What are the rules of pickleball? Here’s how to play and what you need
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Pickleball in Charlotte
From the best places to play in the area to learning the basics, here’s some pickleball stories you’re going to relish.
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Where can I find pickleball courts in Charlotte? Here are 10 places to play or take lessons
What are the rules of pickleball? Here’s how to play and what you need
Why is pickleball so popular, and where can you play it in Charlotte?
A massive pickleball entertainment complex with a restaurant, 2 bars will open in LoSo
April is National Pickleball Month, a time to celebrate one of the fastest growing sports in the country.
The sport combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, and can be played outside or indoors, according to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA).
It’s growing fast, too. Take a trip down memory lane with us to 2016, when CharlotteFive writer Vanessa Infanzon penned: “When a family member suggested that I write a story about pickleball, I had no idea what they were talking about. I received blank looks when I asked friends and acquaintances about pickleball ...”
According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s annual Topline Participation Report, pickleball grew to 4.8 million players in the U.S. last year.
Last week, Rally Entertainment announced it is building a 27,000-square-foot pickleball and entertainment complex, with eight pickleball courts, two signature cocktail bars, event spaces and spectator seating areas in Charlotte’s Lower South End.
If you’re unfamiliar with pickleball, here are the basics of the game, what equipment you’ll need to play and some courts you can play at in Charlotte for free.
How do you play pickleball?
According to USAPA, games with two players per team are the most common, and the same size playing area and rules are used for both singles and doubles.
Here are the basics of pickleball, according to USAPA:
To start the game, the player standing behind the right square has to deliver an underhand serve to the player in the diagonal square.
The first serve and the return must bounce. From there, players can volley the ball.
Players should be aware of the non-volley zone, or the rectangular area in front of the net. Hitting the ball while standing in this area is not allowed.
Points are won if the opposing team hits the ball out of bounds or into the net, or fails to return a live ball.
Points can only be earned by the team that is serving.
The first team to reach 11 points with at least a two-point advantage wins the game.
The official rulebook for pickleball can be found at usapickleball.org.
What do you need to play pickleball?
When playing pickleball, each player needs a paddle, USAPA says. The paddles are smaller than a tennis racket but larger than a ping-pong paddle, and can be purchased at many sporting goods stores.
A pickleball, a ball with holes through it that comes in several colors, is also needed to play.
When you have these pieces of equipment, all you need to do is find a court to play on.
Where can you play pickleball in Charlotte?
Several Charlotte-area locations offer pickleball for a small fee, $2-$10 per game or session. Check out CharlotteFive’s 2022 guide to where to play pickleball, then make your reservation — we’ll see you on the court!
This story was originally published April 25, 2022 at 11:45 AM.
