Pickleball

Pickleball is a paddle sport played on a small court that has become popular with active adults. Here is how the game is played, where it came from, and how to warm up so you can enjoy it comfortably.

What Is Pickleball?

Pickleball is played with paddles and a plastic ball over a low net, either as singles or as doubles. According to USA Pickleball, the court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long for both singles and doubles, the same footprint as a doubles badminton court. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches in the center. Players use a paddle made of rigid, non-compressible material, and the ball is plastic with 26 to 40 circular holes.

What Is the Kitchen?

The "kitchen" is the non-volley zone, the area within 7 feet on both sides of the net. USA Pickleball says it adds strategy and placement to play.

How Do You Play Pickleball?

A game starts with a serve, and the ball is kept in play until someone makes a fault. The USA Pickleball rules summary explains each step. Doubles is the most common format, with two players per team.

How Does the Serve Work?

Each rally starts with an underhand serve. The server's arm must be moving in an upward arc when the ball is struck, the paddle must not contact the ball above waist level, and the serve is made diagonally crosscourt, landing within the opposite diagonal court.

What Is the Two-Bounce Rule?

After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning it, and the serving team must also let it bounce before its first return. Once the ball has bounced once on each side of the court, volleys (hitting the ball out of the air) are allowed.

What Is a Fault, and Who Scores?

A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation. Under traditional scoring, points are scored only by the serving team. In doubles, both players on the serving team have the opportunity to serve and score points until they commit a fault. Most games are played to 11 points, win by 2, though tournament formats may extend to 15 or 21 points.

How Do You Keep Score?

Doubles scoring uses three numbers. USA Pickleball's scoring guide explains that the third number indicates which partner is serving, and advises announcing the score, including the server number, before serving.

Where Did Pickleball Come From?

The USA Pickleball About and History page traces pickleball to the summer of 1965, when Joel Pritchard, a congressman from Washington State, and Bill Bell returned to Pritchard's home on Bainbridge Island after a round of golf. It adds that Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard's home, and that by 1990 pickleball was being played in all 50 states.

How Popular Is Pickleball?

Very. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025.

Is Pickleball a Good Activity for Older Adults?

Harvard Health calls pickleball "an optimal activity for older adults" and says it can help improve balance to help reduce the risk of falls. It is a social game that can be played with a lot of energy or at a relaxed pace between friends.

How Should You Warm Up Before Playing Pickleball?

Warm up before you step on the court. Cleveland Clinic says pickleball can still cause injuries if you are not careful, and its sports medicine specialist advises players to warm up first for ten to fifteen minutes. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests light calisthenics and stretches before you play, starting with easy hitting drills before going all out. It also notes that playing too hard or too long can cause knees with arthritis to swell.

Comfort After the Game

If your muscles and joints feel sore after a match, a topical pain reliever can ease minor aches and pains so you can keep moving. Try Super Blue Stuff OTC from the Blue Stuff brand, made to give temporary relief of minor aches and pains of sore muscles and joints. The 3-oz. roll-on slips easily into a gym bag. Follow the directions and warnings on the label.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where did pickleball start?

USA Pickleball traces pickleball to the summer of 1965, when Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell returned to Pritchard's home on Bainbridge Island, Washington, after a round of golf. Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard's home.

How many people play pickleball?

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association reports that 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025.

How does serving work in pickleball?

USA Pickleball says the serve is underhand, with the server's arm moving in an upward arc and paddle contact no higher than waist level, hit diagonally crosscourt into the opposite diagonal court. After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce before returning it, and the serving team must also let it bounce before its first return.

How big is a pickleball court, and what is the kitchen?

USA Pickleball says a pickleball court measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long for singles and doubles. The kitchen is the non-volley zone, the area within 7 feet on both sides of the net.

How is pickleball scored?

USA Pickleball says that under traditional scoring, points are scored only by the serving team, and most games are played to 11 points, win by 2. In doubles, a third number in the score indicates which partner is serving.

How should I warm up before playing pickleball?

Cleveland Clinic advises warming up first for ten to fifteen minutes, and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests light calisthenics and stretches, then easy hitting drills before going all out.

Sources

Created using Claude AI.

Edited by Stephen Eastmond.

USA Pickleball (what is pickleball) — https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/

USA Pickleball (rules summary) — https://usapickleball.org/rules/summary/

USA Pickleball (how to keep score) — https://usapickleball.org/pickleball-skills/level-one/how-to-keep-score-in-pickleball/

USA Pickleball (about and history) — https://usapickleball.org/about/

Sports & Fitness Industry Association — https://sfia.org/research/u-s-pickleball-participation/

Harvard Health — https://www.harvardhealth.org/healthy-aging-and-longevity/the-powerful-play-of-pickleball

Cleveland Clinic — https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2023/07/19/avoiding-injuries-while-playing-pickleball

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons — https://www.orthoinfo.org/globalassets/pdfs/pickleball-injury-prevention-tips.pdf