You’ve probably heard the word pickleball thrown around the area as more and more courts are being built. So, when the Capital District YMCA gave me a chance to take a lesson and try out the game, I couldn’t say yes faster!
Pickleball is a bit like tennis in how it’s set up but the rules are a little different. You can play singles or doubles like tennis but the racquet and ball are different. If you’re looking at playing, I recommend getting one official lesson under your belt. Our instructors at the Saratoga YMCA were incredible. They helped us not only understand the rules of the game but what we each needed to do to improve.
I kept making the joke that my sports in high school were the school play and mock trial (I’m not athletic or competitive). Honestly, though, pickleball is the perfect game for that – depending on your friends. It’s an easy game that gets your heart rate going a bit but not too much that you can’t go get a drink after to celebrate a good game.
I could go into detail about the rules of the game but I will 100% mess them up and confuse you (find the official rules here). I also learned the phrase “the kitchen” which is the large rectangle near the net. There are certain points in the game where you’re not allowed to step into the kitchen.
The courts at the Saratoga YMCA are beautiful and in the shade where I wasn’t too worried about being burnt. They also set up the gym to have indoor courts. Overall, I really enjoyed the game and am happy to see it taking off lately. It can definitely be a light-hearted game and is a great choice if you’re looking to do something different with your friends versus just getting food and drinks.. Plus, you always can get food and drinks after!
![You Voted: Best Italian in the Capital Region [LIST]](https://i0.wp.com/518bitesandsights.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/larana-company-1.png?resize=760%2C400&ssl=1)
