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Pickleball Journal - Entry 2

Dozens of us crazies gathered indoors in a large gymnasium for three hours of nonstop play. Match point was seven, after which players rotated from court to court, playing with new people, having to fit well with a new teammate or not at all, having to be swift and keep up, with little or no rest between matches. Everybody was having so much fun that it didn’t matter; all were polite and friendly and keeping the overall atmosphere at that level. Despite overall good vibes, I had to stand my ground once or twice when a couple of players tried telling me when to go to the net. As before in such situations, I chose not to follow their orders and concentrated on my own strategy, an effective one given the circumstances. Their plans, no surprise, failed them again and again. Besides, I understood the fundamentals of the game and when challenged throughout the course of the evening proved my competence. When it comes to serving, professional player Riley Newman’s advice for both the serving and receiving teams—“serve and stay, return and run”—came in handy. I was prepared to repeat those words if pushed, but play continued without confrontation.

A few of the men seemed to spike the ball every time their paddle touched it, using no strategy or other shots or techniques at all. Many such rips landed far over the baseline or struck the back wall. I saw it more as showing off than as teamwork and smart play. In fact, I, an average recreational player, blocked/deflected some of the smashes and redirected the ball, winning points here and there. I even reset to dinking once or twice and won points by soft placement and finding angles, preventing the high-power put-away.

Between games, while waiting to be called to fill a spot, I observed the games on the three courts. Don’t misunderstand me, everybody there played well, there were no beginners. However, I couldn’t help noticing the utter absence of dinking, of defense, of teammates working together and covering court. Full disclosure: I’ve watched many professional MLP and PPA tournaments. Watching players at that level compete has influenced my judgments, shaped my opinions, and deepened my appreciation for good, fundamental pickleball. And even though I follow the sport and enjoy playing for fun, sometimes I get disheartened by the posing and posturing and strutting in recreational pickleball, especially by those whose playing I perceive as far below professional pickleball standards. Many are not cocky, but some are—and for no justifiable reason. And when my eye catches this kind of person in action, I realize, with a quiet laugh and silent satisfaction, that such a player would be set straight—embarrassed, even—on a pro court.