I recently had the opportunity to sit down with ChatGPT to talk a bit about why I started Pickleball Rookie, a project that I hope will spread the pickleball gospel while chronicling my journey into America’s fastest-growing sport.
Culture and News
Considering Pickleball Certification? I Am Now a PPR Coach. Here’s How You Can Be One, Too.
On a picture-perfect, unseasonably warm fall day, I drove across state lines to accomplish a goal I set for myself back in March: to become a certified pickleball instructor.
When choosing a pickleball certification program, you have several options. I decided to go through the Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR). The organization has been around for five years and, most importantly, is the official certification partner of USA Pickleball, the national governing body for pickleball in the United States.
Other viable options include certification through the International Federation of Pickleball Academy via a partnership with The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA). There is also pickleball certification through the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA).
Pickleball Bingo
One of the beautiful things about playing pickleball regularly is that there is always something new and exciting happening during gameplay.
However, there are some consistent themes, too. Now you can double your fun by playing pickleball and pickleball bingo simultaneously. 🙂 Have you spotted any of the items below?
Play pickleball bingo after your next match! And let us know if you have any additions to the card.
The Best Pickleball Team Building Exercises
Pickleball team building presents a ton of opportunities for teams to bond. Whether you are looking to rally the sales staff, break down walls between departments, or bring people closer together, pickleball’s low barrier to entry and proximity of play make it the perfect event to bring people together.
Here are a few reasons why Pickleball Rookie predicts that pickleball team building is the next wave of the sport’s rapid growth.
My First Pickleball Tournament: Tribulations and Triumph
So, you want to play in your first pickleball tournament? I did. And here’s what I learned.
After playing in several leagues and learning more about pickleball over the past few months, I finally did it: I played in my first pickleball tournament. The outdoor event had me in the 35+ 3.5 doubles division, where the organizers would match me with a partner. The weather here in New York was 85ﾟ and sunny, with minimal wind.
If you are considering playing in an upcoming tournament, I learned a few things that I’d like to share.
Pickleball Jobs – Do You Have One for Me?
As pickleball continues its upward trajectory, the number of available pickleball jobs continues to grow. From pickleball instructors to pickleball marketers, the paddle game is having its moment.
I don’t want to be just another recreational player: I want to be a part of the pickleball community.
Pickleball Art Guaranteed to Brighten Your Day
Pickleball art is a trend that is growing as fast as the sport itself.
Whether we choose to play for a love of the game or are completely comfortable as a spectator, there is no doubt that sports have a way of capturing our hearts. Often, that joy winds up hung on the wall in the form of art.
From Henri Rousseau’s “The Football Players” to Umberto Boccioni’s “Dynamism of a Cyclist,” the history of art is filled with tributes to our favorite sports. Rousseau’s painting captures the motion and energy of a game, while Boccioni’s futuristic work emphasizes the speed and power of a cyclist in motion.
These are just two examples of how sports can be interpreted through art. And pickleball is no different. Whether it’s a photograph, painting, or sculpture, art can help us appreciate the beauty of pickleball – even if we’ve never played the game before.
Setting Pickleball Goals for the Remainder of the Year
Pickleball is more than a recreational sport to me. I aspire to make it part of my profession; how I make money.
And I am a realist.
I am not going to be a professional pickleball player. I’m not going to make money from playing in tournaments. And, as of today, I don’t have the money to open up my dream pickleball hall that serves up draft beers, dim sum, live music, and features state-of-the-art courts.
Hey, a guy can dream.
However, there has to be a way to tap into my entrepreneurial spirit and connect pickleball to my career. The seeds are this very blog that you are reading. Pickleball Rookie is my attempt to take what I know–creating content that people and search engines enjoy–and leverage the site to build relationships and uncover opportunities that help spread love for the sport. Filling my heart with joy would be nice, too.
As I approach the six-month anniversary of playing pickleball for the first time, it is time to set several goals for the remainder of the year. So here they are, laid out in public glory for all to see. That’s my brand of accountability!
Engage Pickleball Camps Review – A Look Inside a 2022 Clinic
Engage Pickleball Camps are the go-to for players looking for an intense crash course on pickleball strategy; I knew I had to take a class when the roadshow hit New York.
The 16-hour Engage Pickleball Camp took place at the Carefree Racquet Club in North Merrick, a venue where I have attended a handful of open plays. Certified instructor Stéphane Jolicoeur and Senior Pro Pickleball Tour Player Jose Derisi delivered an excellent mix of drilling, strategy, and playing advice to help all attendees improve their pickleball game.
I booked the class back in March after I played pickleball for the first time, so to say I was excited is an understatement. Like a good student, I packed my hydration and snacks and took the 25-minute drive to Merrick, blasting some awesome 90s alternative rock along the way.
The class started with a warning from Coach Stéphane, “You’re not going to like us by the end of the day today…but you’ll love us by the end of day three.”
That set the tone: we were here to work on leveling up, and as they say, ‘no pain, no gain.’
ICYMI: Around the Post | National Pickleball Day
First and foremost, Happy National Pickleball Day! On August 8, the annual day honors the funky sport that dates back to 1965 in Bainbridge Islands, Washington. Interestingly enough, the sport saw more Google searches than ever before on this day. But, the top states are pretty surprising:
-Missouri
-Maryland
-Illinois
-New York
-California