My Pickleball Summer

article by VANELIS RIVERA
photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK

When my younger brother started playing pickleball in 2021, I made fun of him. At the time, my impression of pickleball was that it was watered-down tennis, and I couldn’t imagine my weight-lifting, competitive sibling opting for anything less than optimal exertion. It wasn’t until I saw a news headline informing me that Serena Williams was pickleball’s most recent convert that I swiftly reframed my narrative. So when my mother texted a picture of my brother donning a silver medal for men’s singles, I was low-key impressed. I still wasn’t convinced that pickleball was for me, so I kept to the Forsythe tennis courts. And since I didn’t know anyone who was playing pickleball in the area, I didn’t inquire further. But that swiftly changed the moment I stepped onto one of the pickleball courts at the Monroe Athletic Club (MAC) with PPR  (Professional Pickleball Registry) Certified Instructor Jeananne Antoinette Larsen. Now, I’m hooked and on the hunt for a chic pickleball paddle and some doubles partners. 

Like most trends of late, pickleball didn’t just appear out of thin air. This paddle-ball-net sport is a combination of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. It was created, like most fun things, out of boredom. In 1965 in Bainbridge Island, Washington a group of three fathers brainstormed how to entertain their restless children, making use of a badminton court on one of their properties, and grabbing the only equipment they had, which ended up being ping-pong paddles, and a perforated plastic ball. Twenty-five years later, the refined version of this makeshift game, one which grew out of a need for enjoyment, was being played in all 50 states. The sport’s low-impact movements and addictive fast-paced exchanges grew in popularity among older crowds up until the early-2000s, but after the Covid-19 pandemic, the sport experienced a surprising boom, as it was a safer way to be outdoors and stay active. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the techniques are easy to learn, the equipment is affordable, and the social nature of the game makes it easy to meet new people.

When I received the text informing me that I would be writing about pickleball, I was pumped. I couldn’t wait to show off my tennis skills to Jeananne, who graciously offered to give me a quick lesson. Under the searing midday heat, I eagerly strolled toward one of the three pickleball courts located at the MAC. As we neared, funky beats played from a mini-speaker latched to a chain link fence. A ball canister was packed with bright orange, yellow, and pink plastic Wiffle-like balls, and four pickleball paddles awaited my inspection under a shaded bench. The paddles varied in style and shape. Wanting to honor the tennis racket I used during my junior tennis days, I gravitated toward the Head manufactured paddle. I gripped it as I would a beachball paddle, but it was much lighter, as most pickleball paddles are made from a variety of “mesh and molding” materials such as fiberglass and carbon. “Let’s start in the kitchen,” Jeananne urged, referring to the 7-foot zone near the approximately 34-inch net. In this area, players are not permitted to volley, as it prevents a player from smashing every hit, which is incredibly easy with the airy ball. Jeananne was a patient teacher, though I increasingly grew frustrated with each ball that landed on the net. I had to laugh off my errors as I adjusted to the low bounce-back of the ball. I imagined my mind and body having an emergency meeting. Mind: “We’re playing pickleball, okay.” Body: “I hear you, but this feels like tennis, so we’re going to need a minute to recalculate.” In the meantime, Jeananne was encouraging and offered a few subtle, game-changing adjustments to my form. Even when I uncontrollably slammed the ball directly at her chest, which she blocked with snappy reflexes, she laughed it off complementing the shot. Eventually, the chore of learning the new techniques swiftly transformed into unadulterated fun, especially as we moved to the backcourt, which is still a comfortable distance from the net, the court dimensions being 44-feet in length and 20-feet in width. In no time, I began to get the swing of things, although, admittedly, every other shot I followed with, “I didn’t mean to do that.”

Like my brother, Jeananne also got into the game because someone she knew had gotten into it and asked her to play. Since November, she has noticed a growing interest in the area from people who are ardent athletes to sports hobbyists. For her, the game’s greatest attributes include ease of play and community building. “I love the action,” she says, mentioning the fun of volleying, rallying back and forth, strategizing winning points, and the ability to hit the ball as hard as you can. She also emphasized loving the fact that the ball travels about three times slower than a tennis ball. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s also a lot of laughing,” she says. Only one year into playing pickleball, she is an avid advocate of the sport, not only offering lessons but also encouraging people to join doubles teams, as they tend to be more dynamic, and can be a great way to spend time with family and friends. 

“You just have to be open-minded about playing,” says Jeananne, who understood my initial aversion to the sport. Sure, it’s a lot easier than tennis, but it’s also a lot more lighthearted. Unlike the rigid decorum that is often enforced in tennis courts, pickleball seems to demand quite the opposite. “Don’t take it so seriously,” she adds, while still admitting that some players can get pretty incredibly competitive. “You’ve got to get out of the way of the ball sometimes too,” she laughs. Ultimately, pickleball is for anybody that wants to play. The name alone suggests that the game doesn’t take itself so seriously; after all, it was conceived from a youthful desire for play. “Anybody’s welcome,” stresses Jeannane, who has played with people of all ages and skill sets. 

Toward the end of our lesson—my skin slippery with sweat and sunscreen—I felt the ease of the game and better understood what Jeananne kept referring to during our interview. From the stylish paddles, colorful balls, and approachable court, it became clear to me that the sport called for high spirits and good humor. Even if, like me, you have John McEnroe tendencies to go ballistic on your racket, the 15-inch, brightly colored pickleball paddle just doesn’t elicit the same level of intensity. Neither does the game. By the end of the lesson, I was also a convert because I swiftly noted how quick rallies and necessary attention to the ball could improve my tennis game. I still think pickleball is watered-down tennis, but now I know it’s for all the right reasons. 

Pickleball is my summer sports pick! So, if you’re searching for an active, easygoing, accessible-friendly sport, I recommend you venture to the indoor courts of the Saul Adler Community Center or The Rec at 7th Street Square. If you are an outdoor player like myself, give Jeannane a call at the MAC to get your sweat on. With a daring attitude and a few willing friends, you’ll quickly realize that pickleball is, as my brother put it, chicken soup for the stressed-out soul.