PAWLING, N.Y. — If you’re anything like me, the term “pickleball” has continued to sneak its way into your life. Maybe you have family members who have taken up the sport, perhaps you’ve heard about it in that podcast you’ve been listening to, or maybe you’re just reading about the sport in your local publication.

For those who don’t know, pickleball is a paddle sport that combines the court dimensions and easiness of badminton with a similar rule set comparable to both tennis and table tennis.

Personally, I have spent most of pickleball’s existence dismissing the sport as “the pineapple pizza of sports”. Why wouldn’t I? Every time the sport has been mentioned, it seems like there’s a pickleball evangelist trying to persuade me that the sport would be a lot better if “I would just give it a try”. However, the sport just did not seem exciting. Every photo or video clip I had seen made the sport seem like two to four people casually tapping a ball to one another with no sense of urgency. What could be fun about that? Well, in the spirit of trying something new, I purchased a Pickleball Membership through Pawling Recreation for $25, a Pickleball Starter Kit from Joola, and headed to the courts at Lakeside Park. 

As it turns out, the slow pace of play that I had expected is deliberately part of the sport. Due to the small court dimensions, and the fact that there is a seven-foot non-volley zone on both sides of the net, I quickly learned that exerting energy into hitting the ball hard was not efficient. In pickleball, your opponent takes up such a large portion of the court, and the ball moves so much more slowly than expected, that your opponent will usually be able to return any hard volley that isn’t placed perfectly. This creates a unique dynamic in which players must think patiently and creatively in order to force their opponent to make a mistake.

Although I still refuse to try pineapple pizza, I have found that pickleball was definitely worth the shot. The game is an excellent way to socialize while still getting in a great workout. Having four well-maintained courts (along with an option for indoor play) in a small town like Pawling is impressive, and I’m excited to see our pickleball community continue to grow!

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