Pickle Ball

It seems that one “sport” is absolutely dominating social media, and the YHS tennis courts this summer: pickleball. As of this July, I’ve happily been one of those people on the courts. I was skeptical at first because I’d seen so much content about it online. What could this activity possibly have to make it the force it has become in society? 

Well, I have a few theories to explain its popularity, but I’d like to talk about my experience with it first.

When Will McDowell, (YHS alum of 2024) and Sebastien Martinez (of quiz bowl, math team, and golf notoriety) asked me to hit the courts with them, I wasn’t sure what it would entail. First of all, I didn’t know any of the rules and secondly, the only experience I had with anything similar were the tennis lessons I had as an eight-year-old. Needless to say, I was terrible the first time, but their patience convinced me to keep going. 

Surprisingly, it was very similar to tennis in principle (though I’m not a pro at that, read: lessons when I was eight). I did find that besides consisting of forehand and backhand and being played on a tennis court, there was not much else in common between the two. 

To briefly explain pickleball: players use paddles instead of rackets (a very important distinction according to YHS tennis star Haley Doan) to hit a small plastic ball with holes in it. The courts are much smaller than in tennis, making it easier to get around, and the nets are also lower so my shots probably should have gone over more than they did. 

Players can’t step inside the front part of the court known as “the kitchen” (a lovely reminder that this is called pickleball) unless their opponent hits the ball there first. Straightforward, right? 

I caught on quickly, never surpassing the graduates as they aggressively played their matches to 21 complete with hard-driven spikes and sprinting to pick up smartly placed balls. 

I have to say that for how much I didn’t understand the game at first, I feel confident recommending it now. I would argue that fall is a much better time of year to play pickleball than the summer was. You definitely get a workout in so the cool air is appreciated. YHS’s courts also have lights to continue playing once it’s dark out. I think that as long as you’re playing with some friends you’re guaranteed to have a good time, no matter what level you’re starting from.