What is Pickleball, the fashionable sport in the United States in which celebrities invest

History and gift of the recreational practice that grew exponentially and already has a circuit, professional athletes, television and millions of dollars in prizes.

He Pickleball It is the fashionable sport in USA. Famous athletes like LeBron James, Kevin Durant y Tom Brady invest in equipment and merchandisingThere are already tournaments and television; they estimate that 5 million people practice it and expect that figure to increase to 40 million by 2030.

The sport created in the 1960s has grown exponentially and already has all the seasonings of the big leagues. The Major League Pickleball it has sponsors, professional teams, competition circuits, exclusive product sales, and television deals. In addition to the support of private investments from renowned figures.

In 2023 the teams of the circuit of Pickleball will go from 12 to 24 and in addition to LeBron, KD, TB12 (share equipment with Kim Clijster), they will also have teams Kevin Love y Draymond GreenNBA figures.

“When I started playing pickleball, I immediately connected with the community of the sport and its ability to be fun and competitive. Seeing the sport grow in communities around the world is really exciting, and we look forward to pooling our experience to try to build a equipment”said LeBron James.

The MLP will distribute more than 5 million dollars in prizes in the 2023 season and has a television contract for 12 tournaments in the year with FOX Sports.

How Pickleball Was Born

the beginnings of Pickleball, in the 60s, are those of a practice that is more playful than sporty and aimed at children’s domestic entertainment. Little by little it was gaining place in more advanced age groups and began to become more competitive. The size of the court helps for its practice because too wide spaces are not needed.

the history of Pickleball would have started in 1965 in the northwest of USA when a congressman Joel Pritchardand your friend Bill Bell They gathered their families around a disused badminton court, in the courtyard of the Pritchard house, and with some ping-pon paddles, a perforated ball and a tennis net they decided to liven up the afternoon.

Pritchard and Bell taught the game to Barney McCallum and between the three of them they created the first rules; the name of the sport was inspired by the family dog, a cocker spaniel named Pickles, who followed the ball as they played.

The sport takes place in a field of 6.10 by 13.41 meters (recommended minimum space around court is 3 m each end line and 2 m each side line to allow player to move safely), The height of the net will be 92cm at each end of the net and 86cm in the center. The practice combines strokes and characteristics of tennis, badminton, paddle tennis and table tennis. The matches, depending on the tournament that is played, are played to the best of 3 or 5 sets and each of them is to 11 points and with a difference of two.

Pickleball Rules (Summary)

• A set is normally played to eleven points and one team must win by two points difference.
• The serve must be hit underhand and each team must play their first shot after it has bounced.
• After the ball has bounced once on each side, then both teams may volley the ball or play it without a bounce (double bounce rule).
• Volleying is not allowed inside the non-volley zone (when volleying the ball, the player cannot step on the line.)
• It is considered a foul if, after the impulse to hit the ball, the player touches the non-volley area.
• A team will score points only when serving.
• points are lost
• by not returning the ball within the limits of the opponent’s court before the second bounce,
• enter the non-volley zone and volley the ball,
• by violating the double pot rule.
• The hand is considered an extension of the paddle.
• The player loses the point if the ball hits any other part of his body or clothing.
• At the start of the serve, both feet must be behind the service line.
• The serve is done diagonally and must pass the non-volley zone.
• Only one service attempt is allowed, except in the case of a let (the ball touches the net on service and lands in the service box).
• At the start of each new set, only one player in the first service team is allowed to serve and ruff before delivering the ball to the opponents.
• When the serving team wins a point, the server moves to the other side of the court from the serving team.