Experts recommend engaging in various physical activities to boost your health. Fortunately, numerous sports and outdoor activities are available for people of all ages. One, in particular, is pickleball, the latest leisure activity gaining popularity all over the world. As you know, this sport resembles tennis. The difference is that it is less strenuous. As such, anyone, including children and the elderly, can play this fun and entertaining activity. So, how to play this outdoor game? Here are some important details of playing pickleball.
A. Rules
As mentioned, pickleball resembles tennis. However, its rules are a bit similar to badminton or table tennis. To give you a better perspective, here are the basic rules of pickleball.
1. A pickleball game will start when a player from the right-hand court serves the pickleball (a light, plastic ball) with a paddle.
2. The proper way to serve a pickleball is to make sure one foot is at the back of the backline and then strike the plastic ball via an underhand swing. You should aim at your opponent’s service court and clear the no-valley zone.
3. Once the ball is served, the opponent must wait for it to bounce before striking it at the beginning of the match. From there, the players can hit the pickleball even if it doesn’t bounce, as long as they are not in the no-volley zone.
4. A player can only score a point when he is serving. In order to win, a player’s score must be up by two points. The players can play the game to 11 points.
5. For doubles, the two players can serve once. Afterward, the service will go to the other team.
B. Faults
Aside from rules, the faults are other important details of playing pickleball. As you know, these moves are mistakes that can cause a player to lose a point.
1. When a player hits the pickleball into the net.
2. The ball goes out of bounds after striking.
3. A player will lose a point when the ball bounces twice.
4. Striking the pickleball before it bounces on the first serve or return.
5. Volleying the pickleball while the player’s foot is in the no-volley zone.
C. Matches
Keep in mind that this game requires a single player or team. Whether it is played as doubles or singles, the same rules apply. The difference is the methods used for scoring.
A player or team will win a match if they score more in two out of three games. Additionally, a game is played for up to 11 points. The winner of the game must have a score of more than two points against his opponent.
All in all, these are the important details. As presented, this outdoor activity is simple yet challenging. As such, you will surely have fun trying to score more than your opponent. The best part is that it is less strenuous compared to tennis. For this reason, the risk of injuring yourself is low.
