It’s a given that the four major sports in North America are football, baseball, basketball, and hockey. These four sports have professional leagues that provide us entertainment all year long, giving aspiring young athletes an end goal to strive for. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other fun sports to explore, even if they are on the newer side.
Pickleball continues to be one of the most trendy games, as we see people converting tennis courts all over the country into pickleball courts instead. Learning some of the weirdest rules about pickleball can help acquaint you with this growing game, allowing you to explore it fully.
Kitchen Intrigue
Every sport has its game-centric terms that every player knows. For example, the “box” is where a hitter stands in baseball, the “paint” is the down toward the basketball, and the “red zone” is the imaginary part of the football field starting at the 20-yard line. Pickleball’s specific field designation that trips up some newbies is its “kitchen.”
The goal of having the kitchen is to discourage players from playing directly at the net with dinks and smashes, which would make the game unplayable. Forcing players to let the ball bounce first creates a balance between offense and defense that keeps the game competitive.
Line Dancing
The technical term for the kitchen is the “non-volley zone.” In addition to including this area to even out the competition, there are also rules involved that players must abide by.
It’s a no-volley region that extends seven feet from the net on either side of the court. This unique aspect of pickleball requires players to exercise good judgment and precision. However, what’s surprising is that you’re breaking the rule if your foot touches the line in any capacity. In pickleball, “part of the line is in” is not a valid call. The whole line must be visible to be in bounds, just like you’re an NFL receiver.
Stricter Than High School
Gamesmanship can be a major component of any sporting venture. It gets many people’s competitive juices going—for better or worse. However, pickleball isn’t about that life. Pickleball is a casual, friendly game. It’s a game that your parents would want you to take to prom, a game that has proper manners.
Pickleball is so serious about being “Midwestern Nice.” One of the weirdest rules about pickleball is that if you deliberately distract your opponent, it’s considered a fault. Distractions could include making loud or sudden noises, feigning play, or any other type of distracting behavior. Good sportsmanship is a strict rule, but it keeps the game fair and competitive.
And with that, we wrap up our discussion of some of the weirdest rules of pickleball. While these might seem like unusual or strict rules to some, they’re all designed to keep the game challenging, competitive, and fun. The game of pickleball is a unique and exciting experience, and the rules are a big part of what makes it so.