Pickleball
==========

I've been playing a lot of pickleball recently.  I've wanted to try it for some
years now, and I even played a couple games in the past, but I really didn't get
into it until recently.  My busy life normally only allows for a few personal
activities that don't include house work, work, being a dad, and husband;
however, I'm recently on a bit of an extended work trip and have occasion to
play a bit more.  There's a club nearby that I play at a few nights a week after
work, and it's a lot of fun and quite energizing.

> Transition from Racquetball
I played a decent amount of racquetball over the last 8-10 years, with
intermittent breaks due to injury or covid as the major factors.  I'd play one
or two times a week against a few regulars, who would undoubtedly kick my butt
on almost every occasion, but I really didn't care because racquetball is
exhilarating and some of the best cardio exercise you can get.  My biggest issue
with racquetball, outside of just not being really good, is that it's tough on
the body.  It's easy to play this game when you're in your teens and 20s, and
probably into your 30s, but now that I'm in my 40s, and despite being decently
in shape, racquetball just takes a toll on my knees, IT band, back, and
shoulders.  After a couple hours of racquetball I would have to stretch, and
take a break from playing for at least a few days to let my body recover.  Like
I said, I'm not out of shape, I'm just older now.

When I was younger I played a decent amount of ping-pong / table tennis.  I was
never really amazing at it, but I could hold my own.  I remember my neighborhood
friends would invite me to their church's "youth night" on fridays and we would
play.  I also played a bit in my 20s but stopped after a while. 

Pickleball seems to address my interest for ping-pong and cross it with my love
for racquetball, all while reducing injury and increasing the amount of
available game play.  Due to the doubles format and the inclusion of the soft
game, pickleball keeps the intensity of racquetball but reduces the necessary
raw power so that you can stay in the game longer.  Indeed, a very common phrase
among pickleballers, even after 3 hours of play, is "okay one more game."  This
is made possible because despite the intensity, the body is still fine.

Pickleball still has a preconceived notion about it - the notion that pickleball
is for those nursing injuries or are old but still want to be active in their
golden years.  While pickleball does lend it self to all age ranges and most
abilities, I've been on many pickleball courts playing a game with both folks in
their 60s against teenagers, and all were equally matched.  Sure the kids were
faster, but the older folks had quicker hands and better angles; it's all how
you play.

Some of the best players, of course, are still in their 20s and 30s.  At the
high end, these players hammer the ball and are able to run and hit
around-the-post (ATP) shots with relative ease, while still being able to
perform soft-touch perfect dinks and block/return speedups.  Yes, you won't see
a lot of older people playing professionally, at least not near the top, but for
semi-competitive or even competitive recreational play, not much can beat
pickleball with accessibility and gameplay. 

I've not competed in a tournament yet so I don't know my rating, but I'd say I'm
intermediate.  I'm hoping to work this back into my regular routine at home and
keep the good cardio going.  Until then, I'll just keep practicing.

~Gritty
2026-02-16