FARMINGTON — Pickleball is a game “that nurtures the child in you,” said Dr. Milad Bozorgnia at the June 18 Farmington Rotary meeting.

“It makes you want to be fit and play at a higher level,” he continued. “It destroys all types of age stereotypes. It allows grandparents to play with their grandkids.”

Pickleball was created 50 years ago on Bainbridge Island, Wash. by three people looking for a healthy, family-friendly activity to do. Bozorgnia said that he discovered it three years ago on a gloomy November day. He was frustrated with not being able to play tennis because of the weather, and then received a call from a friend who spoke enthusiastically of pickleball.

So, Bozorgnia went onto YouTube to find out more about the sport, and his life was transformed. Within minutes, he ordered his first paddle. Since then, he has become an Ambassador for USAPA Pickleball in Franklin County, and has promoted the sport at various venues. Bozorgnia also teaches a pickleball adult education course in the fall.

He talked about some of the sports basics. It is played on a 44’x20′ court, about one third of the size of a tennis court. The rackets can be made of wood or composite materials.

Unlike tennis, you can only win points on your own serve. Each team gets two consecutive serves and two chances to score a point. Games are usually played to a score of 11, and teams must win by at least two points.

There is a non-volley zone of seven feet on either side of the net known as the “kitchen” where a player can enter only to play a ball that bounces. The player must exit the non-volley zone before playing a volley.

Pickleball can be played outdoors or indoors. Bozorgnia thanked the Farmington Recreation Department for providing a place to play pickleball indoors during the colder times of the year.

Bozorgnia mentioned that he has lost 35 pounds over the last two years playing pickleball. However, while it gives the player a good workout, it is much easier on the body than some other sports, he said.

“The game is really fast paced. You can play it as fast or slow as you want,” said Bozorgnia. “With tennis, you have to be fast and have great hand-eye coordination. It’s really rewarding when you’ve never played a game, you can hold the (pickleball) paddle, hold it right, hit the ball over the net, and the player on the other side returns it.”

He noted that Maine is a “hotbed” for pickleball, as it is number two per capita in the nation for USAPA pickleball players.

The Rotary meeting was Sally Dyer’s last as the President of the Farmington Rotary. She thanked the members for their help during her one-year term.

“I live by the motto that life is what happens while you make plans,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed it. This is a great club.”

She urged the club members to participate and volunteer more often.

“If you burn out your members, the whole club is going to hurt,” she said.

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