Category: Pickleball 5.0

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Why Play Pickleball?

Pickleball is easy to learn! Great friendships! Plenty of exercise!

As a lifelong coach, teacher, and P.E. instructor, I have instructed students in a wide array of sports. Pickleball is by far the most “user-friendly” sport to learn. I’ve had many students on their first day of pickleball instruction preface the class by saying, “I am not athletic or coordinated but I want to learn to play pickleball”. I assure them that pickleball is the easiest sport to learn. If you can place the paddle on the ball, not only will you be successful immediately, but your self-appraisal of not being athletic or coordinated will soon be a distant memory. In addition to being “user-friendly”, pickleball provides each player/person with an incredible opportunity to be a part of a large family of very special people. Although pickleball players represent the broad spectrum of professional and vocational careers, they all share a deep interest in physical fitness and lifelong learning. Many of the people you play pickleball with will be added to your “really good friends’ list”.

Pickleball has been described as a “non-impact” sport on the body. It does not require the same muscular and body stress from a kinesthesiology standpoint as does tennis, racquetball, basketball, football, etc. Even though pickleball is “non-impactful” on your body, they have shown that you and your partner playing an hour of doubles’ pickleball will get more exercise than if you played an hour of singles in tennis. Every time you move your own mass you are burning up the most calories you can. The pickleball court is much smaller than a tennis court. You will hit 2-3+ more pickleballs to every one tennis shot and each time you are moving your body mass. I’ve had several skeptical former college tennis players come to me after an hour, drenched and saying, “I see what you mean coach!” The people you see on a pickleball court wearing knee braces, wrist supports and back braces are coming to pickleball because of these physical issues. They quickly realize they can make a full and safe commitment to enjoying pickleball.

PICKLEBALL IS EASY TO LEARN! GREAT FRIENDSHIPS! PLENTY OF EXERCISE! Grab a paddle and ‘LET’S GO!”

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GETTING STARTED

We’ve talked about pickleball as a “user-friendly” sport. It’s even EASIER TO GET STARTED! There is a sundry of learning opportunities available. Many people are introduced to pickleball by friends who already play. Let your pickleball playing friends know you want to learn to play. If you already play then look for opportunities to share your love for the game with your friends. You can click on the internet for pickleball programs/groups in your area or nearby. Most pickleball clubs/groups provide free beginning instruction including loaner paddles and balls. The USAPA (United States of America Pickleball Association) website has a complete list of pickleball venues for your consideration. Pickleball is growing so rapidly that many local Parks and Recreation Departments are providing classes for beginners, and in some cases, intermediate and advanced players. There is, also, a growing number of well-qualified pickleball instructors who charge a fee for private instruction. At the risk of leaving a few names out I will simply say that the local programs will have names for you to consider. Informal instruction by friends, pickleball club programs, and even internet programs will help introduce you to pickleball. They will provide you with a framework for getting started and learning the essential elements and components of pickleball. However, you need to seek formal instruction as soon as you can to ensure you are using the right techniques enabling you to reinforce them during your play and practice rather than reinforcing bad and incorrect habits and techniques and making them even worse. There are many opportunities to attend clinics put on by established players and instructors. Because of the group nature of clinics costs are usually less than private instruction. With all that being said, there is no substitution for quality private instruction.

In SUMMARY, if you are “GETTING STARTED,” I recommend the following time-line:

  1. Get beginning instruction from a local pickleball club/group.
  2. Begin playing and take time to watch players of all levels at your “club/group”.
  3. Check the internet for all pickleball related instructional opportunities.
  4. Attend clinics provided by successful players/instructors.
  5. Find qualified and recommended private instruction.
  6. Following #1 above, “it’s time to GET A PADDLE!”