Letter to the Editor: My addiction is pickleball

Posted 3/17/22

I can’t believe I didn’t make it. Now that I am over 70, I thought I would finish out my senior years addiction free.

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Letter to the Editor: My addiction is pickleball

Posted

I can’t believe I didn’t make it. Now that I am over 70, I thought I would finish out my senior years addiction free. Sure I love a sip of Jack Daniels now and then and I have never turned down a piece of cake. But these are minor “have-tos” and thus far I have been able to handle them.

Then it happened. My wife and I arrived at a 55+ community in Florida earlier this year and got our little rig all set up. We hooked up the necessaries and then put a couple of rocking chairs out and proceeded to sit down to fully enjoy retirement.

Then, from directly behind our camper, I heard all kinds of whooping and hollering mixed with a strange kind of noise, I want to call it a loud “pock.” Well naturally being the great peace keeper that I am I wandered over to see what the ruckus was about.

I observed that there were a couple of courts filled with senior citizens much like me, running around abusing a small yellow wiffle ball with ping-pong like rackets. And they seemed to be having fun at it!

Enter pickleball.

I inquired about whether or not I could join in and not only did they welcome me with open arms, they took bets on who could beat me first. But before I could play I was told I had to purchase some gear. So I went to the Walmart and bought a nice white pair of sneakers. Then, in the sporting department I found a combo pack with two pickleball paddles and two bright yellow balls for less than $20.

With my new weapon firmly in hand I approached the court ready to do battle and was quickly turned away again due to the inadequacies of my paddle. Well to be honest, they did let me putter about a bit but I was told that if I was going to be a serious pickler I needed an immediate upgrade. A quick search of the "intra-net" produced a fine paddle for only $100.

I also felt that my Walmart shoes might be a little substandard, also needing an upgrade. Then after a quick look in the mirror, I felt that my outfits were a little lacking. Yet another trip to the store.

Now let me fill you in on a little of my background. I have played a bit of tennis on and off since high school. The last game I played was somewhere on a Caribbean island. My wife beat me so bad I threw the racquet down and entered retirement. That was maybe 10 years ago.

To put it clearly, I simply love pickleball. Each morning I am up at 7. I drink my coffee and look out the window until I see my codependents assembling. It’s a mysterious and wonderful sport. On one swing I will look like John McEnroe winning Wimbledon, on the next one I will look like Gomer Pyle, well ... playing pickleball.

But I don’t care, I am out there doing it! Smacking that poor little ball silly. Quietly cursing when I mess up and whopping and yelling when I make the occasional good hit.

Now I do need to caution you here. Should you decide to take up the sport, please understand it can be addicting. Oh and take a couple of hard looks at your outfit in the mirror before you head to the court, lest you embarrass yourself.

pickleball, addition

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