Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in Ontario. It is a combination of tennis, badminton and table tennis.
The game is played on a badminton size court with a whiffle ball, about the size of a tennis ball; and a solid smooth surface, short handled paddle larger than a ping pong paddle. The game is easy to learn and you do not have to be a great athlete to play.
Pickleball is a great way to get active, keep active, and have fun at the same time. It has great aerobics value.
Besides your gym attire you need a paddle and a good pair of court shoes. If the sport is being played in your area beginner paddles and balls will be supplied by your local club or recreation centre. Once you learn the game you can buy your own paddle. Prices range from around $30 for a wooden paddle to $50-$100 for more advanced composite paddles.
Contact Pickleball Ontario for help. We can provide startup advice and we do clinics for beginners around the province. There is a network of ambassadors in Ontario who can also assist you.
Why put off that exercise you have been wanting to get? Remember, exercise has to be fun or you will not continue to do it. Pickleball is fun!
Most players play the game for fun but if you are interested in competitive play many clubs hold local tournaments and some have “fun days” where you play the game in different ways just for fun. Pickleball Ontario tries to list all tournaments, in Ontario, on this website and our Events calendar.
Pickleball Ontario also hosts a provincial tournament each year.
For complete information check out the Pickleball Ontario website (that is THIS website!). There you will find video clips showing the game being played, a map showing where it is played in Ontario, a news and announcements page, photos from our tournaments, links to other pickleball sites, information on where to buy equipment and lots more.
PAO membership fees are $10/year. Details are on our website.
You might also be interested in supporting our national association. For more information go to www.pickleballcanada.org.
Warning: Pickleball can be extremely addictive.
The game started during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, at the home of then State Representative Joel Pritchard who, in 1970, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for the State of Washington. He and two of his friends, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, returned from golf and found their families bored one Saturday afternoon. They attempted to set up badminton, but no one could find the shuttlecock. They improvised with a Wiffle ball, lowered the badminton net, and fabricated paddles of plywood from a nearby shed.
Although some sources claim that the name “Pickleball” was derived from that of the Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles, other sources state that the claim is false, and that the name came from the term “pickle boat”, referring to the last boat to return with its catch. According to Joan Pritchard, Joel Pritchard’s wife, the name came “after I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats. Somehow the idea the name came from our dog Pickles was attached to the naming of the game, but Pickles wasn’t on the scene for two more years. The dog was named for the game.
