-and-coming game of pickleball. The latest rage in racquet sports is quickly gaining popularity, though, and is a combination of tennis, Wiffle ball, ping-pong, and badminton that is played with a perforated plastic baseball and wood or composite paddles on a badminton court with the net lowered to 34 inches-hardly your run-of-the-mill sport.

Avid pickleball player Linda Ripley of Guilford said she started playing three years ago when she was in Florida and found it to be a great workout.

"It's stop and start-you can get a great workout," she said. "You're huffing and puffing and sweating."

Although pickleball appears to be very similar to tennis, there are key differences that make pickleball more accessible to a wider range of players, particularly children and seniors. Chief among these differences is the speed of the pickleball ball, which typically moves at one-third of the average speed of a tennis ball. Equally important, however, is the size of the court, which is just under one-third of the total area of a tennis court. This smaller area, combined with the slower-moving ball, makes pickleball much easier to pick up than tennis.

Originally invented as a backyard pasttime, pickleball is now an organized sport represented by national and international governing bodies. Since its inception in 1965, pickleball has spread across the United States and into Canada and is now beginning to spread around the world. The United States Pickleball Association estimates there are more than 100,000 active pickleball players in this country alone. In Canada, where the game is still relatively new, there are already more than 5,000 players in just four provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario. Meanwhile, new organizations, like the Singapore Pickleball Association and the All India Pickleball Association, are bringing the game to Asia and beyond.

The game can be played either inside in a gym or outside, and can be fast-paced for younger people or less so for older people or those who have suffered injuries and can no longer play other racquet sports like tennis, yet are still interested in staying active.

"A lot of schools have it in their curriculum for gym class," said Ripley. "A lot of seniors are picking it up, but there are also people of other ages, too."

Judy Sullivan of Guilford was a physical education teacher for 17 years and said pickleball was in the curriculum throughout the years. She currently competes with her husband and has gotten her whole family involved.

"We've had family gatherings and it can be adults down to middle school-aged kids playing together, which is fun," said Sullivan. "In a competitive family like mine, we have a great time with it."

Tracy Juliani of East Haven is the Program Coordinator at the Guilford Recreation Center and said there is a pickleball program on Friday at 10 a.m. for people 55 and over-more proof that the sport is growing in status.

"It's a bigger ball and a plastic ball-it doesn't take off and bounce as much like a tennis ball," said Juliani. "It's a little bit easier for seniors and it can be as competitive as you make it."

The sport originated when a man didn't have enough equipment for any one sport, so he used a bunch of different equipment and his dog, Pickles, kept running after the balls.

Rob Pentino of Hamden is a Recreation Assistant and he supervises some of the pickleball games the seniors participate in. He said gamers can participate in doubles or singles while there are also statewide tournaments.

"It's definitely a good exercise," said Pentino. "It gives the seniors something to do and they enjoy it. We make teams and just rotate them."

Tom Ripley of Guilford admits that not only is the game a great workout, but for him, it is also a social event.

"There's a lot of chatter back and forth," said Ripley. "It's a pretty dedicated group and there was about a dozen of us and you get to know people fast and there's a lot of laughter, a lot of fun, and you kind of just take it from there."

Ripley said not only does he play at the Rec Center, but has also started playing games on the side at Bitner Park. And with the accessibility to play indoors or outdoors, it is a game that can be played even as the seasons change.

"It's a public park," said Ripley. "We have our own equipment because some of us felt it was great exercise, but if you're doing it once a week, you're not going to get any better, so we decided to expand a bit."

The cost for a decent paddle can be about $45 and the net is expensive, but most sites supply the net.

"You volley back and forth and you alternate who serves-it's a good workout," said Juliani. "It's just fun and it's addicting once you start playing it."

Sports Editor Holly D'Addio contributed to this story.