What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a “racquet and ball” sport with a perfect balance of court dimensions, rules, and equipment to afford all skill levels and age groups enjoyment and success on court.

Using a paddle and plastic “wiffle” ball, played on a hard surface indoors or outdoors, the game is a combination of tactical shots, patience, and easy to learn strokes, which encourages an inclusive play environment with no need for modifications or adaptations to cater for gender, ability, or age differences.

Pickleball is both fun and challenging with a combination of long rallies and a blend of soft and rapid-fire shots; where the best athlete must earn their points not purely by athleticism, power, and speed, but also through the use of positioning, patience, tactics, and touch.

Finally pickleball, and the sense of community achieved through pickleball, provides connections, social, mental, and physical well-being benefits, which are just some of the reasons players are passionately embracing this sport at such a rapid rate both in Australia and globally.

Pickleball in Australia is welcoming, accessible, and safe; striving to be equitable, diverse and inclusive.  The aim of Pickleball Australia is to continue to grow pickleball as a player-centric and values-based sport for all.

The rapid growth of pickleball in Australia resulted in the establishment of the Pickleball Australia Association in 2020. There are now more than 14000 members and 40,000 players spread across our 7 State and Territory associations with more than 100 affiliate clubs, community groups and businesses.

NOTE: We would like to acknowledge Mike Hess for his insightful article The Perfect Balance providing the basis of much of the information in this description of pickleball.