When diving into a new sport as an athlete or coach potato it is important to have the right tools for the job! As a newcomer to pickleball, I researched the equipment needed to play this sport to the best of my abilities! The equipment I found that were essential to have for success included: pickleball paddles, pickleball balls, court shoes, proper shoes and access to public courts (Ana, 2024). In this blog I will show you how I guided myself through picking these tools!
The Pickleball Paddle
The paddle is the most important tool. According to a blog post by Braydon Unsicker, paddles are made with a multitude of materials, in which react differently when hitting the ball. Wooden paddles are the most affordable and durable but also can be heavy and may affect how long one spends playing a match. Carbon fiber and graphite paddles are a balance between control and power and are in the mid-range for affordability. The fiberglass/composite paddle sits at the top quality range of paddles, allowing lightweight while remaining high power, although they are the least affordable for beginners (Unsicker, 2022).
Pickleball balls
When it comes to choosing balls, there are two different types: indoor and outdoor balls. indoor balls are softer with larger holes, made for indoor court conditions. Outdoor balls are a harder material with smaller holes to withstand outdoor court conditions. Brands of balls with the best durability include: Onix, Onix Fuse, and Penn 40 (Merchant of Tennis).
Court Shoes
Wearing the proper footwear is essential in better performance and preventing injuries. Court shoes provide grip stability and support needed for the lateral movements in pickleball (Townsend, 2024). In todays world there are many brands of court shoes that offer the comfort and stability you need to feel your best on the court.
After acquiring the right tools I was ready to learn the art of pickleball and I am so excited to share my journey in this up and coming sport with all of you!
References
Ana. “Pickleball Training Equipment.” Net World Sports, 24 Feb. 2024.
Townsend, Stacie. “Pickleball Shoes: Why Every Pickleball Player Should Have a Pair.” The Pickler, 18 Jan. 2024, thepickler.com/pickleball-blog/pickleball-shoes/.
Unsicker, Braydon. “A Pickleball Paddle Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Right Paddle for You.” Pickleball Effect, 21 June 2023,
Hi Megan,
I can’t wait to follow along on your new journey. It sounds like it’s going to be fun and I like how informative your blog post was about the tools needed to get started. Often times I find that step to be overlooked when someone starts a new project or hobby. They dive in head first, but don’t have all the tools needed to succeed.
Hi Megan
Thanks for sharing your journey into pickleball! Your detailed research on the essential equipment is incredibly helpful for beginners. The breakdown of paddle materials and their pros and cons is particularly useful for anyone looking to make an informed purchase. I appreciate the insight into the differences between indoor and outdoor pickleball balls and the importance of proper court shoes. Your recommendations on brands and the specifics of each type of equipment are very practical. I am excited to hear more about your experiences and progress in pickleball.
Nikol Ostrovski
Hi Megan! Your first few posts look good. I do have a few tips to give you to improve them and your future posts:
-ensure that all of your EDTC posts are linked to your EDTC 300 Category – when I click your category right now, there is nothing there.
-Your learning project posts should be linked to both of your categories (EDTC 300 and Learning Project)
-You don’t need to professionally reference the things you are talking about, but if you provide hyperlinks to a specific website or resource, just hyperlink the word(s)! For example, you could hyperlink where you bought your paddle for pickleball on the word “paddle”.
-Add your own photos – Sometimes you have to use other photos from Google and that’s fine, but to make it more personal, take and upload your own photos so we can see specifics of what you are doing or using!!
Let me know if you need any help!