Pickleball SA

Pickleball is a dynamic and fast growing new sport in Australia. A cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis, it’s played both outdoors and indoors on a badminton-sized court with a low net, short paddles and a plastic ball with holes. It’s fast to learn and suits players of all abilities from young to old. Invented in Seattle, USA in 1965 by three fathers of kids on summer holiday needing a new activity, there are now more than 3 million players worldwide. Played in 26 countries, the goal is for pickleball to become an Olympic sport. Pickleball came to Adelaide in January 2020 and with a committed group of weekly players who formed Pickleball South Australia in August 2020. Already played at two venues each week, the City of Port Adelaide Enfield is now creating the first outdoor courts ready for play in October 2020. The first chairperson of Pickleball SA, Andrew Reilly said, “We’re expecting to see player numbers grow quickly. Pickleball is perfectly suited to social players looking for a fun sport, and to competitive players wanting a skill more than power sport.” Where does the name come from? Well, the family dog of one of those inventive families was Pickles and he often ran off with the ball, so his name is now on the game! Often played in a doubles format with mixed or same gender teams, four players on a court one third the size of a tennis court makes for a fun, social, reflex game. Andrew Reilly says, “We want pickleball to be an inclusive and diverse sport that welcomes people of all abilities and cultural backgrounds. People tell us that playing improves their physical and mental health, plus it’s great socially, so we want to introduce it to all South Australians.”