Pickleball: What is the game and why is it so popular?

Anyone for a spot of pickleball?

No, we're not talking about playing with your food - pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in the US at the moment.

If you're not a lover of pickles then don't worry - it doesn't actually involve any pickles.

Around 7,000 people currently play it in the UK and organisers are even trying to get it included in the 2028 Olympics as a demonstration sport.

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is played with a light plastic ball called a wiffle ball

Pickleball is a mash-up of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and can be played by singles or in pairs, either indoors or outside.

The aim of the game is to get the ball over the net and prevent your opponent from hitting it back.

Players use hard paddles a little bigger than ping-pong bats, and a light plastic ball called a wiffle ball to play.

The term kitchen refers to the no-volley zone and dinking is a soft shot that sends the other player scrambling towards the net to reach the ball in time.

Oscar hopes to become a Pickleball star in the future - he's already come second in a national championship!

Where did Pickleball get its name?

The game was invented in 1965 by US Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell during a summer holiday with their families in Washington.

No, they didn't eat a lot of pickles and then play the sport - instead the game was actually named after the family's dog, who was called Pickles.

What do you think of pickleball? Will it catch on here in the UK? Let us know in the comments below!