How do I get started playing Pickleball in The Villages?

Pickleball is a popular sport in The Villages, FL, America's fastest growing 55+ community. It is so popular that it can be a challenge to figure out how to start getting involved. There are several steps that a newbie needs to complete before stepping on a court for the first time. Keep reading to find out about Pickleball and how to get included in the Pickleball community in The Villages.

7/3/2022

Pickleball is a game that is described as a fast-paced, physical, and mental challenge. And it's one of the most popular activities in The Villages Florida. Pickleball is played on a small court with a ball similar to a wiffle ball and a paddle. It is usually played as a game of doubles. People have described it as a combination of tennis, volleyball, and ping pong. Invented in Washington state in 1965, pickleball is named after the inventor's dog, Pickle, who chased after the ball and hid with it in the bushes. According to insidethebubble.net, there are over 200 pickleball courts in The Villages and The Villages has been rated the number one place to live for pickleball. But how do you get started with pickleball in The Villages? This video is a "how-to" on the way to get involved in pickleball when you move here or are already a Villager and are interested in trying it out.

The first thing you will need to do is sign up for the Pickleball 101 class. This class will be your introduction to how pickleball works in The Villages. Find Pickleball 101 dates by going to www.districtgov.org website and click on the Departments/Recreation tab at the top. Then click on the sports activities and schedule on the left hand side to find pickleball beginner schedules and to see the dates and places for the class. You can register online by hitting the "Click Here to Register Now" button in the right margin of the recreation department page.

Before class, you're required to watch a video about pickleball safety and pickleball rules.

On the day of your Pickleball 101 class, be sure to arrive early, wear eye protection (prescription glasses or sunglasses) and tennis shoes without black soles. You will then be placed in a group of four and assigned an instructor. During the two-hour class, you will be taught skills, rules, and pickleball etiquette; everything you need to know to get started in pickleball play in The Villages!

After class, you're given a pamphlet reviewing the etiquette and showing times and days of the week and locations for pickleball beginner play. Here we are practicing our skills on an open court. When you're ready to play, show up at the time and location listed for beginner play and you will wait in a line along the fence and wait for an open court. And that's how you get started in pickleball in The Villages!