STORIES

What is Pickleball? And How Did It Get Its Funny Name?

So, you’ve heard of pickleball — the sport that’s sweeping across the U.S. and beyond. But what exactly is it? And where did that quirky name come from? Let’s clear things up!

Contrary to what some may think, “pickle” has nothing to do with “PEAK” — it’s not a phonetic translation. And no, the sport isn’t named because someone really loved pickles 🥒.

So why is it called pickleball? Well, there’s a fun story behind.

The Origins of Pickleball

Back in 1965, on Bainbridge Island near Washington state, three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — wanted to set up a game of badminton for their kids. But they couldn’t find all the equipment. So, they got creative!

They used a perforated plastic ball (the kind you might find in a toy store), lowered a badminton net to about waist height, and crafted some simple paddles out of plywood. They blended rules from tennis, badminton, and ping pong — and just like that, a new sport was born!

Both kids and adults loved it. The game was easy to learn, super fun, and didn’t require a lot of space or expensive gear. Word spread fast, and what started as a backyard invention soon became a nationwide phenomenon.

So… Why the Name “Pickleball”?

Here’s where it gets interesting 🐕.

One popular story claims the game was named after the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles, who would chase after the ball. Cute — but not quite true!

In reality, Pickles the dog came after the game had already been named. Joan Pritchard (Joel’s wife) later explained that the name actually came from the term “pickle boat.”

In rowing, a “pickle boat” refers to the last boat to return to port — often filled with a mixed crew or leftover oarsmen from other teams. It’s all about thrown-together fun rather than fierce competition.

And that’s exactly what early pickleball was: a wonderful mix of different sports — a little badminton, a bit of tennis, some ping pong — all “pickled” together into something new and delightful.

How Do You Play Pickleball?

Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court with a low net, a plastic ball with holes, and solid paddles.

Here’s a quick rundown of the rules:

🎾 The Ball & Court

The ball is similar to a wiffle ball: lightweight, plastic, with 26 holes.
The court is 20×44 feet — the same as a doubles badminton court.

🏓 Serving

Serve must be underhand.
Contact with the ball must be made below the waist.
The server must keep both feet behind the baseline.
The ball must land in the diagonal service court without touching the non-volley zone (the “kitchen”).

🔁 Serving Order & Switching Sides

A coin toss decides who serves or picks a side first.
Players switch sides after each game.

Singles vs. Doubles

Singles: One vs. one. Server switches sides after each point they win.
Doubles: Two vs. two. Each player on a team gets a chance to serve until they fault — except at the very first serve of the game, where only one player serves.

📊 Scoring

Games are usually played to 11 points, win by 2.
You can only score points when your team is serving.

❌ Common Faults

Hitting the ball out of bounds.
Stepping into the non-volley zone (“the kitchen”) and volleying.
Not letting the ball bounce once on each side after the serve (double-bounce rule).
Serving into the net or out of bounds.

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