RVA Rally Field School · Exhibit 01

Three ways to travel the timeline.

One unlikely backyard game. Three visual routes from Bainbridge Island to the courts of Virginia.

Best for guided learning

The exhibition deck

Advance at your own pace, use the arrow keys, or step into presentation mode. Each frame gives one idea room to breathe.

Exhibit 01 / 05

Bainbridge Island, WA

A game, improvised

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum shaped a family game from a badminton court, handmade paddles, and a perforated ball.

Exhibit 02 / 05

The rules take shape

Keep the rally alive

A lower net, compact court, and simple rules made the first rally approachable—while leaving plenty of room for skill and strategy.

Exhibit 03 / 05

History has footnotes

Two stories survive

Accounts connect the name either to “pickle boats” made of mixed crews or to the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles. The origin remains disputed.

Exhibit 04 / 05

Backyards to big stages

A community sport grows

Parks, recreation centers, clubs, and organized competition carried the game across generations and around the world.

Exhibit 05 / 05

Virginia’s chapter

Your first rally

Across the Commonwealth, public courts and local organizers make it easy to begin. Bring curiosity; the community will help with the rest.

Best for a continuous journey

The route storyboard

Swipe or scroll sideways through a chronological trail. The page itself keeps moving naturally up and down.

Scroll the routeSwipe →

1965

Bainbridge Island, WA

A game, improvised

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum shaped a family game from a badminton court, handmade paddles, and a perforated ball.

1965+

The rules take shape

Keep the rally alive

A lower net, compact court, and simple rules made the first rally approachable—while leaving plenty of room for skill and strategy.

The name

History has footnotes

Two stories survive

Accounts connect the name either to “pickle boats” made of mixed crews or to the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles. The origin remains disputed.

Now

Backyards to big stages

A community sport grows

Parks, recreation centers, clubs, and organized competition carried the game across generations and around the world.

Virginia’s chapter

Your first rally

Across the Commonwealth, public courts and local organizers make it easy to begin. Bring curiosity; the community will help with the rest.

Best for compact discovery

The broadcast carousel

Large editorial cards pair bold dates with layered notes—the most familiar pattern, made unmistakably RVA Rally.

1965

Bainbridge Island, WA

A game, improvised

Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum shaped a family game from a badminton court, handmade paddles, and a perforated ball.

1965+

The rules take shape

Keep the rally alive

A lower net, compact court, and simple rules made the first rally approachable—while leaving plenty of room for skill and strategy.

The name

History has footnotes

Two stories survive

Accounts connect the name either to “pickle boats” made of mixed crews or to the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles. The origin remains disputed.

Now

Backyards to big stages

A community sport grows

Parks, recreation centers, clubs, and organized competition carried the game across generations and around the world.

Virginia’s chapter

Your first rally

Across the Commonwealth, public courts and local organizers make it easy to begin. Bring curiosity; the community will help with the rest.

The design decision

Which direction should RVA Rally use?

Deck

Focused, cinematic, and ideal for workshops or a guided lesson.

Storyboard

Exploratory, tactile, and strongest at making chronology feel like a journey.

Carousel

Familiar, compact, and easiest to reuse for other learning topics.

Whichever route wins, the next stop is the same: Learn how to play →

For a detailed historical record, visit USA Pickleball’s history resources.