Pickleball

you just have to love the game to get in on the fun.” To his point, on an overcast Saturday morning spent at the Peachblossom YMCA outdoor courts, I met a doctor, a pastor, a window washer and a lawyer, among many others, all at different levels of play and all brought together by their love of pickleball. The games that day were more about having fun than competing, but that’s the diversity of the sport at its best. Although Nick has his hands full organizing tournaments and competitions in the area, some folks prefer the more casual, recreational side of the game.

“For me, the social aspect is the real draw,” said Royal Oak resident Elizabeth Tong. “The people that I’ve met through the local pickleball community have been incredible. They’re like family.” An admitted beginner to the game, Elizabeth regularly attends the intermediate-level gatherings and described one day when a woman of 92 years was her most formidable opponent. Elizabeth told me of the many friendships she has made on the courts, but one in particular that stood out to me was that of her new friendship with another local woman who, it turned out, had attended the same alma mater, and who also gave Elizabeth and her husband a West Coast connection for when they travel there. On their latest jaunt, the families met for lunch in Washington State, very near the home of the sport.

“It’s all about the networking, the people you meet,” Bozman resident Kevin Higginbotham told me. A retired Marine, Kevin is now doing what he is most passionate about: training dogs and playing pickleball. He is very active and competitive with the sport, but the community offers something for all levels, and he is able to compete with other players of his skill set, “And much better,” he joked. I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin after I interviewed Elizabeth Tong. They are pickleball buddies, and she recommended him as a dog trainer. He is now helping me with my rambunctious Heeler pup. Even in writing this article, I benefited from the magic described by Brandon Mackie.

On that dreary but dry Saturday morning that I watched and listened to the game and its enthusiastic participants, the magic was substantial, particularly when a woman told me how pickleball brought her out of a depressive pattern. Michelle Jacoby suffered

Pickleball

from Seasonal Affective Disorder until she discovered the game and the vibrant community that maintains it. “The winter months are now enjoyable because of pickleball and the people that I’ve met by playing.” Several folks that morning told me that if it hadn’t been for the sport, the lonesome months of the pandemic would have been difficult to bear. Indeed, it seems there is something remarkable about this game and its players.

As the sport continues to grow in our community, both socially and competitively, the original, family-oriented roots of pickleball remain strong. According to Easton resident Fran Pobletts, “When my daughters visit from out of town, they know to bring their paddles!”

Sam Van Nest is a sharp, intutive writer in his late 20’s and teaches writing at Chesapeake College.