St George is going crazy for Pickleball

I’m getting close on talking my wife into trying Pickleball. Her friends convinced her it’s just for old people and she jokingly asked if I want to meet at Denny’s for dinner around 4:30 before we play and asks if the courts smell like Icy Hot.  It's for ANYBODY.  It's not shuffleboard.  

What most people like about Pickleball is that you can socialize WHILE playing. You are close to your partner and not far away from your opponent. And, unlike tennis or racquetball, you’re not winded and can have a conversation. The funny thing about the game too is that someone came up with the most lifeless ball in all of sports so you can really whack it and still play in a smaller area. And when you decide to put in a court in your backyard someday, it takes up a LOT less property than a tennis court. 

The scoring of Pickleball puzzles some people but it can be learned and doesn’t really take an advanced math degree. Here are the basics on the scoring. https://www.totalpickleball.com  

You’ll need to learn a few terms but not many.  Things like Dink, Drop Shot Volley, Carry, Kitchen and a few others.  There’s even Pickleball apparel so I know my wife will like shopping for that. And while the sport is growing in popularity, you might think finding an open court would be a challenge. On some days, it might be but you’ve got a LOT to choose from. Look at all of these options. There are probably 20 or more courts all over St George and Cedar City with more being built now.   https://www.sgcity.org/search/pickleball.php 

My coworkers who are already playing love it. As you can see, you hit the ball with something that’s more of a paddle than a racquet. So far, a “tennis bracelet” is my wife’s only connection to sports like this played on a court.  I’d never heard of a tennis necklace until Christmas this year but I don’t think that applies when it comes to trying Pickleball.  Luckily she's up for trying something new so, we'll see you on the court.