Pickle Ball is Life?

‘Pickle Ball is Life’, said the well-worn T-shirt on the vivacious, 40-something, mother of three with the wicked backhand.  Well, it’s pretty fun but I don’t know about ‘life’.  I’ve delved into Americas fastest growing sport lately and here is what all the fuss is about;

It might have a silly name, but Pickleball is not just a goofy old man’s sport.  It’s easy to learn and play but it’s hard to get good at.  The game has nuance.  It’s a cross between ping pong, racquetball, squash and tennis.   Beginners can easily hit the ball over the net while intermediates can really whack it.  Advanced players bring it to the net and Dink softly while the elite players move their feet and play for angles and position.  You play with your racket and arm, but you win with your head and your legs.  The smaller court is easy to navigate, and it is played with a wiffle-ball that you can hit hard but it slows down quickly from the wind resistance in the holes.  There is also a buffer zone at the net called the Kitchen that you must stay out of when smashing, so you don’t hurt anyone or yourself, but it is seldom an issue.*  You can even miraculously hit it around the net post on real wide shots! 

Pball is tremendously social.   It’s like golf, where you can play with friends and family, the kids or your parents.  Attractive and athletic women or men will introduce themselves kindly to you and then trash talk and trounce you on the court.  Doctors play with ditch diggers while new Latin ladies play with old-school white guys.**  Women are as good as men and testosterone is probably a disadvantage, so the court is level and there is no Affirmative Action needed.  A game will last 10-20 minutes so it is moderately aerobic, fat burning exercise or light interval training at best.  It is very compatible for off-days, resting from skiing and biking while building a base stamina and strength, without beating yourself up.  Most players have an ailment and an injury or two but not much is said.  Everyone has something.  It is no more dangerous than any other equal pursuit. 

This game is a microcosm of sport.  Play easy or go for it.  Hit it low and down the middle or aim for the lines.  Drop that third shot right over the net or aim for their feet in no-mans-land.  Keep the ball in play or go for the impossible, ESPN human-highlight shots.  Pick on their weak partner’s forehand or focus on a good players backhand.  It can be very organized and competitive with player ratings and rankings, tournaments and standings, or you can play it casual with friends, not caring about the score, Players range in class and caste; from the elite A teams who never seem to wait or split up, all the way to the beginners and the untouchables who can play with anybody and everybody.  Teams are often formed randomly off the on-deck rack so you always meet a new mix of people and play at different levels. ***

So pickleball might not be life, but what is.  I’ve played with some very aggressive, high roller entrepreneurs that just like to keep the ball in play as well as some very timid housewives that just want to kill it and tell me that ‘winning is everything’.  Maybe it’s like Cornhole, a fun game with a silly name or goofy reputation.  So go to your nearest park or Rec Center and see for yourself.  You may find your next passion or the meaning of life. 

 

*The air friction is proportional to the ball velocity cubed, not squared like solid objects like bikes or skiiers, that keeps us all safe and prevents bruising or sore feelings.  It is like a squash ball that dies on the bounce and you have to really go after it, not like racquetball where if you stand in one spot the ball will eventually come to you. 

**Every court has its culture and we have played from Tuscon to Temecula, Tesuque to Tuhaye.  One court had a Latino group that only played with each other and not the rich white guys.  They were the best and I tried to get in their game.  They were funny at first when declining me but then they got mean and in my face, until I asked them if they were afraid and they all howled and scoffed.  They let me play and kicked my ass but we had a great time bridging cultural boundaries and improving racial relations

***It has become so popular that they are turning empty tennis courts into P-ball courts to keep up.  4 Pball courts entertain 16 people per tennis court but tennis courts still remain underutilized while 20-30 people consistently wait for Pall courts every morning.  Recreational managers are ignoring or resisting the Pball flood but perhaps portable Pball nets can be used to fill unused tennis courts until adequate facilities can be built for this growing constituency.  

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