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.
