LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A Henderson pickleball coach is introducing a new way to play pickleball. He calls it “Pickle N Blade.”
Coach Rick Storozuk has been teaching tennis for decades. He started teaching pickleball over a year ago. Half his clients now play it, and most recently he came up with a fun idea, to incorporate his love of ice hockey with the game.
“I think with ice hockey being so popular here in town, this would be great for kids who have skated or adults,” Storozuk said.
He’s introducing the sport to kids and other adults at MacDonald Highlands. Coach Rick Storozuk has earned a special nickname, “Pickle Rick,” he said while laughing.
He grew up skating, so for him slipping on a pair of rollerblades is pretty easy, but he said playing the sport on wheels is quite challenging. He’s made some adjustments to the traditional pickleball game.
“The rules are you can serve overhanded if you wish, but you can also serve underhanded. You’re not playing to 11, you’re playing to five, and you’ve got to win by two. The best two out of three sets wins, that’s how pickle n blade is played.”
What do the kids think?
“I thought that being able to do pickleball on skates was not possible at all, but I think it will go really far,” Mia Stanisic said. “He’s very good and he gets everybody in the mood and uplifted.”
Daria Calwell is not so sure.
“I’m clumsy on blades, I can’t even play pickleball with balance on shoes,” Calwell said.
It does take some getting used to, just ask Steve Houle.
“Movement is very different. When you skate you normally try to gain speed but here you need to find soft speed because you can’t go hard, as it pulls you in the wrong directions.”
He and Rick have been playing for a few months now and hope the sport will grow in line as more people try it.
“I think Pickle ‘N Blade can be a niche league, just for fun,” Storozuk added.
