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| Gloria Schwartz |
By Gloria Schwartz
Are you a natural-born athlete? Have you always excelled at sports? If
you answered “yes,” you might enjoy pickleball. If you answered “no,” you might
also enjoy pickleball.
Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in North America, due in
part to ageing baby boomers and the suitability of the game to all levels of
athleticism. Millions of people play pickleball. Pickleball requires less
strength and speed than tennis, so it’s suited to people who may not be as fast
or agile as they used to be. Pickleball is also suited to people who don’t want
to risk injuries that can occur in contact sports. Pickleball is also gaining
popularity with children because it’s easy to learn and it’s inexpensive.
If tennis and badminton had a baby, it would be pickleball. The game was
haphazardly invented in 1965 by two American men who cobbled together the sport
using a badminton net and ping-pong paddles. According to legend, one of them
had a dog named Pickles who’d fetch the ball, hence the name Pickleball.
You play pickleball with a paddle similar to a ping-pong paddle. You use
a lightweight hollow ball about the size of a tennis ball that looks like a
golf Wiffle Ball. You can play pickleball indoors or outdoors on a court with a
net. Two players can play in a singles match or four players in a doubles
match.
I first heard of pickleball about three years ago while on a cruise. I
didn’t know how to play but I tried to hit the ball back and forth over the net
with my husband on the cruise ship’s deck. The wind and the motion of the ship
made it a bit difficult. On that cruise we met an older American couple who
told us about the fun they have playing pickleball outdoors in their Florida
retirement community.
Fast-forward three years and I learned the Soloway Jewish Community
Centre (SJCC) now has pickleball sessions three times per week. I peeked in the
gym one day to see what it was about. Some of the players seemed quite skilled,
other less so. They let me give it a try. It was fun! I forgot about pickleball
until recently when I decided it might be a fun activity to do weekly.
At first, I didn’t know the rules or how to keep score. I didn’t know
the terminology such as “dinking,” lightly tapping the ball over the net,
“falafel,” hitting the ball too short, and “the kitchen” the demarcated area in
front of the net from which you’re not allowed to hit the ball unless it first
bounces. I didn’t know how to properly hit backhand. I didn’t know how hard or
how gently to hit the ball in order to stay within the lines of the court. It
turned out that what I didn’t know was less important than my enthusiasm and
effort. The other players were mostly men of an age group older than myself and
a few women. Everyone was helpful and encouraging. After a couple of sessions,
I felt comfortable playing. We sometimes rotated players on teams to allow less
experienced players such as myself and my friend to play with more experienced
players. The players were there to have a good time and give everyone a chance
to learn.
After a few weeks, I purchased my own pickleball paddle and became a
self-proclaimed official pickleballer. I learned the rules and how to keep
score. With each game I became increasingly proficient at serving, staying
within the boundaries most of the time and hitting backhand.
I even invented a new way of hitting that I call the “Schwartz
Manoeuvre.” When the ball comes at me at high speed and I don’t have time to
run backwards, I instinctively go into a goofy-looking squat and whack the ball
upwards with my paddle between my knees. It’s unconventional, but it works. I
have fun playing pickleball and for me that’s the most important aspect.
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