Steven A. Field MD, science teacher for the School District of Hillsborough County, Florida, donates much of his time to helping his students and participating in various local events and charities. When granted some spare time, Steven A. Field MD, enjoys playing pickleball, a lesser-known but accessible and fun game for players of all ages.With humble beginnings dating back to 1965, pickleball was created as a game that the whole family could play together. Combining badminton, tennis and Ping-Pong, it can be played both on indoor and outdoor courts, it uses a short net and a paddle, along with a plastic ball. Played as doubles or singles, pickleball now holds tournaments nationwide, and places to play have doubled since 2010.The sport is played on a court roughly the size of those used for badminton, and played similarly to tennis, though serves are only allowed to be made underhanded and only the currently serving team can score. The game is played until 11 points, with games lasting less than 25 minutes in most cases. Since it is a smaller court than those used in tennis, and there is less chance of injury with such a small ball, children can also participate in the sport.
Florida-based Hillsborough Community College biotechnology instructor Steven A. Field, MD brings more than 30 years of experience in the science field to his position. Beyond his activities in the science community, Steven A. Field MD enjoys playing a game known as pickleball. Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines elements from tennis, ping-pong, and badminton. Played on a badminton-sized court, the sport utilizes a modified tennis court and requires players to hit a holed-plastic ball with paddles. The game uses simple rules in order to encourage participation from players of all ages, such as requiring the ball to ounce once before players can hit it and setting the net lower than in other paddle games. Teams take turn serving like in tennis, although teams can only earn points during their serve. Games are played as doubles or singles and continue until one team reaches 11 points. Creators Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell developed Pickleball in the 1960s during a short ferry ride from Seattle, Washington, with the intent of entertaining their children, who had grown bored of their usual summertime activities. Misconception over the origin of the game’s name remains widespread and rumors suggest the Pritchards named the game after the family dog. However, the family asserts that the dog was named after the game and the true inspiration came from their maritime pursuits.
