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Essay On Pickleball

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If former Washington congressman Joel Pritchard had a dog with a more conventional name, millions of people across the country would be playing a game with a different name. Pritchard, who founded pickleball with friend and businessman Bill Bell in 1965 in Washington, owned a dog named Pickles when he and Bell invented the game. According to one theory about the unique name of the sport, Pickles loved to chase the Wiffle ball his owners used when playing, resulting in its moniker. Over the years pickleball has grown, with contingents of players springing up across the country. In Edwardsville, Julie Biggs, of Highland, learned about it from her mother in Florida. “I started playing pickleball about six years ago,” Biggs said. “I was introduced to it in Florida. …show more content…

“It can be a very social game also because there’s a lot of retirees who play it. That’s where it started, and it caught on and it can be super competitive. So I love that aspect. And I love that it’s a great workout.”
When they returned to the area, they connected with a small group of people who shared their passion. In the years since, they have seen the sport become an increasingly popular recreational option for locals.
Pickleball is played with a paddle and a perforated ball that’s very similar to a Wiffle ball, both of which can be purchased at sporting goods stores and some superstores like Target. It’s played on a court about a quarter of the size of a tennis court, and follows similar rules as that sport.
It’s not merely a smaller version of tennis, however, as certain rules make it stand out, such as players are not allowed to approach the net – an area called “the kitchen” – unless the ball drops there first. Another important rule is the first player or team – many people play doubles – reaches 11 points. They must win by two.
Games can last a half hour with skilled players, but they can also take five to ten minutes, according to

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