As I hit my 20th month of playing pickleball, I reflect on why I am thankful for the sport. It has delivered a surprising amount of joy into my life as an amateur player and pro blogger. Never in a million years would I have guessed that pickleball would become such a big part of me. But here we are, and I look forward to continuing to play, always learning, and spreading the pickleball love.
Here are the reasons I am grateful for pickleball. Please add your thoughts in the comments section.
I played in a Thanksgiving pickleball tournament last night. It was my first tournament in months, and I had a nervous energy pulsing through me as I approached the facility.
My teammate and I were ready to give it our all.
And we came out hot.
We won our first six games with confidence and steady gameplay, advancing to the finals.
Then everything changed in an instant.Â
As pickleball participation has increased, so has the conversation around potential rule changes and variations that could help pickleball continue to evolve as a sport.
While purists aim to preserve pickleball’s origins, others argue tweaks and experiments may attract new players, enhance entertainment value, and reduce controversies around gray areas in the rules.Â
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Proposed pickleball rule changes range from subtle shifts like standardizing balls to fundamental changes, including rally scoring or allowing multiple hits per side.
Ultimately, there is no consensus, as ideas that exhilarate some alienate others. Yet most agree pickleball must embrace controlled innovation to sustain growth while retaining its welcoming spirit and accessibility. With an openness to fresh thinking and debate, pickleball is poised for an exciting future as visionaries and traditionalists work together to shape the sport for future generations.
During our recent pickleball league finals, my partner and I faced a couple of pickleball bullies. It’s a common strategy: the two men we were up against decided to target my partner, an excellent female player, often leaving me watching from the sidelines. Their strategy was effective, leveraging power to overwhelm her with consecutive shots. She held her own, but they won the match, leaving me putting together plans to counteract such tactics in the future.
There has never been a better time to throw a pickleball Friendsgiving party!
As the leaves turn and the air gets crisper, our hearts warm with thoughts of gratitude, friendship, and of course, the upcoming Friendsgiving celebrations. This year, let’s add a dash of playful competition and a sprinkle of sporty fun to our gatherings by introducing pickleball into our Friendsgiving festivities!
USA Pickleball takes proactive measures against pickleball noise to ensure the sport pleases the masses.
USA Pickleball, the sport’s national governing body, has taken a significant step by unveiling its “Quiet Category” for pickleball products. This progressive move comes in light of growing noise concerns associated with the sport, focusing on reducing sound levels during recreational play.
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From a game he once believed was reserved for Florida fun to launching an AI tool that’s transforming the way we understand the sport, Ryan Hampton’s journey with pickleball is a positive one. Dive in as Ryan unveils his intriguing first encounter, his passion project PB Vision, and his celestial dreams for the ultimate pickleball match.
When retired rock star Gordon G.G. Gebert traded his keyboard for a pickleball paddle, he embarked on a journey that was as thrilling as any world tour. From diving head first into playing the sport to founding the National Pickleball League (NPL), Gebert’s story is a fascinating intersection of music, sports, and the relentless pursuit of passion.
Today you meet Chris Clark, the dynamic founder of Toss and Spin, an events company that breaks down barriers, making racquet and paddle sports available to all.
After a 9-year tenure in the corporate world, a furlough during the pandemic became the catalyst for Chris to take a different path. His lifelong passion for racket sports culminated in the creation of Toss and Spin, which began as a tennis-centric venture and soon expanded to include pickleball.
Pickleball and memory go together like PB&J.
Pickleball is more than just a fun way to pass the time and burn calories. It offers many mental and physical benefits, including enhancing cognitive functions, especially memory.
And if your memory is anything like mine, you’ll try anything you can to improve it!
Let’s explore eight ways that playing pickleball and memory can boost your cognitive ability.