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Pickleball

Janet

(website)

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Anyone here play??

I’m on our homeowner’s association board, and we are in the home stretch of planning for a new amenity for our neighborhood. It includes a couple of kids play areas, a picnic area, and a pickleball court. It’s been a long, long time coming (20 years ago, long before we moved here, the discussion was about adding tennis courts), and it’s been challenging to say the least. There are still some naysayers, but they seem to be in the minority. I recruited my husband to help project manage the job since he has experience managing construction projects and he’s really good at this stuff! But it’s been an amazing team effort by a bunch of us in the community. It’s only a 55-home neighborhood, so not huge.

But anyway, I’m super stoked about the pickleball court! Hubs got us rackets and balls today and we hit them around inside, which was a blast. The dogs went crazy, LOL.

Does anyone here play? It seems like it will be really fun!

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18 replies

Latest reply was from nuancedream

LJP

Veteran

Oh I can tell you ALL about pickleball , lol. It’s one of the most popular things to do at the RehFit Centre where I work . We have 4 courts running every afternoon for 2 1/2 hrs and there’s a wait list to play everyday . It got so crazy we had to separate it into a recreational group and a competitive group - and the competitive people are nuts . We’ve had fights and arguments break out -craziness . The staff hate pickleball afternoons because it causes so much friction and the attitudes of some of the players is absurd . They think they’re playing the National Championships .

That said , it’s fun and relatively easy to learn and play if you have good hand / eye coordination . It’s great for older adults who can’t play tennis anymore due to the impact it ( tennis ) has on knees and other joints . We run clinics taught by a pro at least once a month and they are always sold out . It’s an easy-entry sport too because equipment isn’t expensive .

I received a set for my birthday last year and the 3 of us go out to the outdoor court across the street and hit the ball around . Great exercise too !

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I know nothing about it except that it causes huge controversy here, too, and my neighbour is totally obsessed with it -- she plays all the time!

I wouldn't mind learning. But I'm kind of scared of running into her at the courts! She's fierce!

Sal

Veteran

I have heard it is crazily popular in the USA.....it's only just starting here.

I am interested in giving it a go!

Teresa

I love it and learned to play during the pandemic, when I was looking for outdoor social activities. I met some great people. Sadly, I’m not super talented, so some of the people I started playing with have moved on to more competitive groups! But it’s a blast, and super fun. People that have a racquet sports background seem to have the advantage, skills wise. I’m more of a casual, everyone have fun kind of player. But it takes all kinds!

kkards

Veteran

Lol, for ever and ever it was a game for old people, along came the pandemic, and now it’s every where. My cube at work over looks the basketball and tennis courts… since we’ve been back at the office, I haven’t seen anyone playing either, but every day that the temp is over 60F/16C there’s people out playing pickle ball.

Anonymous

I thought about trying it- but swore to myself I wouldn't add any new hobbies this year. Too many fun things to try, too little time!
I played tennis for a while, so would probably be ok at it

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Yes, it’s getting hugely popular!

Someone from our neighborhood anonymously printed and distributed (mailed, even!) an article from the Wall Street Journal about pickleball becoming a nuisance in some communities because of noise and fighting over court time. Most of it is so inapplicable to us, with only a single court in a small community in the woods, with no lights for night play or anything like that. Some people are just determined that nothing ever change. Sigh! But we do have several players (a couple of whom were serious tennis players in the past), who are excited for it, as are a bunch of us who are novices. I played a little tennis but never got good at it. I have decent hand-eye coordination but not speed, so I suspect I’ll be better at pickleball than I ever was at tennis. Hubs and I played raquetball a bit many years ago and I did ok at that!

tam

Physical activity is so important as we age. Pickleball is a great way to get exercise and fresh air. Much like you we are in a small neighborhood w/one tennis court, pool and playground. Tennis court was marked for pickleball and went from unused to very active. No lights so no all hours play. It was made clear at the beginning this is a relaxing place to play and if looking for something serious join the city league. It has worked well. Build the court and all will thank you!

MidwestrnChic

I am completely obsessed with pickleball! Such a fun game and easy to learn.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

That’s so strange- I heard about it for the first time ever at work yesterday! An older (81) but fit and young-looking for her age woman told me she was playing it with some friends and I had to ask what it was. She says some multipurpose courts somewhere local are marked out appropriately. Then soon afterwards here is your post!

BlueJay

Veteran

My sister is a rec co-ordinator for activities in a city just north of the city. Pickleball causes lots of headaches for her managing court time, people lining up an hour before the start time so they can play, yes, arguments, etc. I haven't played it as tennis is my first love, but I see the tennis pro shops are now about one-third to a half of their space is for pickleball racquets, balls, etc. At least I have a Plan B for when I don't want to play tennis anymore.

pil

Veteran

My 33 year old son had me laughing so hard I was crying as he described how he and his partner lost to a team of septuagenarians who had, or were in need of, joint replacements and back surgeries. He was thoughtful enough to pass along the names of their preferred surgeons for future reference.

April

Veteran

Here's what I know. I can call a certain friend in her 70s at 9 am and she will answer her phone thus: "PICKLING - CALL YOU LATER."

Meanwhile, LMA (26) wants to learn the game and Mr. A (66), who admits that both tennis and paddle tennis are now a bit too strenuous for his knees, snubs pickleball as a game for oldsters.

Laurie

Veteran

Never played, but a former colleague in CA has been playing uber-competitively for a few years now and is obsessed. This article was recently in the NYTimes on pickleball fashion!

Anonymous

We had two tennis courts in our old neighborhood . People let (little and big) kids ride bikes on the rubber surface so that it needed constant expensive resurfacing. Just saying. Pickleball would have made more sense with a population that is aging.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

Have you all seen the Norma Kamali pickle ball dress? https://normakamali.com/produc.....y8EALw_wcB

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I did see that some designers are creating pickleball collections, which I find amusing. I think I’ll stick with my usual workout gear, maybe a skort and a tee!

nuancedream

Veteran

Mr. ND and I actually had a pickleball lesson yesterday. I have to reluctantly admit it was kind of fun. Pickleball is definitely easier to learn than tennis. I prefer playing tennis, but if you can't beat them, join them. Pickleball, y'all!