Rationale for the Inclusion of Pickle-ball

Physical education needs to provide students with the skills, knowledge, personal/social skills, and physical fitness to participate in activities for the rest of their lives. Physical education also needs to introduce students to lifelong physical activities that are accessible to the students in their community, regardless of where they live. It is then the responsibility of the physical education program to help students become marginally proficient in a broad spectrum of physical activities that best contribute to this goal. Teaching pickle-ball meets this criteria. It also satisfies many of Michigan Department of Education Physical Education Core Curriculum Content Standards. Regardless of age, sex, strength, or athletic skill, pickle-ball is a great way to participate successfully and competitively in a racquet sport, and should be taught at the secondary level.

The game of pickle-ball is a slowed down version of tennis which stresses control, patience, and strategy rather than strength or speed. The game itself utilizes skills associated with tennis. Some physical education instructors use the game as a good skill developer for the forehand and backhand drives, lobs, and volleys. Because the player has to bend his/her knees to get low enough to stroke the ball properly, it is used as a good developer for this element of tennis. It also aids in the development of hand-eye coordination, fitness levels, and in game strategy.

The physical education curriculum must introduce students to activities accessible to them outside of school and for the rest of their lives. Pickle-ball can be played in a number of venues; the surface of the court must be hard enough so that the plastic ball will bounce. Therefore, it is not unusual to see pickle-ball courts set up inside on a gymnasium floor or on a concrete or blacktop playground surface. While official pickle-ball equipment can be purchased at a reasonable price from many sporting equipment suppliers, the square headed paddles can be made from a good quality ply-wood, a piece nylon for a safety strap, and wooden handles. Whiffleballs the size of a baseball or softball may also be used, and generally the smaller the ball the faster the game. Because the equipment is generally inexpensive, pickle-ball is an attractive game not only for class but also for recreational and intramural tournament play.

Including a pickle-ball unit in the curriculum will contribute heavily to meeting national and state curriculum standards. A pickle-ball unit may contribute to the following content standards from the Michigan Department of Education Physical Education Core Curriculum Content Standards.

  • Demonstrate selected fundamental object control skills;

Strike: forehand, backhand, overhand, underhand

  • Participate successfully in selected health-enhancing, lifelong physical activities.
  • Develop and maintain health-related levels of flexibility in selected body joints.

If taught and played correctly, the kinds of movements and body positions students use in successful participation can contribute to developing and maintaining ranges of motion in most joints of the body necessary for safe participation in normal day-to-day activity.

  • Develops and maintains health-related levels of muscular strength and endurance.

As it is with flexibility, appropriate participation in games of pickle-ball individuals can acquire minimal levels of muscular strength and endurance. While these levels may not be sufficient for injury prevention, they probably can provide the participant with sufficient strength and endurance for regular daily activity.

  • Explain and apply the essential steps in learning a motor skill.

Initially, students can be taught how to break down each of the skills into a stance, preparatory phase, force production phase and follow through as they are introduced to pickle-ball skills. They can be introduced to concepts which help facilitate successful acquisition of progressively more skill. In higher grades, they can be put in charge of their own learning by applying these concepts to improving their pickle-ball, badminton, tennis and other related skills.

  • Demonstrate appropriate behavior related to selected personal/social character traits that commonly emerge in a physical activity context;

Best effort, competitiveness, decision-making, perseverance, respect for rules, respect for property, responsibility

  • Value physical activity and its contribution to lifelong health and well-being.

Appreciation of fitness, appreciation of skilled performance, enjoyment of movement

Teaching pickle-ball can also be important for those that may choose to never play the game outside of the classroom. Teaching appropriate decision making, safety, teamwork, and muscular endurance are all valuable skills that can be used in other classes and later in the workplace. You ought to address the importance of developing these skills used in pickle-ball even if they never play pickle-ball. Thus, although the objective is to have students participate in pickle-ball outside of the classroom, this unit will benefit all students who have the class.

Performance Objectives for Pickle-Ball

Psychomotor Domain:

  • Students will correctly perform the following with a 75% rate of success in a pickle-ball match: forehand, backhand, overhand, lob and volley.

Assessment:

  • Pre-Assessment - Teacher will observe student in a game of pickle-ball on the first day of the unit. Teacher will give the student a rating of 1-4 based on a form rubric of the following skills: forehand, backhand, overhand, lob and volley.
  • Post-Assessment - Teacher will observe student in a game of pickle-ball on the last day of the unit. Teacher will give the student a rating of 1-4 based on a form rubric of the following skills: forehand, backhand, overhand, lob and volley.

Cognitive Domain:

  • Students will know the rules, regulations, and form rubrics on a written exam with 75% proficiency.

Assessment:

  • Pre-Assessment – Students will be give a written exam based on the rules, regulations and form rubrics of the above motorskills.
  • Post – Assessment - Students will be give a written exam based on the rules, regulations and form rubrics of the above motorskills.

Affective Domain:

  • Students will show respect towards peers and equipment.
  • Students will be responsible for maintaining and putting away equipment.

Assessment:

  • Teacher will observe the class and note those who do not demonstrate the above criterion on a daily basis.

Data Management

Name / Pre-Motor / Post-Motor / Pre-Cognitive / Post-Cognitive

Students will be marked in grade book for signs of disrespect towards peers and equipment.

Preliminary Pickle-Ball Information

Basic Rules

  1. Court. The size of the court is 20 x 44 feet for both doubles and singles. The net is hung at 36 inches on ends, and hangs 34 inches in the middle. When laying out a court, allow adequate space-3-5 feet at each end and-1-2 feet at each of the sides of the court for player movement.
  2. Serve. The player must keep one foot behind the back line when serving. The serve is made underhand. The paddle must pass below the waist. The server must hit the ball in the air on the serve. Bouncing the ball before the serve is not allowed. The service is made diagonally crosscourt and must clear the non-volley zone. Only one serve attempt is allowed, except if the ball touches the net and lands in the proper service court. Then the serve may be taken over. At the start of each new game, the first serving team is allowed only one fault before giving up the ball to the opponents. Thereafter, both members of each team will serve and fault before the ball is turned over to the opposing team. When the receiving team wins the serve, the player in the right hand court will always start play.
  3. Volley. To volley a ball means to hit it in the air without first letting it bounce. All volleying must be done with player’s feet behind the non-volley zone line. Note: it is a fault if the player steps over the line on his volley follow-through.
  4. Double-Bounce Rule. Each team must play its first shot off the bounce. That is, the receiving team must let the serve bounce, and the serving team must let the return of the serve bounce before playing it.
  5. Fault.
  6. Hitting the ball out of bounds
  7. Not clearing the net
  8. Stepping into the non-volley zone and volleying the ball
  9. Volleying the ball before it has bounced once on each side of the net, as outlined in Rule 4
  10. Scoring. A team shall score a point only when serving. A player who is serving shall continue to do so until a fault is made by their team. The game is played to 11 points; however, a team must win by 2 points.

Equipment

Paddle-The official pickle-ball racquet is generally made of hardwood or a good quality plywood. The squared-off head should not exceed 8 inches in width nor 15 ½ inches in length. A racquetball paddle, any strung paddle, or paddle with holes is not legal. A cord should be attached to the butt end of the handle for safety purposes; the wrist should be inserted through the cord so the paddle does not come off during play.

Balls- The official perforated ball used in pickle-ball is 3 inches in diameter. Various sizes of whiffle balls may be used in physical education class. Generally, the larger the ball, the slower the game. For smaller children, the larger ball is easier to strike and to “watch” into the hitting area.

Net- A badminton or a tennis net may be used in the game of pickle-ball. Wooden standards may be constructed and strung across gymnasium floor to make up several pickle-ball courts for class play.

Progression Sequence

  1. Nature and purpose of pickle-ball
  2. Acquaint players with equipment and court size
  3. Skills and techniques. Relate skills to tennis techniques; use drills to develop forehand and backhand drives, lobs, service, and volleys. Use practice drills using rebound volleying against a wall; play mini-games using only the forehand or backhand. Combine game-like drills as you begin introducing rules of the game.
  4. Grip, stance, and footwork
  5. Forehand and backhand drives
  6. Service- lob, drive
  7. Volley- forehand and backhand
  8. Lob
  9. Rules of the Game. Introduce the rules when appropriate; introduce the non-volley zone and rules governing net play as soon as possible.
  10. Strategy can be introduced with a skill as soon as appropriate levels of skill are attained. Game-like drills that combine elements of strategy and introduced early help the player learn more quickly.
  11. Game Play

Safety Considerations

  1. Always wear the strap around your wrists so if the paddle slips from your hands, it stays with you.
  2. Warm up properly before starting the game. Stretching exercises for the shoulder girdle, hamstrings, and abductors of the legs are recommended.
  3. Get used to calling for the ball so as to minimize impact with your double partner.

Terminology

Approach shot- A shot hit inside the baseline while approaching the net.

Backcourt- The area near the non-volley zone and baseline.

Backhand- Stroke hit on the opposite side of the hand holding the paddle.

Baseline- The end line of the pickle ball court.

Drive- A low shot that is hit near the opponents back-court.

Drop Shot- A ground stroke hit in such a way that the ball drops just over the net into the non-volley zone.

Error- A mistake made by a player during competition.

Fault- A serve that lands out-of-bounds or out of court area.

Foot Fault- Failure on the server’s part to keep at least one foot on the baseline during the serve.

Forehand- The shot hit on the right side of a right side of a right handed player and vice versa.

Let- Any point that must be replayed.

Let serve- A serve that touches the top of the net and falls into the proper service court; it must be replayed.

Lob- A ball hit sufficiently high to pass over the reach of an opponent but falls within the court.

Non-volley zone- 7 foot area on either side of the net. A player may not step into non-volley zone to play a ball before it bounces or on the follow-through of a stroke.

Pace- The speed of the ball during play.

Placement- A shot hit inbounds and untouched by an opponent.

Poach- To cross over into your partner’s territory to play a ball normally played by your partner.

How to Perform a Forehand Strike

1. Stand with your knees bent. Watch the ball and prepare to make contact.

2. Begin bringing your racquet back. Guide it with your right hand. This will help you turn your shoulders.

3. Keeping your eye on the ball, take the racquet back above shoulder height.

4. Drop the racquet head a little, then drive it up into the ball. This looping action should give your shot some lift. Rotate your shoulders and hit the ball between knee and shoulder height, in front of your body.

5. Keep rotating your shoulders as you follow through.

6. Your body should be facing forward. Your follow-through will have brought your racquet over your opposite shoulder. Recover, and get ready for the next shot.

How to Perform a Backhand Strike

1. Stand with your knees bent, and your feet shoulder-width apart. Watch the ball as it comes off your opponents racquet, and prepare to make contact.

2. Turn your shoulders and bring your racquet straight back, just above waist high. You should have two hands on the racquet.

3. Step into the ball as it comes toward you. Keep your eyes on the ball, with your knees bent and shoulders turned.

4. Rotating your shoulders, throw all your weight behind your racquet as you lunge into the ball.

5. Keep rotating your shoulders and follow through the ball.

6. Both your hands should still be on your racquet as you follow through over your other shoulder. Balance yourself and prepare for the next shot.

How to Perform a Serve

1. The player must keep one foot behind the back line when serving. Some part of the server's feet must stay in contact with the ground until the ball is hit. The feet must not be lifted or dragged while serving. No faking or delay tactics are allowed before the serve. For example, a player can't fake a serve before actually hitting the ball.

2. The racket-head must be below the server's hand at the moment of impact between the racket and ball.
3. The entire ball must be below the server's waist before the ball is hit.

4. The first forward movement of the server's racket is the start of the service. The server's forward movement must be continuous.
5. The server is not allowed to swing in a forward-backward-forward motion or forward stop-forward movement during a serve.

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