Pickleball

PICKLEBALL - A BIG DILL IN WESTWOOD!

If you relish the chance to try new activities, look no further than our ForeverYoung Pickleball program. Puns aside, according to the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA), approximately 3 million people play in the U.S., and it is one of the fastest growing games in North America. The game has had a more than 600 percent increase in the last 5 years.

Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Seattle Washington as a sport that would allow every member of the family to play. The game is a combination of badminton, ping-pong and tennis and can be played outdoors or indoors on a badminton-sized court with a low net. Players use paddles that are smaller than tennis racquets but bigger than ping-pong paddles and the ball is plastic, like a wiffle ball. The game typically lasts 15-20 minutes and goes until one side gets 11 points.

Because the court is smaller, lateral movement and ball chasing are limited making it an aerobic exercise that is easy on your knees and one that also allows for frequent breaks. The small court and general preference for playing doubles means there is no serious running and because of the lightweight paddle and underhand serve, injuries such as tennis elbow are quite uncommon.

Want to try Pickleball in Westwood?  The Tennis Court located on the west side of the McKinley Park facility is reserved for Westwood Recreation Department Pickleball Programs on:

- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: 9am-12pm

- Tuesdays and Thursdays: 5pm-8pm

- Saturdays: 9am-12pm

(schedule subject to change)

We have installed a storage box with 2 pickleball nets inside. Once registered, players will be given the code to the combo lock. All players must be registered with the Recreation Department.  This is a free program for Westwood residents. For More Information Call 201-664-7882.  If you’d like to join our Pickleball Program, please register via Community Pass.

PICKLEBALL RESOURCES

Looking for more information on Pickleball? Check out these organizations for clinics, rules, tips, gear and how to play videos.

The Pickleball Channel - www.pickleballchannel.com

NJ Pickleball Association - https://www.facebook.com/mynjpa/

USA Pickleball Association- https://www.usapa.org