One of the fastest growing sports involving a court and a net is not tennis or badminton. It’s pickleball!

And Diana H. Garland is leading the charge locally as the USA Pickleball Association’s Richmond ambassador.

The 69-year-old retiree is getting people of all ages hooked on the game that has been described as a mix of tennis, racquetball and ping pong. It is played on a smaller, badminton-sized court, with players using special paddles — smaller than a tennis racket — to hit a hard plastic wiffle ball — just under the size of a softball — over a net.

Two or four players can play, with a point scored when the opposing player or doubles team fails to return the ball into the serving team’s court.

It takes 11 points to win, with the winner required to be up by two points.

“At first, I thought the game was a joke because the game has this stupid name,” Ms. Garland says, recalling how a friend began talking about pickleball four or five years ago.

Pickleball, she recounts, was started more than 50 years ago in Washington state. “It came to Chesterfield County more than 12 years ago, thanks to the efforts of Linda and David Scott. It has spread to the city and surrounding counties since then,” Ms. Garland says.

“Two years ago, I borrowed a racket, stepped on the court, took a lesson and have been hooked ever since,” she says.

Mrs. Scott, the USA Pickleball Association’s district ambassador for Central Virginia, asked Ms. Garland in August 2018 to consider being an ambassador for the city and give Richmond the attention it needed to get pickleball going.

She accepted and will serve as an ambassador until she decides to step down.

In concordance with an ambassador’s mission, Ms. Garland tries to grow the sport by finding people to play, places for them to play and encouragement to sharpen their skills.

“We want to bring as many people as possible into the sport and teach them the skills to be the best players they can be in as many venues as possible in the Richmond region,” Ms. Garland says.

Last summer, she volunteered to help Wyatt Kingston of the Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities to teach youngsters to play pickleball.

“Now we have had more than 400 people play in the city rec centers,” Ms. Garland says. “We’ve had the first indoor women’s league in the area. We’ve hosted a clinic by a national pickleball coach. And we’re getting ready to take our programs outside for the summer.

“We’ll also teach more kids this summer and end the season with a tournament,” she says. “The kids love it because it is easier than playing tennis.”

Older people also enjoy the game, Ms. Garland says.

“For longtime tennis players, former athletes or people wanting to have some fun, the smaller court takes stress off of knees and joints.”

Currently, pickleball is played indoors at Humphrey Calder, South Side, Powhatan Hill and Hotchkiss community centers, Ms. Garland says. Days and times vary depending on the center, she notes, but at least one center hosts pickleball each weekday.

The Randolph Community Center has three outdoor courts and six additional courts should open soon in Forest Hill Park, she says.

“Most indoor courts have loaner paddles and someone who will help beginners,” Ms. Garland says. “Some places are better for beginners than others.”

A full scheduled can be found on the RVA Pickleball Facebook page. Places2Play.org also has the pickleball schedule for Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield, as well as for places around Virginia and the United States where people can play pickleball.

Potential players also can contact Ms. Garland at RVAPickleball@gmail.com.

“Pickleball is fun, great exercise and an excellent social sport,” Ms. Garland says. “Give it a try. You may get hooked. You won’t regret it.”

Meet this week’s Personality and pickleball ambassador, Diane H. Garland:

No. 1 volunteer position: Richmond ambassador for USA Pickleball Association.

Date and place of birth: July 20 in Richmond.

Current residence: Richmond.

Education: Bachelor’s in mathematics from Radford University.

Family: Partner, PJ; son, Adam; daughter-in-law, Andrea; and granddaughters, Madison, Julia and Emily.

Definition of pickleball: A sport played on a badminton-sized court where players use a rigid paddle to hit a perforated plastic ball over a tennis-like net.

Origins of game: Invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle. Three dads, Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell and Barney McCallum, whose kids were bored with their usual summertime activities are credited with creating the game.

Other games it compares with: Tennis, ping pong and raquetball.

Why I love this game: It’s a great way to exercise and socialize at the same time.

When it came to Richmond: Over 12 years ago, pickleball came to Chesterfield County thanks to the efforts of Linda and David Scott. It has spread to the city of Richmond and surrounding counties.

How I got involved with pickleball: A friend who winters in Florida started talking about it four or five years ago. About two years ago, I borrowed a paddle from her and found the courts in Chesterfield.

Others who helped me get started: I signed up for a class through Chesterfield County Parks & Recreation taught by Linda Scott. I was hooked from the first lessons I took from Linda.

How often I play: At least three times a week; sometimes as many as six times a week.

Equipment needed: All you need if you find a place to learn is comfortable clothing and court shoes because they’ll have the equipment. Once you start playing, you’ll want your own pickleball paddle and balls.

Difficulty in learning game: It’s said to be easy to learn but difficult to master, and can be enjoyed all along the journey.

Availability of lessons: Many venues have someone who will teach beginners the basics. Chesterfield County Parks & Rec has structured class schedules in spring, summer and fall for nominal fees. Clinics led by visiting pros are available for a higher fee. A few local certified instructors are beginning to offer private lessons.

Need for lessons: The best way to get started is to take a class or find a venue where someone is available to teach you. There also is a lot of material on YouTube, but you need to get a paddle in your hand to learn.

Number of pickleball players: More than 3 million people play pickleball in the United States. The USAPA has more than 20,000 members.

Age of oldest participant: Many people play up into their 80s and 90s. The oldest person I’ve taught was 88 when he started last year. He’s still playing three times a week.

Best thing about pickleball: Everything! It’s fun, competitive and you meet a lot of great people.

What more needs to be done to promote the game: It’s the fastest growing participant sport in the United States, growing at a rate of more than 12 percent per year. It’s now in many countries around the world.

A quote that I am inspired by: Leap and the net will appear!

If I had more time, I would: Teach more people to play pickleball.

Quality I admire in another person: Honesty.

Best late-night snack: Dark chocolate.

Biggest chance I ever took: Quitting my corporate job at age 55 to explore other options.

The best thing my parents ever taught me: Work hard, be kind.

At the top of my “to do” list is: Call my Mom!

The person who influenced me the most: My Mom.

The book that influenced me the most: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

What I’m reading now: “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens.

My next goal: To become a certified pickleball referee.