Pickleball
August 10, 2023

What the heck is Pickleball?

You're hearing about this sport everywhere—yup, it's coming to gyms, too!

The best restaurants in Chicago

Hendrerit enim egestas hac eu aliquam mauris at viverra id mi eget faucibus sagittis, volutpat placerat viverra ut metus velit, velegestas pretium sollicitudin rhoncus ullamcorper ullamcorper venenatis sed vestibulum eu quam pellentesque aliquet tellus integer curabitur pharetra integer et ipsum nunc et facilisis etiam vulputate blandit ultrices est lectus eget urna, non sed lacus tortor etamet sed sagittis id porttitor parturient posuere.

  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur rhoncus ullamcorper ullamcorper
  2. Mauris aliquet faucibus iaculis dui vitae ullamco
  3. Posuere enim mi pharetra neque proin vulputate blandit ultrices
  4. Blandit sapien in habitasse arcu in interdum diam diam interdum.

1. Burger Bar & Grill

Sollicitudin rhoncus ullamcorper ullamcorper venenatis sed vestibulum eu quam pellentesque aliquet tellus integer curabitur pharetra integer et ipsum nunc et facilisis etiam vulputate blandit ultrices est lectus vulputate eget urna, non sed lacus tortor etamet sed sagittis id porttitor parturient posuere.

Posuere enim mi pharetra neque proin vulputate blandit ultrices

2. Eagle French Cafe

Eget lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum felis donec et odio pellentesque diam volutpat lorem commodo sed egestas aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit euismod eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel non pharetra nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget.

  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur fringilla ut morbi tincidunt.
  • Mauris aliquet faucibus iaculis dui vitae ullamco neque proin vulputate interdum.
  • Posuere enim mi pharetra neque proin  bibendum felis donec et odio.
  • Posuere enim mi pharetra neque proin aliquam mauris at viverra id mi eget.
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit pellentesque pellentesque tincidunt amet vitae ac in vestibulum massa ullamcorper molestie sit pharetra.”
3. L’ardoise Bistro

Nisi quis eleifend quam adipiscing vitae aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida neque velit euismod in pellentesque massa placerat volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida odio aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing tristique risus amet est placerat in egestas erat imperdiet sed euismod nisi.

4. Anchor Seafood Market

Eget lorem dolor sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum felis donec et odio pellentesque diam volutpat commodo sed egestas aliquam sem fringilla ut morbi tincidunt augue interdum velit euismod eu tincidunt tortor aliquam nulla facilisi aenean sed adipiscing diam donec adipiscing ut lectus arcu bibendum at varius vel pharetra nibh venenatis cras sed felis eget.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of various racquet sports. It's played on a smaller court, typically a quarter the size of a tennis court, with a net that is similar to a tennis net but lowered in the center. 

Gyms have had to adapt their facilities to serve the demand, and you'll often see the game played:

  • On basketball/volleyball courts, where gyms repurpose this hardwood areas. The boundary lines don't line up properly, and the nets are usually removeable—so placed on during specific times during the week.
  • On tennis courts, if the gym has them (Bay Club for example). Players here will benefit from permanent nets, as well as a surface best suited for the game.

Pickleball is played with a solid paddle and a plastic ball with holes, similar to a wiffle ball. The objective is to hit the ball over the net and into the opposing team's court, with the aim of scoring points and winning the game.

How to play pickleball?

Pickleball can be played in singles (one player on each side) or doubles (two players on each side). The game starts with an underhand serve, and once the ball is in play, players must let it bounce once on their side before returning it. 

These rules apply just the same at gyms, where the difference is usually just the location (hardwood/tennis court).

After the initial bounce, both teams can volley the ball (hit it in the air) or play it off the bounce. Points are scored when the opposing team fails to return the ball successfully. 

The first team to reach a predetermined number of points, typically 11 or 15, with a lead of at least two points, wins the game.

Playing pickleball doubles outdoors. Image via Lesli Whitecotton from Unsplash.

Why is it called pickleball?

Funny story, we're still digging around to see if it's the truth! "Pickleball" is said to have originated from the Pritchard family's dog, Pickles, who would chase after the ball and run away with it. 

Over time, the game gained popularity within the local community and spread to neighboring regions. In 1972, the first official Pickleball tournament was held, and the game continued to grow in popularity throughout the United States.

When was pickleball invented?

Actually, quite a long time ago. While it might sound brand new, it was invented sometime around the mid-1960s on Bainbridge Island, Washington. The founders were Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum—and we're sure they would be ecstatic at how popular it is now.

Basically, the three friends wanted to create a game that would keep their families entertained during the summer. They improvised by combining elements from different sports and utilizing household items such as ping pong paddles and a net borrowed from badminton. 

What gyms have pickleball?

As of August 2023, there are 9 different gym chains with pickleball. From those, we count 161 different gyms where you can play the popular sport. 

Here are the gyms that have at least one location with pickleball:

  • Bay Club
  • California Family Fitness
  • Chuze Fitness
  • EoS Fitness
  • In-Shape Health Clubs
  • LA Fitness
  • Life Time
  • VASA Fitness
  • YouFit Gyms

Where to play pickleball near me

Head over to our main pickleball page to see the exact gym locations with a pickleball court. The courts are spread throughout the country—everywhere from Sacramento & San Diego, California, to Miami & St. Petersburg in Florida. 

Sprinkle in some courts around Texas, Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania for good measure too. 

We fully expect this number to grow in the coming years!

Subscribe to our email newsletter

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipiscing elit id pulvinar at morbi elit scelerisque nunc gravida donec dolor erat sit iaculis.

Don't miss out on the latest fitness trends, offers and news. Subscribe and get expert tips on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Plus, see when new gyms are opening near you!

Thanks for subscribing to our newsletter
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Subscribe To Our Newsletter - LocalListing X Webflow Template

Latest articles