PATHFIT (DoT)

Physical Fitness

is defined as the state of general well-being, physically sound and healthy, along with mental stability.

Pickleball

A paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net.

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, Barney McCallum 1965

Original Creators of Pickleball and their goal was to provide a game that the whole family could play together.

Bob O’Brien 1967

The first permanent pickleball court was constructed in the backyard of Joel Pritchard’s friend and neighbor

1972

A corporation was formed to protect the creation of this new sport at year

The National Observer 1975 and 1976

published an article about pickleball, followed by a 1976 article in Tennis magazine about “America’s newest racquet sport.”

1976 South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila

During the spring of ____, the first known pickleball tournament in the world was held at

Sid Williams

This pickleball pioneer began playing and organizing tournaments in Washington state at 1982

The United States Amateur Pickleball Association

was organized to perpetuate the growth and advancement of pickleball on a national level

March 1984

The first Pickleball rulebook was published in

1984 to 1998

Sid Williams was the first Executive Director and President of U.S.A.P.A who served from

Frank Candelario

He followed the First Executive Director and President who kept things going until 2004

Arizona Senior Olympics 2001

game of pickleball was introduced for the first time in the

Earl Hill

Pickleball was introduced in the Arizona Senior Olympics through the efforts of

Mark Friedenberg

at 2005, he was named the first president of the new USAPA

Buckeye, Arizona, November 2-8, 2009

The first USAPA National Tournament for players of all ages was held in

International Federation of Pickleball

To help foster the growth of the sport on an international level, at 2010, USAPA established the

ifpickleball.org

USAPA also published the corresponding website

USA Pickleball

at 2020 USAPA rebranded as ______ aligning more consistently with other US sports governing bodies and our USA Pickleball National Championships.

Stu Upson

joined USA Pickleball in December as the first full-time CEO.

The Sports & Fitness Industry Association

at 2022, this organization named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America for the second consecutive year in its annual 2022 Topline Participation Report.

Court Dimensions

• Overall Length: 44 ft

• Overall Width: 20 ft

• Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen): 7 ft from the net on each side.

• Service Area Length: 15 ft

• Service Area Width: 10 ft

• Net Height: 36 in at sideline, 34 in at center.

Groundstroke

is simply any shot you make after the ball

has bounced once.

Forehand Groundstroke

Typically, the most powerful and most

accurate shot; therefore, the most utilized

from at or near the baseline.

Backhand Groundstroke

Used when a ball is approaching the side opposite the paddle arm. However, many players consider this as their “go to” shot and use it for up to 75-percent of their groundstrokes.

Drop Shot

is a soft shot hit off a bounce from deep in the court, intended to land in the opponent’s NVZ, preferably close to the net.

Volleys

A ball hit in the air before it bounces onto the court during a rally.

Lobs

A lofted shot that sends the ball high overhead and deep.

Smash

A hard, overhand shot directed downward into the opponent’s court, usually as a return of an opponent’s lob, high return, or high bounce.

Serving

The purpose of this (at the developing levels) is simply to place the ball in play and is not intended as an offensive weapon.

Dink

A soft shot hit on a bounce from the NVZ intended to arc over the net and land within the opposing NVZ either straight across or diagonally crosscourt. An effective shot arcs downward as it crosses the net, creating a more difficult shot to return than a power shot.