Deschutes Public Library: Pickleball Basics
Introduction to Pickleball: A Beginner's Guide
Learning how to play pickleball can be a fun and rewarding experience for players of all ages and abilities. This comprehensive guide covers all the basics you need to know to get started with pickleball, from essential equipment and rules to serving, scoring, and game strategy.
Follow along step-by-step to gain the knowledge and confidence to succeed on the court.
- 0:00, Intro,
Pickleball is a fast-growing racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Played on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net, pickleball can be enjoyed as doubles or singles. The game is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, called a pickleball. The introductory video provides an overview of the basic equipment, techniques, rules and scoring needed to start playing this fun and social game.
- 1:21, Outdoor Pickleball,
There are a few different types of pickleball balls used for different playing surfaces. Outdoor balls have smaller holes to reduce wind resistance on outdoor hard courts. Indoor balls, sometimes misleadingly named, have larger holes and more bounce for indoor wood or sport court floors. Make sure you use the proper ball for your playing surface.
- 2:21, Court Shoes,
Proper footwear is important to prevent injury. Pickleball is played on a rough, abrasive surface so court shoes with a flat rubber sole are required. Running shoes or cross trainers allow too much slide and foot roll. Good lateral support in court shoes will protect against ankle rolls and allow quick side-to-side motions.
- 4:49, Rules,
There are a few important rules in pickleball designed to prevent easy scoring advantages and extend play. The "kitchen" rule prohibits volleying the ball before it bounces inside the non-volley zone in front of the net. Step in to return a bounce, but stay behind the line on airborne shots. If momentum carries you in after a volley, the point ends. Servers must start behind the baseline and cannot volley the serve return. These rules prevent quick, easy points.
- 8:38, Serve Demo,
Serves are initiated diagonally, below the waist with the paddle starting below the ball. Check foot alignment by lining up the paddle face toward the target service area. Grip the paddle tightly, hold the ball out in front then swing forward, releasing the ball with paddle momentum. Serve placement, spin and velocity can make serves difficult to return, so it is an important offensive skill.
- 10:31, Two Bounce Rule,
The two-bounce rule requires the receiving team to let the serve bounce before returning and then the serving team must let this return bounce before striking the ball again. So both teams start rallies behind the baseline. This prevents aggressive undercut returns of serve and extends the rallies.
- 11:37, Score Keeping,
Pickleball uses a three number scoring sequence stating your score, your opponent's score and which server number you are that term (first or second server). The first server is determined by court position after the side out, not individual players. Call out the score before each serve to eliminate confusion, using this sequence.
- 14:32, Score,
An initial serving advantage is offset at game start by calling "second server" though the team serves first. This removes one round of serves as the other team gets the next side out. Calling second server balances out the early score opportunity for the starting team.
- 15:13, Outro,
Pickleball combines elements of various racket sports into a fun, social game with a lot of action. Following these basics guidelines for equipment, rules, serving, strategy and scoring from the introductory video and guide will prepare you to succeed on the pickleball court. Grab a friend and paddles and enjoy this exciting sport!
Summary
Pickleball is a racket sport played on a badminton-sized court with paddles and a plastic, perforated ball. The game combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong. This instructional guide covers pickleball basics from essential equipment like balls and paddles to rules, serving, scoring and game strategy.
It's important to use the right pickleball for your playing surface. Outdoor balls have smaller holes to reduce wind resistance while indoor balls have larger holes and more bounce for surfaces like wood floors. Proper court shoes are required to prevent injury on the rough playing surface. They provide the flat sole with lateral support needed for quick motions.
Several key pickleball rules extend rallies and prevent easy scoring. The "kitchen" non-volley zone in front of the net prohibits volleying the ball until it has bounced, with the point ending if momentum carries you in. Servers must start behind the baseline and the two-bounce rule requires both teams to let the ball bounce once on the serve return.
Serves begin below the waist with paddle below ball and initiate diagonally to the service court. A tight overhand swinging motion imparting spin on the ball makes serves more difficult to return. Call out scores before serving using a three-number sequence of your score, their score and which server number you are. At game start, the serving team calls "second server" to balance the early serve advantage.
Following these basics on equipment, rules, serving, scoring and strategy from the instructional guide and video provides the knowledge needed to feel comfortable playing pickleball recreationally. The sport combines elements of various racket games into a fun, fast-paced game with long rallies and quick action at the non-volley zone net. Grab a friend and paddles and enjoy this exciting sport!
Introduction to Pickleball Quiz
1. What are the main sports that pickleball combines elements of?
a) Tennis, badminton, and table tennis
b) Tennis, squash, and racquetball
c) Badminton, racquetball, and handball
d) Tennis, badminton, and ping pong
2. What racket sport is a pickleball court most similar in size to?
a) Tennis
b) Squash
c) Badminton
d) Racquetball
3. Why is it important to use the correct type of ball for your playing surface?
a) To get the right bounce
b) For proper ball durability
c) To reduce wind resistance
d) All of the above
4. When hitting a dink shot, what grip pressure should you use?
a) A tight grip between 6-10
b) A very loose grip at 1
c) A soft grip around 5 or less
d) A grip pressure of 3
5. What footwear is recommended for pickleball?
a) Running shoes
b) Soccer cleats
c) Cross trainers
d) Court shoes with a rubber sole
6. What is the “kitchen” rule in pickleball related to?
a) Allowed player positions
b) Volleying the ball
c) Serving placement
d) Scoring
7. Where must players start after serving?
a) At the net
b) In the service court
c) Behind the baseline
d) Outside the sideline
8. What is the purpose of the two bounce rule?
a) To speed up play
b) To extend rallies
c) To protect the server
d) To give beginners more time
9. What 3 numbers are included when calling out pickleball scores?
a) Server number, receiver number, point score
b) Team score, opponent score, server number
c) Game clock, point score, team score
d) Personal score, opponent score, team score
10. When serving, what hand grip gives more power?
a) Eastern forehand
b) Western grip
c) Continental grip
d) Compact grip
11. Why might a serving team call “second server” at the start of a game?
a) The team is short players
b) To balance an initial serve advantage
c) To correct a referee error
d) To account for wind direction
12. What paddle face shape provides the most power?
a) Oval shaped face
b) Square shaped face
c) Round shaped face
d) Teardrop shaped face
13. What shot is prohibited inside the non-volley zone?
a) Lob shot
b) Third shot drop
c) Ground stroke
d) Volley
14. Why was the kitchen rule implemented?
a) To penalize volley errors
b) To speed up play
c) To prevent easy points
d) To widen the court area
15. What position determines the first server after a side out?
a) Right court position
b) Left court position
c) Server number
d) Forehand court position
Answer Key:
- d
- c
- d
- c
- d
- b
- c
- b
- b
- d
- b
- b
- d
- c
- a
Listen up now, don't be shy, Let me tell ya 'bout Pickle-ball, I'll give it a try! It's a sport that'll make ya smile, played on a court versatile in style.
It combines ping pong, tennis, badminton too,
Played with paddles that give the ball a whackin' it's true! The pickleball's plastic bright yellow and holes galore, Different outdoor or indoor balls even up the score.
Shake it loose now, find your groove! In proper shoes ya won't slip or slide - whoop! The kitchen's the zone by the net ya see, No volleying there, wait for the bounce it'll be!
Bounce goes the serve which starts the rally,
Then the two-bounce rule, keepin’ it steady!
Serve it deep then wait by the line,
Yell out the score first before it’s time!
Grip it soft for the dinks and drops, Grip it hard as ya move those hips!
This guide and quiz’ll get ya rollin’ Out on the court with paddles swingin’!
So grab a friend for this hip social game, Bring the fun while working on your fame! With these tips in the mix you’re ready to play, Pickleball with pizazz is comin’ your way!
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