Radnor Pickleball Classes Available Next Week

The sport is 50 years old, but Pickleball popularity has gained a lot of steam in the past few years. That popularity has reached Radnor, as the township’s Parks and Recreation Department has announced the formation of a weekly league beginning April 18. The Saturday league will last six weeks, with playing courts available between noon and 6 p.m.

Residents interested in joining the league, but do not know the ins and outs of the game are invited to a special, one-day clinic March 28 to get the basics. The free class will be held at the Radnor Activity Center from 1 to 3 p.m., led by Delaware Valley Tennis Academy’s Willie Blumeris.

Touted as a combination of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, Pickleball is played on a court the same size as a doubles badminton court. It can be played in singles and doubles configurations, using paddles slightly bigger than ping pong paddles and a ball similar to a wiffle ball, according to the USA Pickleball Association.

Points can only be scored by the serving side, when the opponent faults by either failing to return a volley or hits the ball out of bounds. Games are usually played to 11 points, with a two-point lead.