In the last month I’ve heard the word Pickleball more than once but did not have a clue what it was, there’s no Pickleball in Scotland where I live, or at least I’ve not heard of it …
I’m currently in the Pacific Northwest on Bainbridge Island WA and this morning the game came up again in conversation with someone saying the court will fit in into a two car garage space, now I have one of those … I began to get a sense of just how popular it is.
It seems there are PickleBall communities everywhere and being a retired tennis player, retired as in my body and parts replaced don’t get me around a court like it used to, I began to think this is something I could get into.
It could also be something sitters might enjoy when on a sit, a way to meet the locals and who knows meet pet parents who may need to keep happy at home …
I first saw pickleball in 2014, on my very first THS sit in Arizona. I was fascinated. It has become increasingly popular where I live in Niagara Falls, Canada.
On another sit, again in Arizona but many years later, I first saw frisbee golf, officially called disc golf. Chatting with the players, I learned how serious the players can get, and how far they travel to play in tournaments. In just this past year, there has been a disc golf course installed in my home city.
It’s amazing what you can learn about on these house sits!
I love pickleball! @Angela-HeadOfCommunity, the game of pickleball originated in the Bainbridge Island area back in the mid-60’s. When I go on a sit, I search Facebook and other avenues to find pickleball games in the area where I’ll be sitting. It adds another way to feel more like a “local”. www.Playtimescheduler.com is a great website to use to find local pickleball games.
One of our sitters (who became a multiple time sitter) is an avid pickleballer and while here, joined up with a group so he could play often. He has come back and been able to meet up with all those folks again. We lost our baby a few months ago, but we developed such a friendship, we asked him to come back again in late May for a house visit so he can play again with that group.
Pickleball is very popular here in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.
We try to play when we are cruising, and it’s a great way to meet new folks. We do, however, have a hard and fast rule that we DON’T keep score….for us it’s all about the exercise
Yes, I am a pickleballer! I love playing pickleball! I discovered pickleball 4 years ago. When I lived in Sun City Center, FL, I used to play outdoor volleyball twice a week. To get to the volleyball courts, one would have to pass by the pickleball courts. One day I asked someone what sport that was, and they said, “pickleball” as I had never heard of it. A week later, I would take a lesson and from that first lesson, I became addicted. So addicted that I would play 4-5 hours in the morning, 3-4 hours in the evening, 5 days a week.
The more I played, the more my game improved. My background in tennis, racquetball, and ping pong helped me to gravitate to the sport as hand-eye coordination came naturally.
Whenever I have a pet sit, wherever I visit, I always check the local area to see if pickleball is available indoor or outdoor. Yes, it is definitely a great way to meet new people as it is a social game. When I moved to Lakeland, FL last year, I found a few places to play and with that comes meeting new people which has been great.
The great thing about pickleball is that it appeals to different ages and no one has to be the best athlete–just bring your best attitude. It is all about having fun and getting exercise.
I would recommend a newbie getting started to take a lesson or two as to get familiarized with the game and the rules. If you really begin to enjoy pickleball, practice, and overall just have fun!
I’m in Canada and pickleball is huge here but I’ve never tried it. I’m a Zumba fanatic - been doing it for ten years. I used to go 7 times as week but now go 4-5 times a week as I’ve just turned 70 but it’s a huge passion of mine which I enjoyed so much I became an instructor and taught classes five years ago. Wherever I go on a house sit I seek out zumba classes and have done them in Ireland, Cambodia and Australia. Maybe I should start a new thread to see who else on THS are Zumba fanatics
When I think about it, it is amazing that the game of pickleball was discovered by accident in Bainbridge Island, Washington in 1965. It all began with an informal game in someone’s backyard as the kids were bored needing something to do on a rainy day. The kids were given wooden ping pong paddles, a wiffle ball (softball size), and played on a badminton court. The adults would join in and the game spread by word of mouth and grew and is still growing today.
Pickleball attracts many former and current tennis players. I believe with your tennis background, you would do well–give it a try and have fun!
The game is mostly played in doubles, but is also played in singles. I played both doubles and singles today and playing singles gives a great workout.
Should you give it a try…just a note in finding a paddle (there are many), here is an article that gives descriptions for light, medium, and heavy paddles:
After first reading about Pickleball on the THS forum, I enjoyed watching “The Rise of Pickleball” on yesterday’s “CBS Sunday Morning”.
Currently the fastest growing sport in the USA, it originated on Bainbridge Island, Washington when some dads invented a game to keep their children entertained.
… I began to get a sense of just how popular it is.
