PICKLEBALL QUICK START

Pickleball Quick-Start Guide: Let the Fun Begin!

Welcome to the world of pickleball! Whether you’re brand new or just need a quick refresher, this guide will walk you through the basics so you can hit the court with confidence. Pickleball is fun, fast-paced, and easy to pick up. Let’s get started!

What You Need to Play:

  • Paddle – A lightweight paddle, usually made of composite materials.
  • Pickleball – A plastic ball with holes, similar to a whiffle ball.
  • Net – The net is slightly shorter than a tennis net, set at 36 inches at the ends and 34 inches at the center.
  • Court – Pickleball is played on a court that’s 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, with a no-volley zone (the Kitchen) near the net.

How to Play Pickleball

Step 1: Setting Up - Let the Games Begin!

Pickleball is all about fun, whether you're going 1v1 (for those fierce showdowns) or 2v2 (team up and double the fun). The goal? Hit the ball over the net and keep it in bounds. If they miss, boom—you score! Get ready for some fast-paced action and plenty of high-fives.

Step 2: The Serve - Let’s Kick it Off!

  • The serve is always done underhand, with the paddle contacting the ball below the waist (none of that fancy tennis overhand here!).
  • The server must stand behind the baseline (the back line), aim diagonally, and send the ball over the net like a boss (serve must land in the diagonal service box on the other side of the net (See Fig 1)). Just make sure it doesn’t land in the no-volley zone, aka the kitchen (see Fig. 2).

  • Only the serving team can score points. If the serving team wins the rally, they keep serving and alternate between the two players if playing doubles (See Fig. 3) . If they lose the rally, the serve goes to the other team (See Fig. 4).

  • In doubles, both players get a turn to serve before giving up the serve to the other team. 

Step 3: The Two-Bounce Rule

Before you get too wild, remember the ball has to bounce once on each side before anyone can start smashing it out of the air.

  • After the serve, let it bounce on your side and hit it back (you can’t volley a serve).
  • Then, the serving team has to let it bounce on their side too (After you return a serve, the serving team cannot volley your return).
  • Now the rally can really heat up!

Step 4: Volleys and Groundstrokes

  • Once both bounces have occurred, players can either volley (hit the ball in the air) or use a groundstroke (hit the ball after it bounces).
  • Be mindful of the kitchen—you cannot volley from inside this 7-foot area next to the net. Groundstrokes are allowed in the kitchen, but volleys are not.

Step 5: Scoring

  • Games are usually played to 11 points, but you must win by 2 points.
  • Points are only scored by the serving team.
  • In doubles, both players on a team get a chance to serve before the serve switches to the other team (unless it's the first serve of the game, where only one player serves).

Step 6: Winning the Game

  • A team wins when they reach 11 points with a 2-point lead. If the score is 10-10, continue playing until one team leads by 2 points.

Basic Rules Recap

  1. Serve underhand and diagonally cross-court.
  2. Let the ball bounce once on each side after the serve (Two-Bounce Rule).
  3. No volleys in the kitchen.
  4. Score points only when serving. Games are usually to 11, win by 2.

Pickleball Glossary

  • Baseline: The back boundary line of the court.
  • Kitchen (No-Volley Zone): A 7-foot area on both sides of the net where volleying is not allowed.
  • Volley: Hitting the ball before it bounces.
  • Groundstroke: Hitting the ball after it bounces.
  • Two-Bounce Rule: After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players can start volleying.
  • Dink: A soft shot that lands just over the net, usually intended to drop into the kitchen.
  • Drive: A powerful shot aimed at forcing an error from your opponent.
  • Lob: A high shot aimed to land deep in the opponent’s court, pushing them back.
  • Smash: A hard, downward hit, often executed when the ball is high in the air.
  • Rally: The back-and-forth exchange of shots between opponents.
  • Side Out: When the serving team loses the rally, and the serve switches to the other team.
  • Fault: Any rule violation, such as serving into the net or stepping into the kitchen on a volley.

Now you're ready to get on the court and enjoy the game! Whether you're in it for fun or aiming to improve, pickleball offers something for everyone. Happy playing!