At long last, I gave America’s fastest-growing sport a try.

I struggled to keep track of whose turn it was to serve, make contact with the ball and hit it within bounds. But I left my first practice feeling fatigued and inspired to improve my game.

If You Go

What: Indoor pickleball court rental at Pickleball Zone Bend

When: 8 a.m-8 p.m. Monday, 8 a.m.-8:30 Tuesday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 8:30-6:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: 63040 18th St., Bend

Cost: $44 for one hour or $80 for two hours, limit six participants per court

Contact: pzbend.com, 541-323-0100

My brain couldn’t seem to decide if I was swinging a badminton racket or a ping-pong paddle.

As I ran up the court to return the ball with an underhand swing, I’d often underestimate how short my paddle was and swing full force at the air. Then, once I mastered making contact with the ball, I consistently swung too hard, popping the ball way too high and out of bounds.

Fortunately, my teammates were nothing but patient, in part because they were learning the game themselves. It was the blind leading the blind as my husband, parents and I played our first-ever pickleball game on the indoor courts of Pickleball Zone in Bend.

Thankfully, the nets between each court were nearly all-encompassing, keeping our wayward shots (mostly mine) from interfering with the games taking place next to us.

Court rentals

We had signed up for a one-hour reservation, available to the members of the public at $44. Non-members are welcome to reserve courts after 5 p.m. the day before by calling the center.

As the game played out, I was relieved to have chosen a one-hour reservation rather than a two-hour reservation ($80). Not only was the longer reservation almost double the price, but as with any new sport, it helped to ease into things. Early on in the game, I found myself checking the clock, calculating how much time we had left.

Olympic runner Kara Goucher’s book exposes Nike’s dark secrets

Pickleball 101

Before stepping onto the court, my family and I had brushed up on the rules of pickleball with a YouTube video on “Pickleball Basics,” posted by the Deschutes Public Library three years ago.

We learned about the 7-foot non-volley zone on either side of the net, also known as the kitchen. There are a lot of rules surrounding the kitchen. A player cannot hit a ball out of the air from this zone, nor can they step into it while volleying a ball.

Yet professional players play much of the game near the line that designates the kitchen.

Throughout our first foray with the sport, my teammates and I played mostly from the outer reaches of the court, meaning we’d have to hastily run back and forth, adjusting for shorter and longer serves.

Related coverage

23,000-square-foot pickleball club to open in Redmond

On my first attempt, I scratched only the surface of the game. Some in-person instruction would be most welcome by those who know the game best. Maybe next time, I’ll take advantage of Pickleball Zone’s Intro to Pickleball class, held 4-5:30 p.m. Mondays.