Decoding Pickleball Slang, Washington Style

Pickleball—The Fastest Growing Sport in America

Pickleball was invented by some guys in Washington State who chanced upon a new sport that would change the world. It's been over six decades since the game was created on Bainbridge Island by fellows who found a fun way to mix badminton, tennis, and paddleball into one whole sport. They used a plastic whiffleball-esque ball and some table tennis paddles—and the rest is history.

Today, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America. Over the years, some interesting slang has popped up to explain moves, strokes, and game fouls. Let's see how many of these you might be able to figure out without cheating. (Sorry, I had to cheat, so shout out to SF Active and Let's Play Pickleball.

Pickleball Slang 101

Dink

Hitting the ball softly to make it harder for the opponent to hit it back. You aim to hit it near their kitchen.

Pickleball Tacos

The delicious tacos you eat after playing matches of pickleball. YUM.

Kitchen

A seven-foot space outside of the player's court where you are not allowed to hit the ball.

Poach

Intercepting your partner's space to hit the ball to protect them from a shot from their opponent. Sometimes used as an element of surprise to the other team.

Tweener

When the ball goes between your legs and you are able to hit the shot anyway

Serve

Starting the game by hitting the ball to the other team (or player)

Smash

Hitting the ball forcefully above their head in efforts to make them pay for all that smack talk

Dead Ball

The play is over because one of the players either hit the ball out of bounds, the ball hit something, or somebody made a fault (a foul is known as a "fault" in pickleball).

Widower/Widow

Does your romantic partner play pickleball all the time? Then you are a pickleball widow and may be entitled to compensation (not really, but just saying)!

Pancake

I find this one, a pancake shot, hard to explain. It's better if you see it in action.