Pickleball is a unique paddle sport that blends elements from tennis, badminton and ping-pong. Its popularity skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic, partly because of the game’s social nature, easy-to-learn rules and portability. Pickleball is played on a court with a net, silmilar to tennis, but with a smaller court and a lower net. The game is played with a plastic ball with holes, similar to a wiffle ball, and paddles that are similar to oversized ping-pong paddles. Pickleball can be played as singles or doubles, just like tennis.
Objective of Game
The objective of the game is to hit the ball over the net and into the opponent’s court without them being able to return it. One unique aspect of pickleball is that there is a non-volley zone, also known as the “kitchen,” located near the net. Players are not allowed to hit the ball while standing inside the kitchen, which adds an additional level of strategy to the game. The first team to reach 11 points wins the game.
How to speak Pickleball
Ace A serve that is executed so flawlessly that the opponent is unable to return it.
Dink A gentle shot that lands in the opponent’s kitchen. Always dink responsibly.
Falafel A shot that lacks power and falls short after hitting the pickleball.
FlaPjack A shot that must bounce once before it can be hit by the player.
Kitchen Slang term for the non-volley zone.
Lob A shot that is hit high over the opponent’s head, allowing the player to move towards the net while the opponent retrieves the ball.
Pickled When a team fails to score any points in an entire game. You’ve been pickled.
Pickler A person who is addicted to playing pickleball and can’t stop talking about it.
Poach When playing doubles, a poach is when you cross over into your partner’s side of the court to hit a shot.
