Pickleball is growing in popularity so quickly that in many ways the industry is barely keeping up with demand. I definitely believe that, for most people, it’s within their right and interest to develop their own game, however, what I hope is that pickleball enthusiasts find a way to give back to the game.
So, here are three of my obvious reasons why - at some point - any pickleball participant should get involved above just playing the sport...
I’m sure we can all recall those classic beginner moments in our memory box: stepping into the kitchen and hitting what feels to be the best overhead smash in history or letting others keep track of the score.
How many volley returns did you hit until finally understanding and remembering the two-bounce rule? Recently, I was watching a group of newer players having a great time on the court. Their rallies were short and it took almost three serving “cycles” before a point was scored but they were having so much fun.
I caught myself wondering if they had ever taken lessons, or would they even be interested in lessons, or are they out there to just have a good laugh? My thought concluded with: regardless of lessons, it would take no time at all for more experienced players to impart a few tips to this group and I hoped that people were doing that for them. A small tip can go a long way.
For example: dropping the paddle beside the leg takes away reaction time and causes more work for a player in the long run. Takes seconds to point out but it can be a game-changer for most beginners.
Almost everyone I know whose skill level is 4.0 or above has introduced the game to at least two people and they’ve played matches with lower-level players to help “bring them up” in the game.
With a game that can be played with very little instruction and very little technique I think it is important to “lead by example” and to continue giving back to the game whenever possible.
One of the most appealing parts about pickleball - apologies if I’ve mentioned this in another article - is that pickleball can be played pretty much anywhere and by anyone; and because of that, it makes it one of the most accessible sports out there.
As popular as pickleball is, what I’ve noticed is that the game attracts people to it and yet, we’ve barely put any work into making this sport accessible to certain demographics.
In recent, junior programs are starting to appear, with the help of APP Next Gen and legends of the game like Simone Jardim mentoring players, which is fantastic and necessary for the longevity of the game.
The governing bodies have also done a commendable job developing and integrating para-pickleball as well, however, there are less obvious demographics such as Indigenous people, or the LGBT community who represent a very small percentage of the participation rate.
I’ll always advocate that there is room for an increase in female participation too. The more people who get involved in pickleball off of the court the more opportunity that can be created to include diversity in our sport.
Organizing tournaments can be a big undertaking and not everyone has the time, interest, or experience to run a tournament, however, on a smaller scale, structured programming provides more options for participants - and - who doesn’t like variety?
Drop-in pickleball is so pre-pandemic, now is the time for house leagues, money balls, and who-knows-what-else to shine.
“Organization” leads me to the next point of this reason, if event planning is really not your tune, then consider volunteering for your local club or sport organization? I think it’s safe to say that all existing governing bodies are still mostly volunteer based and although some of the larger entities have paid positions, the organization is non-profit and being run by people who give up their own time.
Generally speaking, the people involved with governing bodies are growing pickleball but more specifically, they are the ones creating the rulebook that we all refer to, they’re building major tournaments such as USA Pickleball’s National Championships, offering training to people so that we have referees; they’re refereeing endless amounts of matches so that we can participate in “sanctioned” tournaments.
It’s such important work that I feel, unfortunately, can go overlooked and so even if I’m selling the volunteer gig as a somewhat thankless opportunity, developing the infrastructure of this sport is just so important for the future of pickleball.
On a more local level, I hope that club members see that their club volunteers are not only establishing a club for people to play at, but they’re also raising money (or going out of pocket) to supply equipment and lobbying city councilors for more local courts.
Most importantly, I hope they're engaging their membership in activities such as instructional clinics, ladders, and end-of-year socials and building a community, or, for most people, creating an extended family.
Paying it forward is not always something that goes noticed but that’s not the point of it either. It’s about sharing the fun of pickleball so people can enjoy the sports for years and years to come.
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