What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fun, social, and fast-growing sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It's played on a court similar to a badminton court, with a slightly modified tennis net. Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball.
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Key Features:
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Easy to Learn: Pickleball is relatively easy to learn, making it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels.
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Social Sport: It's a great way to meet new people and stay active.
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All Ages and Abilities: Suitable for everyone, from beginners to experienced athletes.
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Indoor or Outdoor Play: Can be played both indoors and outdoors.
How to Play
Pickleball is played with a few key rules that make it unique and enjoyable:
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Serving:
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The serve must be hit underhand, with the paddle below the waist.
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The server must hit the ball diagonally across the net into the opponent's service court.
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At the start of each game, the serving side only gets one fault. After that both sides get two faults.
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Double-Bounce Rule:
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After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side of the net before either side can volley the ball (hit it in the air). This is known as the "double-bounce rule" or "two-bounce rule."
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Non-Volley Zone (The Kitchen):
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There's a 7-foot zone on each side of the net called the "non-volley zone" or "the kitchen."
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Players cannot volley the ball while standing within the kitchen.
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A player can enter the kitchen to hit a ball that has bounced, but they must exit the kitchen before volleying the next shot.
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Scoring:
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Only the serving side can score points.
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A point is scored when the opponent faults (e.g., hits the ball out of bounds, fails to return the ball, or volleys in the kitchen).
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Games are typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by 2 points.
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Game Flow:
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The game starts with a serve.
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Rallies continue until a fault occurs.
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The serving side switches sides after each point.
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When playing doubles, the serving switches between players on the serving side.
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Equipment:
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Pickleball is played with a perforated plastic ball, and paddles that are smaller than a tennis racket, but larger than a table tennis bat. You don't need equipment to attend West Northamptonshire Pickleball, we have plenty to borrow.
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DUPR Ratings
DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) is a global rating system designed to give players an accurate and reliable measure of their skill level. It uses a sophisticated algorithm to analyze match results, providing a fair and consistent rating for all players.
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Why DUPR?
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Accuracy: Provides a more accurate reflection of skill than traditional rating systems.
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Consistency: Standardizes ratings across different locations and events.
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Fair Play: Helps to create fair matches by grouping players of similar skill levels.
​Join Our DUPR Club!
West Northamptonshire Pickleball (WNP) is a proud DUPR club! Join our community and track your progress. We offer a mix of social play, competitive sessions, and upcoming league play, all contributing to your DUPR rating.​​
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We encourage all our members to register for DUPR and join our club page. It's a great way to connect with other players and track your progress.