It’s all the new rage
Story by Eryn Ellard
Photos by Carol Pappas
The winter chill is starting to wear off, and those sweet, sweet, fleeting days of spring are upon us again. For outdoor lovers, there’s a new game in town — pickleball. Combining tennis, badminton and ping-pong, pickleball has become one of America’s fastest growing recreational sports.
The pickleball craze, which first began in the Sun Belt region about a decade ago, has made its way to St. Clair County, and residents are coming in droves to secure a court every day at the newly renovated Pell City Civic Center.
Tennis pro of Pell City Sarah Stewart has taught tennis for over 20 years and played the sport her entire life. Her heart belongs to the sport, as she has molded her career around her love for the game and the students she coaches – and she is amazed at the turnout the Civic Center has had for pickleball.
Stewart said several of the tennis courts have been taped off to create special pickleball courts, which unlike their tennis counterparts — make the court much shorter. “This game really isn’t your grandma’s sport, it gets competitive and is definitely a great workout,” Stewart said. “There are a lot of people who don’t enjoy tennis, but love pickleball.”
The game itself has a quirky set of rules — for example, players need not find themselves in “the kitchen,” otherwise the rules of the game are quick and easy to learn. Doubles are most popular, although singles are also popular. An entire match usually lasts around 15 minutes. Players also do not have to worry about expensive gear, the sport is played with an oversized ping pong paddle and a whiffle ball, which according to Stewart is another attractive feature about the game. “You can get a paddle and a package of whiffle balls at any sporting goods store for less than $30 and be ready to go, where other racqueted sports can become costly with equipment.”
The game is simple, keep hitting the ball back and forth until someone makes a mistake. The game ends when the first team reaches 11 points and is ahead of the opponent by two points.
There also is a seven-foot area directly on each side of the net, which is considered a “no volley zone,” and in pickleball this is called “the kitchen.” The reason for having this badminton spin, “the kitchen,” is to keep players from making slam shots over the net, resulting in players making more planned out shots. It also adds more margin for error for the opposing team.
Many teams will make up their own penalties for stepping into “the kitchen,” from loss of point to forfeiting the match. Like tennis, both players serve once before handing the serve to the other team.
A player must allow the whiffle ball to bounce at least once before hitting it back on the first serve. The initial serve must be under-handed, as well as all other contact with the ball, and the hit must be no higher than the player’s bellybutton and clear the net and “kitchen.”
After the match’s initial serve and bounce, players can hit the ball back and forth without allowing it to bounce again. A point can also only be scored by the serving team.
For Smith, she enjoys watching some of the more advanced teams making calculated decisions, with their partners. “It definitely is a mental game,” she said. “Even though the court is much smaller than a tennis court, you have to be ready and be just as quick.”
She also added that the health benefits are great. “One of my regulars reserved a court, and they played for the longest time. When he was finished playing several matches, he was surprised to see he had taken in over 7,000 steps.” But there is a less amount of running, jarring and straining to big muscle groups, unlike in tennis. “I can definitely see how it is so popular … because anyone can play. It is a quick game, easy to pick up, and it is far less strenuous on the body than other rec sports,” Smith said.
Pell City local Rodney White plays the sport with his neighbor as his partner for doubles. White said they both enjoy the sport because it is low impact, but also competitive. Holding the number 1 spot as reigning pickleball champions of First United Methodist Churches of Greater Birmingham, the Gherkins said they are so glad the city has updated its facilities to include the sport, and are so happy to hear the upcoming news of an indoor court coming to the Civic Center as well.
“An indoor court will be just what we need in this Alabama heat,” White said. “We didn’t get near the practice we needed last summer to get ready for tournament play due to the heat and humidity—it was brutal.”
The Pell City City Council also approved funding to replace the flooring in the multi-purpose room, which will allow for an inside pickleball court. Civic Center Manager Valerie Painter said they are so excited about the new flooring and the expansion of activities the Civic Center will be able to offer. The new flooring is called Elasti-Plus, which according to Painter, is much more conducive to indoor exercise, and still looks good.
“It has a cushioned feel and will give us the ability to expand our class offerings to include higher impact classes that put more strain on the knees or joints, such as dance classes or High Impact Aerobics,” Painter said. In addition, a pickleball court will be painted on the floor which will give the community access to indoor play.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer the community two outdoor courts at the Tennis Center and soon we will be able to offer an indoor court as well,” Painter said.
“The addition of these three courts goes right along with the City’s desire to make the Civic Center a more active space that offers a little something for everyone at a very affordable price.”
Currently the Civic Center does not have any paddles or balls, so players need to bring their own, and call and reserve a court for $5.
