My new found sport: Pickleball!

I didn’t necessarily expect this new sport to jump out at me. I went the first time because I was interested in hanging out with the people who invited me – ok let’s be real, a cute guy. But now, I’m hooked! You have to give pickleball a shot next time you’re looking for a new, fun sport to play.

And, no, it has nothing to do with actual pickles. It’s basically a game of tennis, combined with badminton and ping pong, using wooden paddles and a wiffle-ball to go back and forth over the net. It’s a variation and combination of many other court-based net sports, but it’s really fun and fast-paced and a great workout!

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the nation; for every tennis court, you can fit approximately four pickleball courts. There is strategy and finesse involved, and where you stand is huge. The game requires two teams consisting of two players each. If you don’t have enough players, you can always go to the Concord courts off of Olivera and pick up some games.

I met the coordinator of the Walnut Creek Pickle Ball group in the summer (they play at Rudgear Park), but as it gets darker, they move to Concord. I have now played three times and the last time with the Walnut Creek Group. I was told I should take a lesson or two to figure out where to be and the overall game – not bad advice, however, they did say my shots were good and have potential; probably because I have played a lot of racquetball and volleyball. I just bought a racquet and a couple of balls, now I just need to learn how to dominate and stay out of the kitchen…

Walnut Creek has a bunch of courts at Rudgear Park on the corner of Stewart and Dapplegray, some indoor at Tice, and Concord has around 14 courts which are lit for night play. If you want more information, send a reply and I will hook you up!