The latest craze in racquet sports has hit the Levy Center. If you’ve heard about pickleball and wondered whether sane people are running around knocking pickles over a net, read on to satisfy your curiosity.
Pickleball can best be summarized as a game that combines elements of badminton, tennis and ping-pong. It is one of the fastest growing sports in America thanks to its multigenerational appeal and the friendly, social nature of the game.
Here are a few fun facts from the American Pickleball Association (USAPA) about this sport played by almost 3 million people in the U.S. as well as in leagues worldwide:
It was invented in 1965 by three dads whose children were bored with their normal summertime activities.
It’s played on a badminton-sized court with the net set to a height of 34 inches at the center.
Pickleball equipment includes a perforated plastic ball (similar to a Wiffle™ ball) and paddles that are roughly twice the size of ping- pong paddles.
It can be played indoors or out-doors and is easy to learn, but can develop into a fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players.
The game name is thought to be derived from one of the game creators’ cocker spaniels, “Pickles,” who loved to chase stray balls and hide them in the bushes.
The LSCF helped support the purchase of new pickleball supplies. Courts are available in the Maple Room to Levy Center members on Mondays and Wednesdays 2:30pm–4:30pm, and open to all residents over 18 on Fridays 5pm–9pm and Sundays 11am–3pm (subject to rental schedule). Paddles and balls may be borrowed. For more information, call (847) 448-8250.
