Adaptive Sports: Wheelchair Pickleball

Did you know that one of the fastest-growing sports in America was created by a former U.S. congressman looking for a way to entertain his family? When he wasn’t working in the Capitol, Congressman Joel Pritchard could often be found enjoying a game he invented with his friend Bill Bell in 1965. Returning from a game of golf, the two discovered their families looking for something fun to do. Pritchard’s property had an old badminton court, so he and Bell set out to find badminton equipment. When they came up short, they improvised. Eventually, they settled on using a perforated plastic ball and Ping-Pong paddles to play what would become known as pickleball.

Today, pickleball is a wildly popular sport that combines elements of tennis, table tennis, and badminton.

What Is Pickleball?

Pickleball is a sport where players hit a lightweight plastic ball over a net, trying to make it land in the court of their opponent without the ball being returned. While on opposite sides of the net, players hit the ball back and forth until one player makes a mistake, such as hitting the ball out of bounds or into the net. When that happens, the other team wins a point. Only the team that is serving can score points. Most games are played to 11 points, and a team must win by at least two points. Pickleball can be played with two players (singles) or four players (doubles).

What Is Adaptive Pickleball?

Pickleball is one of the only sports that allows disabled and non-disabled athletes to compete against each other in both recreational and professional play, known as hybrid pickleball. With hybrid play, only one major rule change exists between standing and seated players: standing players must return the ball to their opponent after one bounce, while wheelchair users must return the ball after two bounces. The extra bounce lets wheelchair players do something standing players are not allowed to do, constituting the rule change.

Other modifications are best understood as adaptations to existing rules. Rather than introducing new concepts, pickleball modifies existing standing rules for wheelchair users. For example, in standing pickleball, players must keep both feet behind the baseline while serving and must serve from within a designated serving area. In wheelchair pickleball, that same rule still applies, however, instead of judging foot position, officials look at the wheelchair’s large rear wheels. Seated players may have the caster wheels (front wheels) of a wheelchair extend into the court while serving, but rear wheels must remain behind the baseline and within the serving area. The rule itself doesn't change; it is simply enforced using different reference points.

The Pickleball Court and Essential Equipment

A pickleball court is divided into three zones on each side of the net. These zones include two service areas and a non-volley zone. These zones determine where a player can and cannot hit the ball during a game. All pickleball courts are the same size for both standing and seated play, measuring 44 feet long and 20 feet wide. All players also use the same equipment, including a pickleball paddle and pickleball. The only additional piece of equipment for wheelchair users is a sport wheelchair, which differs from an everyday wheelchair because it is built for agility, speed, and safety for athletes.

On a pickleball court, players will find:

• The net: A pickleball net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the middle.
• The non-volley zone (kitchen): Extending seven feet from the net on both sides of the court, players are not allowed to hit the ball while in this area, unless the ball bounces first. In wheelchair pickleball, the front wheels of a wheelchair may cross the non-volley zone before the ball bounces, but the back wheels must remain outside the non-volley zone until the ball bounces at least once.
• The baseline: This line marks the back boundary of the court. Players serve the ball from behind this line.
• The sidelines: These lines run along the length of the court, marking the side boundaries. They help determine whether a shot is in or out.
• The centerline: This line runs perpendicular to the net and divides the court into two equal service courts on both sides. It helps determine the correct service area during a game.
• The service courts: Each side of the court is divided into two service courts by the centerline. Players must serve the ball diagonally into the opponent’s service court.

Key Wheelchair Pickleball Rules

Like all sports, pickleball has rules to ensure fair play. In wheelchair pickleball, most of these rules remain the same as in standing play. Rather than introducing an entirely new set of rules, wheelchair pickleball largely adapts existing ones to account for seated play and the mechanics of a sports wheelchair. With the exception of the additional bounce, these adjustments clarify how standard pickleball rules apply to wheelchair users:

• Serving: Only the serving team can score points. When the score is even, the server must serve from the right service box; when the score is odd, from the left. Players must serve underhand and stand behind the baseline. In wheelchair pickleball, the rear wheels of the wheelchair must stay behind the baseline. The server changes when the serving team commits a fault.
• Faults: If a player fails to return the ball to their opponent, it’s a fault. The serving team changes when a fault occurs. Other faults include the ball landing out of bounds, the ball hitting the net, and volleying within the non-volley zone.
• Non-volley zone (kitchen): Players cannot hit the ball in the air while inside this zone. In wheelchair pickleball, the front wheels of the wheelchair can touch the zone, but the back wheels can only enter after the ball bounces.
• Volleying: A volley is hitting the ball back and forth without letting it touch the ground. Players must stay out of the non-volley zone during volleys. Players can go into the non-volley zone only if the ball bounces first.
• Double bounce rule: After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players can volley. In wheelchair pickleball, the ball can bounce twice.

What Is the Difference Between Wheelchair Pickleball and Wheelchair Tennis?

Pickleball is often compared to tennis. Although these sports have some similarities, pickleball may be ideal for people with mobility impairments for two reasons. First, the equipment used to play pickleball is lighter than that used in tennis. For athletes who have limited hand or arm function, pickleball equipment may be easier to handle. Additionally, the smaller court size in pickleball can be less strenuous for wheelchair users to navigate, making it a great option for those with mobility impairments.

What Is the Highest Skill Level in Wheelchair Pickleball?

Pickleball is not yet recognized as a Paralympic sport. However, players can still compete at various levels, from beginner to advanced, in local, regional and national tournaments.

whether you’re ready to play a game of pickleball or you’re interested in another sport like wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, or sled hockey, check out the related articles below to learn more about adaptive sports for people with disabilities.