Pickleball, Anyone? Playing the Ultimate Sport for RVers

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May 18, 2017

RV travelers play pickleball

RV travelers play pickleball across North America.

RV travelers play pickleball As we get older, we find it difficult to play sports with the same effort that we exerted in our youth. But if friendly competition is still part of your DNA, you don’t have to give up the thrill of victory. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing pastimes in America, satisfying the need for fun, competition and exercise.

For tennis players who’ve grown tired of hitting that hard rubber ball and sprinting to return those volleys, pickleball is the answer.

Playing to Win

A Pickleball court is about the size of a badminton court, but with a lower net, reducing the amount of running and lateral movements required to play. It’s a game of strategy and finesse and can be played at all age levels and skills. The Pickleball paddle is smaller than a tennis racket but larger than a Ping-Pong paddle. When used properly, it doesn’t require the long arm and shoulder-stressing movement of a tennis stroke. The reduced leg stress also conserves energy for hitting the ball rather than running after it.

Pickleball courts can now be found in more than 300 private RV parks — many of which are Good Sam parks. The rules are easy to learn, and even if you are not in tip-top shape, you will enjoy playing the game. There are 150,000 active players across the continent, and chances are a good chunk of them drive RVs.

RV travelers play pickleball with the following steps:

  • Warm up first
  • Practice volleying with your opponents, keeping the ball in the air and playing at close range
  • Then step back and volley, but include a bounce first before returning ball
  • Start the game with an underhand serve from behind the baseline
  • Serve diagonally to the opposite side of court into the center of the box
  • Service returns must bounce on your side first before you can return them
  • Opponents must then let the ball bounce on their side before returning to you
  • When you lose serve, serve goes to opponent

Ready to learn more? Consult the rules outlined by the USA Pickleball Association.

Now go out and see how much fun it really is.

You can find Bob Difley’s RVing ebooks on Amazon Kindle.

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