There’s a new game in town.
And if you have not found a sport yet to keep yourself healthy and fit in this time of the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the perfect way to start.
Pickleball is so easy to play. From beginners to net gamers, young and old alike, everyone can play and have fun and get sweat.
Pickleball is a new kind of paddle sport with most techniques derived from lawn tennis, table tennis and badminton. Two or more players use solid paddles made from wood, carbon or graphite that is used to hit a sturdy plastic balls with multiple holes. The scoring is much like the old system in volleyball with a side-out.
The court is slightly bigger than a badminton court although its better played in hard surface for better bounce of the ball made from plastic polymer.
With its high similarity to other net games, expect the terms baseline, backhand, crosscourt, fault, lob, volley, rally and others to be used during the game.
There are some interesting words to know though. Like the “Nasty Nelson.” It’s a serve that intentionally hits the non-receiving opposing player closest to the net, rewarding the point to the server.
Just like ping-pong or table tennis, anybody can play just for fun.
It can be played at any open space, backyard, deserted road or on the beach. For competitive play, those who have lawn tennis or table tennis background have the edge to master the game immediately.
For fun and fitness
So are you now read to take the game?
Retired police officer Edgardo Mendoza, one of the proponents of pickleball in the Philippines, play the game regulary at his neighborhood gym in Quezon City, whenever quarantine rules ease to more relaxed restriction that allow outdoor sport.
“Pickleball is for everyone. Seniors like me can still play it for fun or competitively. I enjoined everyone to try it and make it your daily exercise regimen.”
To help promote the game, Mendoza also teaches the game to the young ones. “We have several youth scholars na binigyan namin ng free paddles and free tutorials. Now, meron na kaming mga youth tournament players.”
Currently, pickleball is played by enthusiasts in various courts in Ayala Alabang, Valenzuela, Taytay, Pasig, Quezon City, BGC Taguig, Cainta, Makati in Metro Manila whenever restrictions permit.
Mendoza also conduct weekend games at the Cultural Center of the Philippine grounds in Pasay City which is open to the public. “We do this so that people can see us and they can try the game. This is sport that we can play to be fit during this pandemic” The weekend games is temporarily stopped due to Covid quarantine restriction.
Interestingly, the hotbed of pickleball in Northern Luzon found in Asingan, Pangasinan where players can still play during the pandemic due to more relaxed quarantine restriction in the area.
Rules Of The Game
Two or Four players can play on the court for singles or doubles game. The outfits are similar to the ones worn by tennis or badminton players.
To serve the ball, the player use the underarm stroke with the contact aimed from below the waist level in an upward motion.
The server hits from behind the baseline on one side of the center line and aims diagonally to the opponent's service court
Only the serving side may score a point. Play ends for a point when one side commits a fault.
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts of the game:
• Should hit the serve into the opponent's diagonal service court
• Should hit the ball beyond the net
• Should hit the ball before the 2nd bounce on one side of the net
• Don’t hit the ball out of bounds
• Don’t’ volley the ball on the service return
• Don’t step into the non-volley zone (the first seven feet from the net, also known as the 'kitchen') in the act of volleying the ball.
• Don’t touch the net with any body part, paddle, or assistance device (includes walkers, canes, or portable oxygen concentrators)
To win the set, the first side to scoring 11 points leading by at least two points. If the two sides are tied at 10 points apiece, the side that goes ahead by two points wins the game.
Tournament games may be played to 11, 15 or 21 points with players rotating sides at 6, 8 or 11 total points respectively.
The doubles game, which begins at 0-0, gets two faults before the side is “out.” In singles play, each side gets only one fault before a side is out and the opponent then serves.
The Beginning
Pickleball was first introduced to the Filipinos in 2016 when a professional pickleball player Sara Ash conducted the first ever pickleball clinic in Cebu City. From then on, news this new game spread out, especially to expatriates.
On April 15, 2019, the Philippine Pickleball Sports Association (PPSA) was established to begin formally organizing the sport. The group name was later changed Philippine Pickleball Federation (PPF) and eventually got recognized as the national sport association for pickleball in the Philippines by the world body based in the U.S., the International Federation of Pickleball.
The sport is slowly gaining ground in Asia with Philippines as one of founding member of the Asian Federation of Pickleball.
Pickleball started in the summer of 1965 at the backyard of Joel Pritchard when he returned with two friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, from rounds of golf and found their families bored on that lazy afternoon.
They tried to set up a badminton game but could not find a shuttlecock. So they improvised plastic ball and wooden paddles, and lowered the net.
The name Pickleball was said to originate from Pritchard’s dog named “Pickles.” Nevertheless, the sport grew in the United States and soon the USA Pickleball Association was established in 1984 and along with it, the first US Pickleball Open.
Now there are 57 member countries of the International Federation, including the Philippines which will soon form its national team that will compete in regional and international competitions.
