(Originally published in World of Westchase, May 2015)

Have you heard of Pickleball?

The game is 50 years old, relatively young for a ball game. Pickleball combines elements of badminton, ping-pong and tennis. It can be played indoors or outdoors. The court is about half the size of a tennis court – the same size as a doubles badminton court.

The game is played by people of all ages and all skill levels. You can play pickleball singles, but doubles are played more often. It’s played in middle schools and high schools around the country. It has become very popular with the retired community, in part because the game emphasizes strategy, finesse and ball placement over fitness level. The game, however, becomes much quicker when intermediate and advanced players compete.

Vince Bowers, Recreation Program Specialist at the Westchase Recreation Center, explained, “Pickleball requires less force, therefore, there is less wear and tear on the shoulders. The paddle is lighter than a tennis racket and the ball is like a wiffle ball, so it is lighter and bigger than a tennis ball.”

The game was invented in the summer of 1965 by three Washington State fathers, Joel Pritchard (who was also a congressman), Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. Their children were bored so they created the game to give them something active and interesting to do. Some say the game was named after the Pritchard’s dog, Pickles. Mrs. Pritchard said the combining of so many sports reminded her of pickle boat crews because the oarsmen are chosen from the leftover crews of other boats. She says their [vulgarity] spaniel, Pickles, which they got in 1966 or 1967, was named after the game.

Bob Faulkner of The Bridges likes to play at the Westchase Recreation Center. Bob is retired and lives in Minnesota half of the year and in Westchase the other half. He was an avid racquetball player for 30 years. Bob also bikes and plays tennis. He considers himself an intermediate player and loves the hand-eye coordination necessary in pickleball. “Pickleball equalizes men and women. It’s not how hard you hit. It’s the finesse of your shot, the angle of your shot, and your lob. I enjoy the challenge and social experience.”