If you are like millions of others around the world, you are searching for things to do in and around your house while in quarantine. We have an idea for you…
PLAY PICKLEBALL in and around your house with the people that you are quarantined with!
Pickleball is a sport that is commonly referred to as a mix of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It is a sport for all ages and skill levels, is easy to learn, and can be adapted into a fun game no matter how limited your quarantine space is!
Things You Need to Play Pickleball:
- A pickleball (similar to a wiffle ball);
- 2 paddles for singles and 4 paddles for doubles;
- A string or a net (like a badminton, volleyball, or tennis net); and
- Some flat, concrete ground – typical pickleball court is 44 feet by 20 feet; however, use the space you have! This could be a space half the size (44 feet by 10 feet), just enough for the Non-Volley Zone (14 feet by 10 feet), or even just enough to hit the pickleball back and forth.
Basic Rules to Get Started:
- Draw out your pickleball court. The dimensions may vary based on how much space you have. If you have more than 14 feet, be sure to draw the Non-Volley Zone (also called the Kitchen), which is a 14-foot-wide space that extends 7 feet on either side of the net.
- Hang your string or your net. The string or net should be 36 inches off of the ground on the sides of your court, and 34 inches off the ground in the middle of your court.
- Start a rally by hitting the pickleball with your paddle over the string or net using an underhand serve. If you have enough space for a full court, the serve should go crosscourt into the service box. The serve cannot land in the Kitchen. This would be a fault and the server would lose the point.
- Allow the serve to bounce and allow the return of serve to bounce. If a pickleball player hits the serve or return of serve in the air, then that would be a fault and the player would lose the point.
- Do not make contact with the Kitchen and hit the pickleball out of the air (also called a volley). This would be a fault and the pickleball player hitting the volley while standing or making contact with the Kitchen would lose the point. To note, a pickleball player can reach into the space above the Kitchen without committing a fault.
- Continue hitting the pickleball back and forth until a pickleball player misses or hits the pickleball out of play.
- Play until one pickleball player or team reaches 11 points! A player or team can only win a point when serving. The serve rotates if and when the server loses the rally.
- ***These basic rules are by no means all of the rules of pickleball, or the complete rules of pickleball, and, in some cases, are adapted rules of pickleball. However, if you are looking for something to do during the quarantine, and you have limited space or resources, this may be enough to get you started.***
If you are looking for something to do during quarantine, PLAY PICKLEBALL (or a version of pickleball based on your space and resources) in and around your house with the people that you are quarantined with. Pickleball will guarantee you some fun and laughs during these challenging times. Stay safe!
