The weather is freezing and you are driving down Del Webb. You see a line of cars parked at the courts. What is going on?
“We are playing pickleball,” said Dana Rich. “The great thing about pickleball is that it’s non-seasonal. You can play any time of year regardless of outside temperature.”
In this winter season, Covid-19 has made us shy away from the indoor group activities, but the pickleball players enjoy the cold and delight in this winter outdoor activity.
Rich said, “We played until snow covered the courts. The courts are not plowed and we had to stop. But I received a Christmas present from a friend that allowed us to move the pickleball games into my garage. I received a pickleball net and some balls. My garage is pretty empty so I invited a few ladies to join me in playing for a couple hours every day. We play at 2 p.m. everyday even on weekends.”
Pickleball is a social sport and many may not be able to meet with their regular groups right now.
Rich said, “That doesn’t mean you have to give up practicing entirely.”
If you can’t use Sun City courts, then you can make the court come to you. There are portable net systems that are perfect for setting up in a driveway, garage, backyard or anywhere else you have a flat surface. The USAPA has a handy guide on how to plot out court dimensions for proper marking using a measuring tape.
Rich said, “We are having fun. I sent a text out to our group every day and they respond if they are coming. We have anywhere from two to six players. We have a group of eight. We practice social distancing and we never have more than four players in the garage. We rotate the players when we have more than four women come.”
Mary Boergerhoff said, “I have been playing for a number of years. I tried tennis and did not like it and I saw a program on pickleball offered at the Park District. I tried pickleball and liked it.”
Kathie Bell, another garage pickleball player said, “I got introduced to Pickleball In November. It’s an adventure. I still work so I only enjoy playing a couple days a week.”
Elaine Rodgers likes the social aspect as well.
“It gives an opportunity to get out and socialize,” she said.
Pickleball is labeled as the fastest-growing sport. Pickleball still carries the inherent intent of entertainment. While many picklers will say they prefer playing outside, one of pickleball’s strengths is that it’s quite easy to take indoors as well. Any hard-floored surface with enough space to set up gives them any opportunity to play their favorite game throughout the year. Pickleball is even played on the ice as players glide on the court with their skates on.
