Delta State University offers several athletic activities non-athlete students can participate in throughout each semester. One sport is rather unique in its style and rules known as pickle ball.

The intramural sports program splits its recreational activities into two semesters. In the fall, they offer things such as archery, beach volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, flag football, and many others. Sports like badminton, basketball, softball, and etc., are offered in the spring. Pickle ball comes in the spring, and it draws quite a bit of attention.

Pickle ball is a sport that mimics badminton, tennis, and ping pong. Like in all three of those sports, the objective is to get the ball across the net, hoping for your opponent to miss it. It is similar to badminton in the way the boundaries work. It follows the ideas of tennis in the sense of hitting it across on a bounce. It is like ping pong, because the paddle and ball the players’ use appear to be much like a giant ping pong paddle and ball.

Pickle ball is played in rounds until a player has reached 21 points. This is only changed if there is tied game at the score of 20, in which case you must win by two points. In that case, the game could go on and on. This is also parallel to ping pong.

Although the sport of pickle ball is not widely heard of, it is rather popular amongst the students here at Delta State. Many students joined in on the pickle ball tournament that happened this past week. The competition was raging, as both boys and girls participated in the tournament. However, for each gender group, there could only be one champion. For the girls, Madison Wages took the crown. For the boys, Hayden Anthony came out on top.

Perhaps it should be mentioned, also, that winning an intramural sport does not simply grant a student bragging rights. After each sport, whatever individual, or team (depending on the sport), comes out the overall winner, receives a t-shirt and a $10 gift certificate to Domino’s pizza.

So, don’t be shy. Come out and join in on the fun. Right now, the basketball tournaments are going on, and dodgeball will follow. See Intramural Director Kirk Mansell if you want to sign up.