Drew Pierce I had my first “low intermediate” pickleball open play session. Is it ridiculous that I was a wee bit nervous before I arrived? With one lesson and one beginner open play behind me, it felt a bit early to be stepping up, but it seems like tennis players can make a relatively easy transition.
My biggest fear surrounded scoring. Will I know what to do? Will I disrupt the game’s flow for people who are really into it? Can I hang with this next level of play?
C’mon, admit it! You want a better understanding of pickleball and to better understand why everyone is talking about the sport. Here is your pickleball 101 lesson. 🙂
Pickleball is the fastest-growing sports in the United States. From 2019 to 2020, U.S. pickleball players grew from 3.46 million to 4.2 million players, a 21% increase, officially making it a thing.
Pickleball is a fast-paced paddle sport where most points are won at the net (the ‘Kitchen’). For beginners, success comes from keeping the ball low, loosening your grip for better spin, and wearing proper court shoes to handle the quick lateral movements. While similar to tennis, it requires less running but faster reaction times.
I took my first one-on-one pickleball lesson this week to answer America’s favorite recent question, “What is pickleball?” I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about the fastest-growing sport in America. It is clear that I have a ton to learn, but the 60-minute session left me confident that my tennis skills will translate well on the pickleball court. However, there were a few surprises for this brand new player. If you’re considering picking up a pickleball paddle, here are a few things that my instructor shared with me, as well as a few things that caught me off guard.