To celebrate Valentine's Day (or Galentine's Day, if you prefer), we wanted to take a moment to express our deep affection for our most beloved sport: Pickleball. And what better way to do that than with a good old-fashioned love listicle?
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The Dink presents 10 Things to Love About Pickleball.
10. It's Simple, Not Easy
Pickleball is a sport that is easy to learn but difficult to master. The basic rules and mechanics can be picked up quickly, making it accessible to players of all ages and skill levels. However, as you dive deeper into the game, you'll find there are endless strategies and techniques to perfect. Whether you're working on simply getting the serve inbounds or mastering the backhand ATP, there's always room to improve.
9. Community Spirit
The pickleball community is unlike any other. Whether you're playing in local tournaments or traveling to national events, you'll find a welcoming and supportive group of players. It's not uncommon for opponents to share tips and tricks with each other during a match or for players to cheer on their opponents' good shots. Pickleball truly brings people together.
8. You Can Play With Your Grandkids or Grandparents
Name another physical activity where grandma can keep up with her eight-year-old grandchild? Pickleball is truly multi-generational. Not only can grandparents keep up, but they can also teach those little ones some important life lessons. Such as, "If you hit a speedup down the middle on grandpa, you're going to get body bagged."
7. An Excuse to Play Outside More
Maybe not in mid-February, but pickleball can be played outdoors for a good portion of the year in most areas of the country. Helping us all get that extra vitamin D and a nice tan. Just don't forget the sunscreen.
6. A Reason to Compete
Many of us grew up playing sports and attending meets or tournaments. As we enter adulthood, those days get further and further behind us. Not with pickleball. You can hop onto a court every day of the week and enter a local tournament or league if you want to crank it up a notch.
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There's just something extra special about prepping a giant bag of orange slices at 5 a.m. before an all-day Saturday tournament to get the nostalgia and competitive juices flowing.
5. It Keeps Us Fit
There's no denying it – pickleball is a great workout. From the constant movement and quick, explosive shots to the hand-eye coordination and reflexes required, playing pickleball helps us stay fit both physically and mentally.
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4. Always a New Challenge
As you improve at pickleball, you'll find that there's always room for growth and new challenges. Whether it's learning a new shot or perfecting your footwork, there's never a dull moment on the court. And with the constant growth of the sport, there will always be new players to compete against and learn from.
3. Getting New Pickleball Gear is Awesome
Who doesn't love to see a box with fresh new kicks or the latest greatest paddle sitting on their porch when they get home? Unboxing used to be just for kids and their new toys. Now, it's for all of us and our new athletic socks or paddle weights. There's no end to the pickleball accessories you can get, and while our wallets might be lighter, we get to play and look better on the courts because of it.
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2. It's Everywhere, All the Time
Pull up to a local park or check in at your club at just about any time of the day, and you're bound to hear that sweet sound of carbon paddles smacking plastic balls (okay, maybe it's not a sweet sound to EVERYONE). Even if you can't be on the court, thanks to Pickleball TV and YouTube, you can find a match or instructional video to watch or a podcast to listen to. Content creators are out here doing their thing, and we can't thank them enough for it.
Pickleball is even blowing up in China right now.
1. Pickleball is Just Fun
Pickleball is just plain fun. The social aspect of playing with friends and meeting new people, combined with the physical and mental benefits, make pickleball an enjoyable activity for all ages. It's why we all fell in love with it as soon as we stepped onto the court, and it's why we will all play it until someone forces us to stop.
