PICKLEBALL

Starting at a new school your junior year is nerve wracking enough, but that didn’t stop Michael Erdley from starting a new club at Seton LaSalle this year. Junior Erdley stated, “I decided to start a pickleball club so students have the opportunity to play pickleball and socialize outside of school. Pickleball is known for its fast-paced, engaging gameplay and is suitable for players of all ages and skill levels.”
Pickleball was invented in 1965, but has spiked in popularity over the last few years. It became common to play during the Pandemic in 2020 due to its accessibility. 
The game is easier than tennis, but takes a diverse set of skills, and gives people a chance to exercise outdoors. The Sports & Fitness Association stated that pickleball “grew nearly 40 percent between 2019 and 2021, making it America’s fastest-growing sport.” 
Erdley explained that pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis and badminton. It is played on a badminton-size court with a low net and uses a paddle and a plastic ball with holes, similar to a wiffle ball. The game can be played as singles or doubles. 
To start a point, one player serves the ball diagonally across the court, aiming to land it in the opponent's court. The receiving player or team must let the ball bounce once before returning it, but once the ball has been served and returned, both teams can hit the ball in the air. Points are scored when the opposing team commits a fault or fails to return the ball successfully. The first team to reach 11 points and win by a margin of at least two points wins the game.
Erdley expressed that his favorite part of pickleball is “spending time with students who I haven’t met before and competing against other players.” 
The Seton LaSalle Pickleball Club holds practices on Mondays. Members start by warming up their hits and then breaking into teams to play against each other. Mr. DiMichele serves as the club’s advisor. Mr. DiMichele added, “Pickleball has done a great job of integrating freshmen with the upperclassmen.” 
The club plans to continue next year with even a goal to start in the fall, so that students who play spring sports have a chance to join.