Whats'AT side'aht all a'baht n'at
What's in a name ...
Pittsburgh. The Steel City. The City of Bridges. Home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins. Oh, and yes we put french fries on our sandwiches (thank you Primanti Brothers) We are known for many things, notwithstanding is our often mimicked unique dialect - affectionately referred to as Pittsburghese.
While not fully adopted by all Pittsburghers, it's not uncommon to hear references to 'yinz,' 'dah'tahn,' 'aht,' and 'n'at' when referencing Pittsburgh and the cultural nuances of our beloved city.
All that to say, if you are visiting Pittsburgh and playing pickleball here (and we invite you to do so!), it's not just a 'side out' ... it's side'aht!
The fastest growing sport you've never heard of ...
For the uninitiated, pickleball is something of a mix between tennis, racquetball and ping pong. Players use special paddles and a wiffle ball, and games take place on tennis courts with specific pickleball lines. Nets and court sizes are smaller than their tennis counterparts, and the most common game is doubles, although singles is also an option. It has its own set of quirky rules — for instance, try to stay out of the “kitchen”— but they’re easy to learn.
As with many other major and mid-market cities, pickleball has been growing like wildfire in Pittsburgh, with 150+ indoor/outdoor courts all over the region! We will soon have a dedicated 6-court pickleball facility just 30 minutes outside of the city!
We love pickleball and are excited to be a small part of connecting and building the community - here in Pittsburgh and around the country!
It's more than shirts, bag tags, and cool apparel ...
Despite its funny name, the sport of pickleball has seen serious growth over the last decade. The sport continues to gain popularity in the United States, particularly among active adults. As of 2017, statistics from the USA Pickleball Association state that there are upwards of 2.8 million players in the US alone, with 75% of the avid players being over the age of 55.
In 2016, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) launched a USAPA Junior's Program with a focus on growing the sport at all levels for kid’s ages 7 through 19.
In response to the sport's continued popularity and our strong desire to see more young people get involved in the sport, we are committed to allocating a percentage of every purchase made through our site to a fund that will be directed towards the purchase of equipment (portable nets, paddles, etc.) and curriculum development for Physical Education (PE) teachers.
If you are a PE teacher or administration in the Pittsburgh region with an interest in bringing pickeball to your school, please get in touch with us!