Get your pickleball hats ready, it’s time to hit the court!

A fun game that keeps people young and old on their feet, pickleball is an exciting hybrid sport combining tennis, ping-pong, and badminton into one fast-paced, exciting experience.

Pickleball is a sport that might sound new to some, and it has certainly grown in popularity in recent years. But did you know that pickleball was actually invented in 1965? People have been swinging their paddles and strategizing gameplay for decades.

Thinking about hitting the court? You have to get prepared. That means getting your performance attire in order. Luckily, the market is full of exciting apparel and accessories, like pickleball sun hats, visors, sunglasses, t-shirts, and more.

Pickleball Hats and T-shirts to Rock Your Next Round

Pickleball is a sport that can be played both indoors and outdoors, and with that comes a variety of apparel and accessory options to rock your next game. From pickleball t-shirts to pickleball visors, hats, and more, there’s no shortage of ways to show off your love for the sport.

Here at Imperial, we offer some of the best pickleball hats to take your style up a notch.

Exciting Pickleball Hats and Visors

Expecting a sunny day? That’s perfect weather for pickleball, but you have to make sure to protect your eyes and scalp.

pale yellow terry cloth tour visor

Imperial offers some of the best sun hats for pickleball, providing you with maximum protection. Or, you can go with the funky tour visor, perfect for keeping the sun out of your eyes so you can rock that next serve. 

Our funny pickleball hats offer ample protection, and their moisture-wicking material ensures sweat doesn’t slow you down. Not only that, but you can choose from dozens of custom pickleball logos and designs to stand out from the crowd.

Imperial also offers a number of ladies pickleball hats made specifically to hold your hair back thanks to their unique open-backed design for ponytails. This design, paired with a fun and quirky logo, is sure to help you not only win your next match but win over the competition with your cool style.

Looking for more trendy pickleball hat styles? Our collaboration with SlackerTide is sure to wow.

Eye-Catching Pickleball T-Shirts

If you’ve already got your headwear in order, it’s time to get down to basics with a performance-enhancing top.

Our attention-grabbing, funny pickleball t-shirts are sure to steal the show. These comfortable, breathable tops move when you do, so you don’t have to be distracted by uncomfortable material. Short sleeve designs also add to the lightweight nature of the top, increasing the ability to make that perfect serve.

Custom Pickleball Hats

Want to show off your own style? Create a custom pickleball hat with our helpful customization tool. 

Here at Imperial, we want you to express yourself, which is why we have the option to design your own hat for whatever sport or occasion. And when it comes to pickleball, we have quite a few image designs that’ll prove you truly are “a bill dill.”

In just a few clicks, you can navigate across dozens of hat styles in a range of colors. From there, all you have to do is choose a size and customize it with one of our logos, or upload your own. You’ll have a hat that’s uniquely you in no time.

Now that you’ve got your attire ready, let’s dive into the game.

Time to Kickstart Your Pickleball Journey

Pickleball is an exciting sport that’s quick to pick up for all. It’s fast-paced, action-packed, and social, providing players the opportunity to learn, grow and build relationships. It’s no wonder the game has become so popular in the last few years.

Whether you’re new to the game, perfecting your skills, or a seasoned pro – there’s always something to learn and fun to be had out on the court. And just like players can express themselves during the match, they can do so on and off the court with eye-catching, performance-boosting pickleball hats and accessories.

So let’s start expressing ourselves and learn the rules of the court.

What’s Pickleball?

Pickleball is a fascinating sport played on a badminton-sized court with a modified net. It’s a mash-up of more common sports like ping-pong, tennis, and badminton played with paddles and plastic balls.

The game, like others, can be played as singles or doubles, and it can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels.

The History of Pickleball

Players have been perfecting their pickleball game since 1965, when the sport was invented on Bainbridge Island –  a quick hop, skip and jump from Seattle, Washington. This paddle-wielding sport was invented by three dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum – to satisfy the boredom of their kids. And it worked.

Over the next few years, the men behind the game perfected their equipment and terrain, establishing the first permanent pickleball court in 1967 in the backyard of a friend’s house. And by 1976, the first-ever pickleball tournament was held in Tukwila, Washington.

A common question asked by many is how the sport got its name. And that’s a fun story to tell, as many believe it was named after a classic dill pickle. But in actuality, the sport was named after Joel Pritchard’s family dog named – you guessed it – Pickles.

This family-created sport quickly grew in popularity, as we now see it today. By 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states and things continued to take off from there.

In 2003, a new corporation for pickleball was established as USA Pickleball Association (USAPA). Seven years later, the international push was made with the establishment of the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP).
Today, there are hundreds of thousands of pickleball players across the world, and these numbers keep on growing. But why has this sport boomed the way it has?

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why the sport of pickleball has exploded in popularity over the last few years, but there are definitely pros to this sport that make it more approachable and fun.

For starters, it’s a relatively accessible sport to pick up. The rules are easy to follow, and the movements are low impact, making it a game that can be played by kids, senior citizens, and everyone in between.

It’s also a fun way to get in a good workout. Depending on age and skill level, players can push themselves and improve their game while also getting in a good cardiovascular workout. And playing on a court with friends is much more fun than hitting the gym. This makes pickleball an amazing way to burn fat and socialize all at once.

Not to mention, the name is just so catchy. Who wouldn’t want to be called a ‘pickler’ – the name commonly used to refer to those who play the game.

Before you go out and grab your next pickleball bucket hat, however, it’s important to learn the rules of the game.

How Do You Play Pickleball?

One of the biggest appeals of pickleball is how easy it is to play. The rules are similar to other racquet sports, and there aren’t too many to overwhelm. 

But first, let’s talk about the court itself. A pickleball court might look familiar, and that’s because it’s the same size as a doubles badminton court, measuring 22×44 feet. The net is 36 inches high at the sides and 34 inches in the middle. The seven-foot non-volley zone in the middle is called the kitchen.

Pickleball Rules

The rules of pickleball can be broken down into 5 basics:

  1. The ball must always stay in bounds, which means the ball must remain within the lines that outline the court.
  2. You must serve at the back line of the court.
  3. When you serve, the ball can’t land in the no-volley zone in the middle, also known as the kitchen.
  4. There’s a ‘two-bounce’ rule, which means that the ball must bounce once on serve and once on return before it can be hit midair or after a bounce for the remainder of the session.
  5. The game ends when one person or team reaches 11; however, the winner must always be ahead by 2 points to win. Points can also be extended to 15 or 21.

    Pickleball Scoring

    Scoring in pickleball is a bit more complex than the rules, though once you’ve got them down, you’re in the clear.

    Doubles scoring is broken into 3 numbers (0-0-2). The first number represents the serving team’s score, the second represents the receiving team’s score, and the third represents which server is currently serving on the serving team – the server on the right side, when they get the serve back, is the server 1, for reference. 

    An interesting aspect of pickleball scoring is – points can only be scored by the serving team. 

    Singles scoring works the same, only instead of 3 score numbers, it’s 2 (0-0). 

    Scoring is tricky for most pickleball beginners, but before you know it, you’ll be an expert. It just takes practice.

    So let’s all grab our racquets, our balls, and our favorite personalized hat and get playing.