Pandemic Pickleball

This year has illustrated the resilience of pickleball as a sport, as well as the resourcefulness of the growing number of MAC members who are playing the versatile game.

In the early days of the pandemic, MAC members Dana and Bill Hunt jerry-rigged a practice court on the small back patio of their house in Palm Springs, where they were sheltering in place. They taped the lines of a mini-court on their deck, and used a bungee cord and storage chest to envision the net. As Bill noted, “It offered us a great way to practice our dinking skills!” Later, when MAC was in its early reopening phase, MAC Racquetball players discovered the allure of playing a racquet sport outdoors, including on the newly refinished outdoor MAC Pickleball court above the Parking Structure. “We like to play and compete, and we enjoy hanging out together!” said Racquetball Committee Chair Georgette Blomquist. “We were able to play while respecting COVID guidelines. Our group was big and it became so popular we eventually had to split into two levels of play.”

Nancy Hinnen, who spent many COVID days at Black Butte Ranch in Central Oregon, noted that pickleball is a strong community builder, with enthusiasts from ages 11 to 80 playing together outside. “We keep our distance, but don’t have to play with masks on, which I appreciate. We sign in for potential contact tracing, use hand sanitizer and sanitize balls. The hardest habit to break was high fives. Now we just salute our paddles at each other after a good point!”

Pickleball is an easy sport to pick up and play. It accommodates many levels of skill and mobility, so it’s a great sport for families of all ages to play together. What better sport to learn during these strange times?