In a Pickle

With the popularity of pickleball on the rise, and as season approaches, finding court times can be a challenge. It doesn’t matter where you go to play, the courts are crowded! There is an old saying that if you build it, they will come. But the simple fact is, no matter where you go, they are already coming and we simply just can’t build enough courts to accommodate everyone. Unlike tennis where you have a foursome and you schedule your court time, in pickleball everybody shows up and wants to play at the same time of day. So what can be done to resolve this overcrowding? Here are a few recommendations to help alleviate this problem and make playing time more pleasant, fun, and enjoyable for ourselves and everyone around us.

First, let’s accept the fact that we are all in this together. It will take all of us working together to ease the pain of crowded courts. Second, let’s also accept the fact that by human nature we are creatures of habit. I see players show up at the exact same time on a daily basis and then get irritated when someone else has arrived before them and they now have to wait to get on a court. Third, let’s accept the fact that you cannot improve your game by just playing games, you must include training and practicing to become a better player.

Tip Number One: Stagger your playing days. Instead of playing every day, do some off court training and conditioning to help improve your game.

Tip Number Two: Take some clinics. It’s a great way to meet new friends and to learn practice drills.

Tip Number Three: Take some private lessons. Get together with a few of your regular playing partners, hire an instructor, and work on improving specific issues that are challenging to your level of play.

Tip Number Four: Participate in leagues and round robins. These events provide a format of organized pre scheduled team participation and are usually run by staff personnel or instructors.

Adding a variety of activities to your regular playing schedule is a fun way to improve skills and become a better player. And remember, wherever you may be playing and participating, everybody else around you wants to get on the court and play just as much as you do! Be patient, be polite, and be respectful to others. Most importantly, just have fun!