Latest / Talking FACS / Pickleball!?! - What is it?

Transcript

Pickleball!?! - What is it? · Talking FACS

• 0:01
  Welcome to Talking FACS.
• 0:03
  What you need to know about family food finance and fitness.
• 0:07
  This nationally recognized award-winning podcast is hosted by the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program.
• 0:16
  Our educators share research knowledge with individuals,
• 0:19
  families and communities to improve quality of life.
• 0:24
  Hello and welcome to Talking Facts.
• 0:26
  What you need to know about family food finance and fitness.
• 0:30
  I am your host,
• 0:31
  Mindy McCulley Extension Specialist for instructional support with Family and Consumer Sciences Extension at the University of Kentucky.
• 0:39
  I am excited to talk about the topics that I know nothing about today.
• 0:44
  We are going to talk about pickleball and our topic is what is Pickleball?
• 0:51
  And my guests are Hardin Stevens,
• 0:53
  who is our extension specialist for Healthy Homes and Katherine Jury,
• 0:59
  who is our extension specialist for family health and Amy Kostelic,
• 1:04
  who is our extension specialist for adult development and aging.
• 1:08
  So,
• 1:08
  welcome to the three of you.
• 1:10
  Thank you,
• 1:11
  Mindy.
• 1:11
  Thanks for having us,
• 1:12
  Mindy.
• 1:13
  I think this is gonna be such a fun conversation because like I said,
• 1:17
  I know nothing about pickleball.
• 1:18
  So you are going to be educating me as we have this discussion today.
• 1:22
  So my first question is what is pickleball and why is it so popular?
• 1:28
  Well,
• 1:28
  thanks again,
• 1:29
  Mindy.
• 1:30
  Uh Pickleball is everywhere.
• 1:32
  Once you know what it is,
• 1:33
  uh it is starting to be used in commercials and you're starting to see it in TV,
• 1:39
  shows and movies.
• 1:40
  But pickleball,
• 1:42
  according to multiple sources is the fastest growing sport in America over the last two years,
• 1:50
  I think COVID did play a part in that.
• 1:53
  But its growth is because most ages,
• 1:56
  body types and skill levels can play so anybody can play.
• 2:01
  Uh It's easy,
• 2:03
  affordable,
• 2:04
  accessible,
• 2:04
  fun,
• 2:05
  social and a friendly game that combines features of badminton,
• 2:09
  ping pong and tennis.
• 2:10
  And it,
• 2:11
  it's just a lot of fun to play.
• 2:13
  There's a very strong social component to it as,
• 2:17
  as well as far as the uh nuts and bolts.
• 2:20
  If you will,
• 2:21
  each player has a large paddle and a plastic uh ball and you can either play it on an indoor or outdoor court.
• 2:29
  Uh The court is about the size of a badminton court and it has a net similar to tennis.
• 2:36
  It is a game that beginners can learn quickly and many go on to become core players.
• 2:42
  Uh and core players are defined as people uh who play eight or more times a year and you can either play as singles or you can play doubles.
• 2:55
  Singles would be two players and doubles would be four players so very much like tennis and then the games last approximately 15 to 25 minutes in length and in a tournament format,
• 3:07
  it's usually the best two out of three games,
• 3:11
  win the match.
• 3:12
  Ok.
• 3:12
  Before we go any further,
• 3:14
  I wanna ask this question because it's burning in my mind and maybe it is in our listeners too.
• 3:20
  But do you score pickleball
• 3:22
  Like you score ping pong or tennis or neither. Pickleball has a kind of a unique scoring system in the game of pickleball.
• 3:33
  You call out which server is serving because you,
• 3:40
  you,
• 3:40
  you and your teammate both serve.
• 3:43
  So when you call out a score,
• 3:46
  it would be three serving two and then one and what that signifies is it's three points for my team is serving to two points,
• 4:00
  your team and I'm the first server on my team.
• 4:05
  So let's say we play and we get the point then my or,
• 4:12
  or we don't get the point.
• 4:13
  I'm sorry,
• 4:14
  then my partner would call out the score three serving.
• 4:18
  Three,
• 4:20
  two.
• 4:22
  Oh,
• 4:22
  ok.
• 4:23
  Ok.
• 4:23
  So it's,
• 4:24
  it's still one point for each ball I,
• 4:28
  I guess would be the,
• 4:29
  that is um missed like the other team gets the ball,
• 4:34
  the point for the ball that's missed.
• 4:36
  Right.
• 4:37
  Correct.
• 4:38
  Ok.
• 4:39
  All right.
• 4:40
  I'm completely off subject.
• 4:41
  We weren't supposed to be getting into how to play the game yet,
• 4:45
  but I was just thinking,
• 4:46
  oh,
• 4:46
  my gosh,
• 4:47
  if you have to score this like tennis.
• 4:48
  I'm gonna have to learn a new way to figure out how to,
• 4:51
  to,
• 4:51
  to,
• 4:52
  to play the game.
• 4:53
  But,
• 4:53
  but let,
• 4:54
  let me check with my colleagues and I wanted to make sure,
• 4:57
  answered the question.
• 4:59
  Ok.
• 5:00
  All right.
• 5:01
  So,
• 5:01
  uh yes,
• 5:02
  that,
• 5:02
  that is the uh unique thing about pickleball is that the partners serve after each other.
• 5:13
  Let's get us back to the nuts and bolts of pickleball.
• 5:16
  So,
• 5:16
  who's playing?
• 5:18
  Well,
• 5:18
  I think there's a uh perception,
• 5:20
  Mindy that pickleball is just for us older adults.
• 5:25
  But I think if you look at the demographics,
• 5:27
  uh again,
• 5:28
  I think all ages play now,
• 5:30
  most um according to the Washington Post,
• 5:34
  most players are older adults and retirees and that they're the,
• 5:41
  the major group if you will is the 55 and up crowd.
• 5:46
  I think you could,
• 5:47
  there's different factors for that.
• 5:49
  But uh all ages of people do play the game.
• 5:55
  Well,
• 5:55
  and I saw um in our conversation before that the average age of a pickle ball player is 38 years old,
• 6:03
  which is a little on that,
• 6:05
  the older side just if you're thinking about averages because you have to have a whole lot of younger people to bring that average down.
• 6:14
  So it makes sense.
• 6:15
  II I get that.
• 6:17
  So what are some of the reasons for pickle ball's popularity?
• 6:21
  Well,
• 6:21
  I think uh there's a variety of reasons for its popularity.
• 6:26
  Uh One of the things is uh that the courts are smaller.
• 6:30
  So they require less uh running than tennis and less wear and tear on the body.
• 6:36
  You can get uh four pickleball courts to fit onto one tennis court.
• 6:42
  So again,
• 6:43
  that kind of brings in the social aspect,
• 6:46
  uh smaller.
• 6:49
  Yeah,
• 6:49
  that I referred to earlier,
• 6:51
  pickle ball is very fun and easy and it can,
• 6:53
  but it can also involve into a more fast paced competitive match or more experienced and skilled players.
• 7:00
  So it's,
• 7:01
  uh,
• 7:01
  kind of,
• 7:02
  it's got that laid back aspect,
• 7:04
  but it also can get competitive depending upon who you're playing with as we go back to that courts.
• 7:11
  Um I'm guessing it's because of the lighter ball,
• 7:13
  it's not gonna travel as far as a heavier ball,
• 7:17
  like a tennis ball.
• 7:18
  So if you had that big tennis court,
• 7:22
  you nobody would ever score because the ball would never go over the net are my physics right there.
• 7:27
  Yes.
• 7:28
  But also just the layout of the court.
• 7:31
  Ok.
• 7:31
  It,
• 7:32
  I mean,
• 7:32
  it is just uh played on a smaller,
• 7:34
  smaller court.
• 7:36
  Ok.
• 7:36
  I'm sorry.
• 7:37
  So I keep,
• 7:37
  I keep having these thoughts that pop in my head because I don't know anything about this sport.
• 7:41
  I,
• 7:41
  and another reason I think for the popularity of uh,
• 7:45
  pickleball is for people who've grown up playing other racket sports such as tennis and ping pong and,
• 7:53
  and uh badminton,
• 7:54
  it is,
• 7:55
  is very similar to those sports.
• 7:57
  And so it's easy to pick up for,
• 8:00
  for former tennis players.
• 8:02
  It also is very social and,
• 8:05
  and that's an aspect that really would like people to consider.
• 8:10
  It's,
• 8:10
  it's not just about the competition,
• 8:12
  but there is very much a social aspect to it.
• 8:15
  It also encourages physical,
• 8:18
  you're getting uh physical exercise,
• 8:20
  you're getting uh social interactivity while you play.
• 8:24
  But also as with anything,
• 8:26
  the more you learn about it and,
• 8:28
  and spend time on it,
• 8:30
  there's a sense of personal mask,
• 8:31
  mastery and getting,
• 8:33
  getting better at it.
• 8:34
  Also,
• 8:35
  as I mentioned earlier,
• 8:36
  it's just growing in popularity.
• 8:38
  So there are many opportunities to play whether that's at uh open play at a public park or a league or clubs.
• 8:47
  And also a lot of senior uh and recreation centers are offering classes or,
• 8:53
  or open gym time to play.
• 8:55
  Many faith-based communities that do have the facilities have it as well.
• 9:00
  It's just fun to play because it does,
• 9:02
  it's a,
• 9:02
  it's a very good mix of the physical,
• 9:05
  the social aspects.
• 9:07
  So and it just seems like pickle ball is,
• 9:10
  is everywhere and just continuing to grow and take off.
• 9:14
  Well,
• 9:14
  and as you going back to the size of the court though,
• 9:17
  that helps me understand why any age player can play because it's not like you have to run 6 ft.
• 9:25
  So maybe,
• 9:26
  you know,
• 9:26
  a eight year old could play against a,
• 9:29
  a 68 year old and it wouldn't be the same as,
• 9:33
  as an eight year old trying to play against a 28 year old in tennis.
• 9:38
  Maybe that's just me.
• 9:39
  But,
• 9:40
  no,
• 9:41
  I,
• 9:41
  I see what you're saying and,
• 9:42
  and again,
• 9:43
  depending upon your interest,
• 9:45
  it's funny you,
• 9:46
  you read stories of some of the more serious players and they have,
• 9:51
  uh,
• 9:51
  maybe a tennis background but they,
• 9:54
  they got introduced to the game of pickleball by wanting to spend time with their grandparents,
• 9:59
  their grandparents introduce them to the game of pickleball.
• 10:03
  And now these people are,
• 10:04
  are playing it fairly seriously so that,
• 10:08
  uh,
• 10:08
  you do bring up a good aspect of,
• 10:11
  uh,
• 10:11
  the different,
• 10:12
  uh,
• 10:12
  ages being able to play together.
• 10:14
  Thank you,
• 10:14
  Harden.
• 10:15
  That's really great information.
• 10:16
  I know that we have a whole lot more to talk about as we delve into all of the benefits of pickleball.
• 10:23
  So if you all will join me on another discussion,
• 10:27
  we will visit more about pickleball on our next show.
• 10:33
  In the meantime,
• 10:34
  if you are just joining us,
• 10:35
  you are listening to Talking FACS and you can find us wherever you listen to your favorite podcast.
• 10:43
  Thank you for listening to Talking FACS.
• 10:46
  We deliver programs focusing on nutrition,
• 10:49
  health,
• 10:49
  resource management,
• 10:51
  family development,
• 10:52
  and civic engagement.
• 10:53
  If you enjoyed today's podcast,
• 10:55
  have a question or a show topic,
• 10:57
  idea.
• 10:58
  Leave a like and a comment on Facebook at UK F CS Ext or send us an email at UK F CS ext at UK Y dot edu.
• 11:10
  Visit us online at F CS dot UK Y dot U to learn more about the University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program or contact your local extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences.
• 11:24
  We build strong families,
• 11:26
  we build Kentucky.
• 11:27
  It starts with us.