First Posted: 3/6/2015
LIMA — While not very well-known in Lima, the sport of pickleball is celebrating its 50th year. According to http://pickleballcentral.com, pickleball is a combination of table tennis, badminton and tennis and can be played with anywhere from two to four players.
Started in 1965 when the family of U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard was bored one day, the sport grew and expanded in the mid-1970s from a backyard game to a paddle court sport with formalized rules. The sport is played by schools, YMCAs, and has become especially popular with senior adults.
Judy Wilson is one of those older adults who enjoys pickleball. Her group meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Bradfield Center, 550 S. Collett St., and play times are open to all. However, in order to participate, players need to be members of the Bradfield Center.
To find out more, email [email protected] or call 419-236-2839. To find out more about pickleball visit http://pickleballchannel.com.
1. How did you get started playing pickleball?
I started at the YWCA several months before they closed it, and then we moved over here to Bradfield Center.
2. What is pickleball exactly?
It’s a combination of tennis and badminton with a little pingpong. The court is different and you have to tape it off a certain way. You can play singles, but we always play doubles so you don’t have to run quite so much.
3. Do you have a name for your group and how many of you play regularly?
We don’t really have a name. We used to have a couple men that played, but they got older and were afraid of falling. Our numbers are at the lowest in winter, but we still get about 10 to 12 of us that come out regularly. In the summertime, we like to play outside. We can use a tennis court, but we have to tape the lines onto it.
4. So, what is the age range of the people who play?
Our oldest person is 87. The younger ones are in their 50s, I’d say. They can’t always come out during the day because they work still. This is a great game for younger people, but since we don’t have any place to play except places where you have to be a member, we don’t get younger players. Some of the schools in other areas teach pickleball, but none of the schools here in Lima do that I am aware of.
5. How long has pickleball been around?
It’s been around since 1965. This year is the 50th year of pickleball.
6. How did pickleball get its name?
The story is that, I think it was a state senator — anyway, he and his family went on vacation. They wanted to play badminton, but they couldn’t find all the equipment. So, they made up this game. They had a dog named Pickles, so when the ball would go out of bounds, they’d say, “Pickles, go get the ball!” Pretty soon, they started calling the game pickleball, and the name stuck. I’m not sure how true that story is, but that is the one that goes around.
7. What kind of equipment do you need?
There is a pickleball paddle but you have to order it online. The ball is like a wiffle ball but it is a lot stronger than a whiffle ball. It has to be or it would be destroyed pretty quickly. You have to order all the equipment online because they don’t carry it here anywhere in Lima.
8. What’s the biggest challenge in playing pickleball?
Probably learning the scoring. You have two players, and when you do the scoring you have to call out the score and your number. If you get a point then you switch. Each team gets two faults. It takes a little while to get the hang of how it all works and how to score.
9. What is your favorite part of playing pickleball?
The fellowship with all the girls, and it’s not all about winning. We laugh a lot and just have fun.
