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Unraveling the Pickleball Mystery: A Tale of Paddles, Pickles, and Fast-Growing Popularity Does Pickleball have anything to do with a Pickle? Dill? Spicy? Sweet? A dog? A boat? So just where did the peculiar name originate? Actually, there are two credible name origination stories. Story #1 involves the wife of one of the originators. Joan Pritchard was a competitive rower and claims the Pickleball name came from the term "pickle boat." For all the Solera competitive rowers out there, a pickle boat is usually the boat that is losing the race due to a mismatched crew. Mismatched crew? Well, Pickleball is a sport with many mismatched elements of different sports; paddles like ping pong paddles, played on a court with nets like badminton and tennis, played with wiffle balls like ones used in baseball practice. Hence the name, due to the mismatched sports elements. Story #2 involves a dog named Pickles. Mr. Pritchard's dog would often steal the wiffle ball when the family was playing Pickleball. And so, the game was named Pickleball after Pickles the dog! With almost three million players in the US, and at least .00001% play right here at Solera! Our player roster is gaining popularity. Afterall, Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the U.S. which explains why there are now Pickleball Superstores. Superstores with paddles range from $20-$300 and Pickleball balls that come yellow, lime green, orange and even pink. Local parks, RV parks across the country and many community centers have either installed or have plans to install Pickleball courts to accommodate the demand and popularity. Solera courts were recently repainted and striped. If you are looking to increase your popularity in 2024 and want to enjoy some outdoor exercise, Solera Pickleball is fun and non- intimidating, with players' skill levels ranging from beginner to intermediate. The rules/infractions are easy to grasp (#1 rule… No Ball is Worth the Fall!). If you have thought about giving Pickleball a try without investing in a paddle, please come out and join us. Friendly players and extra paddles are always available. Our winter hours through April 2024 are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 8 am to 10:30ish. For Pickleball information, please contact Sandy Stearn at (951) 797-0991 or George Dietz at (614) 940- 9506. In closing, the Pickleball name has nothing to do with a dill, spicy or sweet pickle! Pickle, Pickle and Happy New Year! ~ Vickie Smith PICKLEBALL PADDLERS 46 | LIFE IN SOLERA | JANUARY 2024 |