[As published in Nov/Dec BayBuzz magazine.]

In a pickle over something to do this summer?

A new sport with a funny name is all the craze in Hawke’s Bay. Pickleball – a hybrid of tennis and table tennis, played with a paddle (bat) and a hollow plastic ball with holes, is attracting social and competitive players to the old netball and tennis courts at Sylvan Road in Hastings, as well as indoor courts at Pettigrew Green Arena. 

Pickleball Hawke’s Bay is now an incorporated society and the club has aspirations of growing its membership to be strong enough to create competitive pathways nationally and internationally. Meantime, it’s the social side of the game that’s attracted newcomers to racket sport, as well as ageing tennis and squash players looking for a sport with less wear and tear on the body.

That’s the reason why former top tennis player Jeremy Pearson took up the game. Still in his 40s, Jeremy has had a recent hip replacement, but with a competitive background in tennis he was looking for a sport that he could play well into retirement.

As a tennis player known for his ‘ground stroke shots’ he picked up the game quickly to the point he confesses it’s an new addiction – not just because of the game, but also the welcoming inclusive atmosphere.

“I heard of this game with a ridiculous name – pickleball – and thought I would take a closer look.

“At 47 I’ve had a hip replacement and pickleball is a lot less of an impact on my body. From playing tennis I have good hand-eye coordination and have been able to adapt quickly using my ground strokes.

Jeremy, the club’s president, says it’s also a sport that he can enjoy with his teenage children.

“I don’t know too many families that go out and play 18 holes of golf, but we can all go down to the pickleball courts and play – either together or against others that have also turned up for a hit.

Another reason for the fast uptake of the game is its strong social nature due to each match being much shorter than a game of tennis; a set is first to score 11 points, which takes about 10-15 minutes.

Players usually play more than one match a day and move from court to court to challenge players from beginner to advanced levels.

“It’s really friendly and inclusive with many turning up for a laugh and with each game being short, you get to play and meet a lot of players in a very short time, which makes you want more.” 

He says playing the game is also really affordable. Equipment is relatively cheap and you can play at Sylvan Road for as little as a gold coin.

Jeremy says there’s no air of pretentiousness that is easily aligned with sports like tennis and golf and with doubles being the predominant format, the social aspects of the sport are further enhanced

The arrival of Pickleball is thanks to Steve and Jill Norman, who on a road trip through the US in 2017, came across the game by accident.

Jill, a former top volleyball player, said since then they’ve been hooked.

“We were in Colorado and Steve wanted to go and hit some golf balls. He came across this game being played (pickleball) and the next thing we were having a game.

“We’ve been hooked ever since. We loaded up the Chev truck with pickleball equipment and brought it all back to Hawke’s Bay. It’s the most addictive game I’ve ever played, and I’ve played a lot to a high level. It’s exciting and you’re in the moment all the time.

Upon arriving back in Hawke’s Bay, the Normans hunted down a venue – Sylvan Road and then put up some posts on Neighbourly. The first day attracted 15 players and they instantly knew it would be a hit.

“There’s not one thing that makes it stand out – there’s lots. It’s a family game, social, exciting, it’s quick to learn and people of all abilities can play each other. 

As the local founders of the game, the Normans have a vision for their own covered facility – whether that be at Sylvan Road, with a commitment from Hastings District Council not to develop the land for other purposes, or finding a large industrial-style building and developing into court space.

Fellow player Matthew Koning was one of those locals that heard about the sport on Neighbourly about four years ago and agrees that it’s the social side that he enjoys most.

“I enjoy playing because it’s really social as well as being able to stay active. It’s appealing because anyone can play, there’s plenty of laughter and it’s a great way to meet people and make friends.”

Jeremy along with several other competitive players recently played in a national tournament in Rotorua with considerable success, with Jeremy claiming Hawke’s Bay would be near the top.

Former top Hawke’s Bay tennis representative Shane Wilson and partner Matt Carter won gold in the men’s doubles, brothers Josh and Thomas Gloski took silver and Jeremy and his partner Pierce Corbett won bronze, while in the women’s open Annie Hawaikirangi and Wendy Jambor also won gold, Lizzie Brady and Jacqui Lukies silver, and Justine Delport and Sharon Gregory bronze. 

As the club continues to grow, Jeremy and the committee have turned their eye to how the facilities could look in the future in Hawke’s Bay.

In the US and Australia, the sport has attracted sponsors pumping money into the sport and investment into modern pickleball facilities.

Jeremy says Hawke’s Bay has the potential to host national outdoor tournaments at Sylvan Road, with the new court space at Pettigrew Green Arena a backup venue when the weather turns bad.

Back in 2018, pickleball was being played on 3 courts at Sylvan Road, mostly because the courts hadn’t been used for tennis and netball since Hawke’s Bay Netball relocated to the Regional Sports Park as soon as it was built.

The facility had deteriorated due to lack of use, but pickleball enthusiasts could see its potential with Jeremy leading a group that water blasted all 8 netball/tennis courts, remarking them to create 10 pickleball courts, enough to meet international hosting standards.

To upgrade further, they are keen to improve the floodlights and look at a clubhouse facility, changing rooms and toilets.

The ultimate would also be to resurface the asphalt courts to a rubber-type playing surface.

Jeremy also sees more private pickleball courts being established at home – either converting tennis courts or using driveways, or taking it a step further like early adopters and huge pickleball enthusiasts Graeme and Katrina Fowler, who have converted their shed into an indoor pickleball court.

Five years ago the Fowlers were introduced to the sport by Steve and Jill Norman.

Back then they borrowed some wooden paddles to play against the Normans and were instantly hooked.

“It was so much fun and much easier on the body as you’re not running as much as you do in tennis or squash.”

The Fowlers now play up to four nights a week at their indoor court, playing on rotation with regulars and guests including World Number 2 Riley Newman, who came out from the US in January for a 3-day coaching visit.

They also travel abroad regularly to play in tournaments such as a recent tournament in Sydney, attracting over 700 players with games played across 40 courts.

Katrina is busy organising a sold-out tournament – ‘Battle of the Paddles’ – to be held at Pettigrew Green Arena on November 18-19, which has attracted over 200 players from around New Zealand. 

PICKLEBALL FAQ 

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington. Three dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities — are credited for creating game. 

Pickleball has evolved from original handmade equipment and simple rules into a popular sport internationally. It’s regarded as a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis (ping pong).

Pickleball was first introduced in Rotorua, New Zealand in 2015 by United States players and regular visitors Claire Spackman and David McNamara, and within a month the first club in NZ was formed. Today it’s believed there’s over 5,000 players at over 50 clubs. There’s also a national sport organisation – Pickleball New Zealand and it’s predicted that it could become an Olympic sport.

How do you play?

When playing pickleball, each player uses a pickleball paddle, which is smaller than a tennis racquet, but larger than a ping-pong paddle. Originally, paddles were made only from wood, however today’s paddles have evolved and are primarily made of lightweight composite materials, including aluminium and graphite.

Players will also need a net and a pickleball. 

The ball is unique, with holes through it. Balls come in several colours, including white, yellow and green, but must be a single colour to 

meet International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) specifications. Different ball models are intended for indoor and outdoor play. 

A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court and measures 6 metres by 13.4 metres. Courts can be constructed specifically for pickleball or they can be converted using existing tennis or badminton courts.

In pickleball, the same court is used for both singles and doubles play. The net height is 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches in the middle. The court is striped similar to a tennis court with right and left service courts and a 2.1 metre non-volley zone in front of the net – referred to as the kitchen. 

Scoring

Following traditional pickleball rules, the first player or team to get to 11 points with a 2-point margin (having at least 2 points more than the other side) is the winner. Only the serving side can earn a point, which is caused by the other side faulting. 

A fault is any error, forced or unforced, on the part of a pickleball player.

An example of a forced error is missing the ball on a return serve because your opponent hit it hard and you didn’t see it coming. An unforced error is bad foot placement or volleying in the non-volley zone.

In pickleball tournaments, the scoring system is somewhat different. 

You might play to a higher number of points, such as 15 or even 21, or play a best 2 out of 3 style in the 

11-point format.

If you’re just beginning, you may not need to know tournament scoring for a while. But the point of all of this is to show you that typically 11 is the point total you’re playing to in rec games.

How did it get the funny name?It’s not named after pickles! Accounts of how the name originated differ. According to Joel Pritchard’s wife (Joan), she started calling the game pickleball because “the combination of different sports reminded me of the pickle boat crew where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.”.

However, according to Barney McCallum, the game was officially named after the Pritchards’ dog Pickles who would chase the ball and run off with it. According to McCallum, “The Pritchards had a dog named Pickles, and you’re having fun at a party, right? So anyways, what the hell, let’s just call it pickleball.”

Others claim both accounts may actually be true. In the early years, no official name was assigned to the game. However a year or two after the game was invented, the Pritchards purchased a cocker spaniel and named it Pickles. As the game progressed, an official name was needed and “pickleball” was it.

Where and when can you play?

Sylvan Road Courts, Hastings: Wednesday, Friday (league competition), Saturday, Sunday

Pettigrew Green Arena: Thursday

Meanee Badminton Hall: SundayCost: $2-$5

For more information including playing times check out “Pickleball Hawke’s Bay” on Facebook or Central HB and Napier Pickleball clubs on their respective Facebook pages for their session times.