8th GRADE PICKLE-BALL STUDY GUIDE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgljuzMdSh0

HISTORY

• The mini-tennis game called Pickle-ball was created during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island - a short ferry ride from Seattle, WA

• The original purpose of the game was to provide a sport for the entire family, according to co-inventors U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum.

• The game’s name originated from Pickles the family dog that would chase after the errant balls and then hide in the bushes, thus Pickle's ball which was later shortened to the namesake of Pickle-ball.

EQUIPMENT 

• Plastic or wooden paddle

• Plastic perforated (wiffle) ball

• A 36inch high net ona 44’x20 court

RULES

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  Player must keep one foot behind the baseline when serving.

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  The serve is made underhand.

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  The paddle must pass below the waist.

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  The server must hit the ball in the air on the serve. The server is not allowed to bounce it and then hit it. Cues: paddle/diagonal serve-receive box.

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  The serve is made diagonally cross court and must clear the non-volley zone.

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  Only one serve attempt is allowed unless the ball touches the net on the serve and then lands in the proper serve-receive box. This is called a let and the player may reserve.

To volley the ball means to hit it in the air without letting it bounce. All volleying must be done with the player’s feet behind the non-volley zone. It’s a fault if the player steps over the line on his volley follow through.

All boundary lines are considered good.
On a rally, if a ball hits the net it is still in play.

Each time before you serve, you should say your score and then your opponent’s score.

Double Bounce Rule – each team must play their first shot off the bounce. The receiving team must let the serve bounce and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce before playing it. After the two bounces have occurred, the ball can be either volleyed or played off the bounce.

No volleying is permitted within the seven foot non-volley zone, preventing players from executing smashes from a position within the seven foot zone on both sides of the net. This encourages players to use the drop volley or “dink” shot playing strategies.

Pickle-ball is a game of shot placement and patience, not brute power or strength. FAULTS
The ball is hit into the net.
The ball is hit out of bounds.

The ball is volleyed with either foot in the non-volley zone.
The ball is volleyed before it has bounced once on each side of the net. The ball hits the ceiling or a standard.
A player hits the net with their paddle or body.

SCORING

The game is played to 11 points. A player must win by a two point margin.

Rally scoring, either the serving or receiving team may score a point.

A player who is serving shall continue to do so until he faults or team loses the rally.

Players switch serve-receive boxes only after scoring.

Singles – each player serves from the right hand serve-receive box when his score is an even number and from the left hand serve-receive box when his score is an odd number.

Doubles – when the score is even the player in the right hand serve-receive box will serve. When the score is odd the player in the left hand serve-receive box will serve. A player will continue to serve and switch serve-receive boxes until a fault occurs. At this time the opposing team has serve.

TERMINOLOGY

Let – a served ball that hits the top of the net and lands in the proper serve- receive box.

Non-Volley Zone – A seven foot zone that players cannot enter to hit the ball unless the ball first bounces.

Rally – a ball that is hit back and forth over the net.
Smash – a ball that is hit downward at a high rate of speed. Volley – a ball that is hit in the air without letting it bounce.