Dear Pickleball Skeptic: You've Got Company

Why you might be holding out on pickleball—and why you might really love playing.

Dear Pickleball Skeptic/Resister,

I’ve been meaning to write to you for a while now. Listen, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that I’m one of those ridiculous pickleball players who thinks everyone should play the game. And you’re mostly correct. I do think every one should play, and I’ll own up to the fact that I absolutely had a ridiculous stage. Sorry about that.

But before that phase, I was once you. I’ve also talked to people a lot like you all over the country who aren’t yet playing this game. And some of my reasons, their reasons, and your reasons for not playing this game are the same. So let’s talk about ‘em, shall we?

Actually. Before we do, I should acknowledge that there is a possibility that you legitimately have no interest in playing pickleball. Kind of like I have no interest in playing sand volleyball. Some people love it, but it’s just not my thing. If however, you’re even reading this letter, there’s probably some interest. Read on, please :-)

“It’s a cheesy game”

One reason you may be skeptical about playing this game is that you think it’s still mostly a cheesy, old-person’s game—even though you rationally know kids and teenagers and plenty of not-yet old adults play this game. At a community court in Colorado, a really new player joined our group. Looking at the paddle in her hand, her body language sang absolute stanzas as she looked sheepishly at a paddle and said, “I can’t believe I’m holding a pickleball paddle.”

She reminded me of another player, not new to pickleball, but brand new to playing “for real” at a community court, and with anyone other than church friends in a driveway. This woman declined—for months—frequent encouragements from her husband or invitations from a dear friend to play “for real.” She just couldn’t get onboard with a sport which has a ridiculous name and a ridiculous wiffle ball.

“Pickleball people are ____”

Or maybe you’re thinking that you don’t want to be “one of those people.” The ones whose lives revolve around pickleball, who strut around community courts with ginormous Selkirk pickleball backpacks, wearing obnoxious neon colors, sweatbands, and exuding a whole lot of ego. You’re turned off by the players who get up early to play, but only with players who are “up to their standards.”

You might know pickleball players who are less intense than the above, but whose enthusiasm for the sport you still find off-putting. I get it. As in, I shared that sentiment before I got into it myself, and to be honest, sometimes still do.

Don’t you just love the honesty between us? I sure do.

My very first experience playing at a community court as a really new player was in North Carolina. Showing up solo was a personal victory, and I was almost scared away by the tall, shirtless guy wearing a tiger-striped headband which nicely complimented his tiger-striped tattooed torso. What deterred me, though, wasn’t the tiger stripes, as much as what felt like excessive intensity with which he approached weekday morning rec play.

“I’m getting around to it”

Another reason you might not be playing is you don’t actually mean to hold out or resist. You just are busy, and waiting for life to get less busy.

Or you don’t know who to play with. You’re waiting for someone to get you into pickleball, or to expand your pickleball social circle. My upcoming book will be talking all about this—how exactly to get into this sport, and widely.

I’m not dismissing either of waiting reasons. Sometimes the stars do need to align a little bit, and I’m a big believer in times and seasons of life.

“I’m…afraid”

But could the biggest reason for why you are skeptical or resistant to pickleball be fear? And what if it’s gotten bigger than it needs to be? Because we’re talking between friends, I can admit to you that fear was the main thing holding me back, and it holds a lot of people back—but it quickly disappears once you get the ball rolling. No pun intended there. Here are the two biggest fears that hold people back.

1. You might be afraid of people saying mean things and criticizing you. There can be some bossy-pants people in this game, and at some point, people will say things that will hurt your feelings or make you mad. DON’T STOP READING, PLEASE.

2. But maybe the biggest thing you’re afraid of is being bad at something. You worry your confidence can’t handle being not good at something. Especially if you find the sport ridiculous and think it should be really easy. To be bad at it would feel extra embarrassing, you think. You don’t want this to be you :-)

Well, still with me? I guess I’ll end by stepping off my slightly enthusiastic pickleball soapbox, and just say: You totally don’t have to get into this sport. It’s a game after all, and not mandatory for happy living. But what I would say is not really optional, is having things in your life that make you feel more alive. Wholesome, fun things that you do with your gift of a physical body. Things that connect you to people in your town or in new places, especially people you don’t always choose. Something that helps you build a new kind of confidence. It’s gold.

Maybe for you, like me and friends all over the country (and world), pickleball will be the thing you pick up to get more of these gems in your life. As a sport and an industry, it’s not all magical, but a lot of it is. And I hope you give it your own shot.

Sincerely,

Emily