Finding Pickleball

 “Do you know what my favorite part of the game is? The opportunity to play.”

---Mike Singletary

 

I have never been the sporty type. Being a child in the 1960s and 1970s, of course I was shoved outside every day by my mother and instructed to, “Go play! Ride your bike, play something, go!” I usually wound up annoying my brother and his friends, riding my bike, or just going to the beach to throw rocks. I was never on a team, never wanted to learn to skate, kick a ball, or do backflips on the uneven bars. OK, the backflips would never have happened even if I’d wanted to, but still. Sports were not on my radar unless shoving my way through the lunch line counts. 

In my forties I found badminton, and while that still doesn’t make me an athlete, the game really is very important in my life. I’ve made good friends, gotten some much-needed exercise, and learned that spending an hour whacking birds is a great way to relieve stress. Recently, I tried a new sport; I’ve played badminton for ten years now, something new can be fun, right?

 

Hello, pickleball! Yes, that game that every woman of a certain age…ahem…seems to take up. According the US Pickleball Association (yes, that’s really a thing) the average age of a pickleball player is 43.5 years old. Already, before even stepping on the court, at the age of 57, I am solidly above average! Go me. So, I set out to find a game, someone that could teach me, and maybe some players who needed a fourth etc. I was jumping in with both feet, securely wrapped in Ace bandages of course, because these ankles are not what they used to be. I settled on a group that plays at Swampscott Middle School after seeing a post on Facebook looking for new players. On a perfect fall morning, on tennis courts taped with pickleball lines, I was ready to be brave enough to stink at something new, and boy did I stink. 

 

Yes, there is a net, a court, and paddles, so while I thought it would be similar to badminton, it’s really not. There is much more finesse in pickleball. You don’t really smash like you do in badminton. The strategic shot in many pickleball matches is the dink. No, that’s not a typo. A dink is a carefully placed move to score a point. The shots are much more controlled; it’s about keeping the game moving, getting the ball over the net (a challenge for me, even though the net is lower than badminton) and having a match that everyone can enjoy. Of course, there is still competition, but it’s a game of carefully measured moves and some low-key strategy. Clearly this will be a huge adjustment for me. The court is also much smaller, and there is a section that’s called the “no volley zone.” I’m still a bit unclear on when you can cross into that, and when you can’t. There’s some rule about where the ball bounces, but honestly, the problem might be that the no volley zone is also called “the kitchen” and that’s never been a place where I have found much success. 

Pickleball is also much more of an outdoor sport than I realized. Wind impacts the ball, which is like a wiffle ball, it’s lightweight plastic and has holes in it. It still wicked hurts when it hits you in the eye, just like a shuttlecock, but again, that’s a me thing, and not a game thing. The first safety rule isn’t about dodging the dink though, it’s about going backwards. One of the leading causes of injuries in the game is shuffling backwards and falling down. My father always told me, “Always go forward, not backwards. You’re not going that way, also you’ll fall over.” Turns out he was right. 

So far, my only significant accomplishment on the court is showing up. That’s important though, right? You can’t win if you don’t play, but for me, it’s not about winning. Hell, at this point I don’t even know how many points make a win. My goals are gradual. I’ve managed to show up, then I bought my own paddle, and pretty soon I might actually score a point. In the meantime it’s been a fun challenge to meet new people and share a little time learning a new skill. Also, I scored some new tennis shoes from a friend, and they’re red, so it’s game on!