Pickleball is a rewarding way to get fit, have fun and make friends

I began playing pickleball not too long ago after contemplating how I was going to motivate myself to get active and fit.

I also found that my social circle had dwindled so I was looking for new avenues to meet people and expand my interests.

Someone had mentioned pickleball to me in the past and I didn't pay too much attention. I really did have a fleeting thought of "isn't that for a more mature group of people?" and I carried on without any more thought.

I continued to try and figure out how to rebuild my daily life and routine. I had been dealing with some health issues for several years that had set me back in many ways but I was now past that and ready to get on with life.

Nothing was really falling into place with respect to getting fit or meeting people.

But you know that nagging feeling you get when something continues to whirl around in the back of your mind? Ya, well, I had that continued nagging feeling with pickleball.

So, I decided to look into it and try to figure out what this game called pickleball was all about.

It turns out that it's a sport that's a bit like tennis but not really.

It certainly has grown exponentially in retirement communities but it's popular with all age groups and throughout the schools. It really is a game that can be played by just about anyone in any age group.

How do you play pickleball? And what's the appeal?

Pickleball is played most commonly by 4 people but sometimes 2 people will play singles.

The basic concepts are the same as tennis. Players need to hit the ball back and forth over the net, trying to keep the ball inbounds but make it difficult for the opponent to return the ball.

However, pickleball is different from tennis is in a few key ways. Pickleball is played:

1. On a much smaller court than tennis. A pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet deep and a tennis court is 27 feet wide by 78 feet deep.
2. With a net that is lower than a tennis net and is at 36" on the ends and 34" in the middle.
3. With a paddle (similar to a table tennis paddle but much larger), not a racquet.
4. With a whiffle ball (a hollow plastic ball with holes), larger than a tennis ball.

Do you need to be incredibly fit or really athletically skilled to play pickleball? The short answer is no. When I started playing, my fitness level was low.

If you are just interested in having casual, recreational games, then you certainly don't need to be an athlete.

If you want to play more often and get better at the game, then it does take practice to become more skilled, and improving your fitness level will help.

I also learned that pickleball is a very social game, meaning that there are a lot of drop-in games where people are friendly and welcoming.

I thank the people I met when I first started playing because they welcomed me into the game, knowing that I was brand new to playing. And what I heard often was, "We all started at the same place...".

So if you are looking to get active and meet new people, seek out your local pickleball club.

Avid pickleball player who wants everyone to know the game and enjoy it just as much. Get hooked on pickleball.