Read the first entry here.

Read the second entry here.

‍

I feel like I'm in a unique situation as a beginning pickleball player, because I am around pro pickleball all the time and it's literally my job to cover it. So rather than becoming interested in the pro game after taking lessons myself, it was actually the complete opposite where I learned the game of pickleball and its rules by watching the pros, and that's what made me want to play. So I figured I'd use my pro player access and share their knowledge with the world, and hopefully get some tips for my own game in the process! 

I asked some of our top pros what they would advise to folks who are interested in learning to play pickleball or just starting out - no specifics, just a blank slate for them to offer up the first things that came to mind. Below are the gems that were bestowed upon me. Can you relate? 

Will Howells: “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. The community is super welcoming, they want new players to join, so don’t be afraid to show up at a park, people will teach you how to play. I just showed up at a local park and people showed me how to play. My buddy brought me and that’s how I started playing. Shoutout to Marshall Rickey for bringing me to the park!”

Bobbi Oshiro: “Pickleball has such a great community behind it so it’s important to have fun and enjoy it. That’s how we all got into it is because you meet a ton of great people you want to be around!”

Sofia Sewing: "Emphasize time drilling and working on specific things to improve rather than playing rec games!”

Megan Fudge: “Start simple. No fancy paddle, shoes, outfits or coaches needed. When you first start embracing the game it’s all about trying something new with an open mind and letting yourself embrace the spirit of the sport which is a fun, social sport. But I’ll finish with a disclosure: it’s crazy addicting and will take over your life.”

Susannah Barr: “Enjoy the process, laugh often, and don’t be afraid to move up and volley the ball out of the air.”

Jack Munro: “The less wrist the better!”

Erik Lange: “Play with lots of different people, embrace your own style, it’s OK to be different, this game is unsolved.”

‍

I'm not going to lie, I feel a little too seen by Jack Munro's advice! But I also think it's pretty incredible that almost all of them said something completely different, which basically proves Erik Lange's point, and I loved that he used the word "unsolved" because I think that's a great way to describe this still relatively new sport that is, for each of us, what we make it.

Happy Holidays to all of you reading and I hope you get some pickleball gifted to you this season, whatever that may mean to you! 

‍