Pickleball anyone?

[Van-Guard23]

So there I was, watching my wife compete in an inter-community pickleball tournament in Central Texas...during the awards ceremony, I spotted a Hydroflask-like water bottle with the name “Rick Ferri” written on it. I approached the owner and when I asked him if he is THE Rick Ferri, popular in the Bogleheads community, I recognized his face and he responded that he was who I thought he was. He and his partner took first place in the mixed doubles category. In briefly chatting with him, he shared that Mel Lindauer plays pickleball as well.

My wife, was surprised I knew someone playing in the tournament, being new to Texas and to the sport. I introduced him to my wife as Rick Ferri, a rock star in the Bogleheads community...as he sheepishly shrugged off the compliment. I told her I knew of him through the Bogleheads community...and that the Bogleheads way of saving/investing helped us achieve FIRE, relocate from Hawai’i and buy a house in our new 55+ community.

How many other FIRE people play pickleball?

 

[REWahoo]

Interesting story Van-Guard, and another example of what a small world the FIRE community is.

BTW, if you have relocated to TX from HI you might want to update your profile - especially your sig line re: paradise.

 

[Ready]

I started playing pickleball in January and have found it quite addictive. I’ve met hundreds of people playing, some who have become good friends now.

When I left the workforce I went from being around people in the office all day to being mostly by myself. It was getting lonely. Now that I have met people playing pickleball I have a regular social network to keep me from feeling isolated. It gives me a place to go to in the mornings to meet up with people and socialize, as well as get some exercise.

I will admit it’s become a bit of an addiction at this point, as I find myself playing about four hours a day. I’m playing in a tournament at the end of the month, so I’m in heavy practice mode now. But it’s been a great sport to keep me active, and I’ve really enjoyed learning how to play.

 

[RunningBum]

There was a thread earlier in the year.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/pickle-ball-92839.html

 

[Van-Guard23]

Interesting story Van-Guard, and another example of what a small world the FIRE community is.



BTW, if you have relocated to TX from HI you might want to update your profile - especially your sig line re: paradise.

REWahoo,
Nords told me about you and how you live just outside SA.

About that signature...haven’t gotten around to updating it...and with the colder temperatures on the mainland, I might just keep it the way it is for a bit [emoji1]

 

[Van-Guard23]

There was a thread earlier in the year.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f27/pickle-ball-92839.html

Ah...I searched for “pickleball”...one word as it is commonly used

 

[RunningBum]

Ah...I searched for “pickleball”...one word as it is commonly used

Pays to be lazy. I stopped typing at "pickle".

 

[Dtail]

My DGF and I one could say are obsessed with Pickleball. If one plays it in a somewhat competitive fashion, it provides a great workout, not to mention a great social setting.
Unfortunately, right now waiting for a surgery date for a (minor) hernia, so out of commission for about 1 more month.

 

[HadEnuff]

I'm 65 now, and I used to play a lot of Platform Tennis. I stopped around the age of 45 because I kept getting hurt. FF to age 60, and a visit to The Villages Fl, where it is hugely popular. I watched, and decided this would be a great way to get injured, for me.
Last winter DW and I decided we would spend this winter in The Villages. As summer progressed here in NY State I kept running into more and more people, around my age, obsessed with the game. So I got interested. Bought balls and paddles, and joined a club that just built two pickleball courts.
Our first day as members, we were invited to a group get-together on the new courts, introducing new players to the game. I had a great time. I felt as if my Platform Tennis background really carried over to PB.
Like I said, I was having a great time, right up to the moment my right achilles tendon ruptured. This was on August 31, the Friday of Labor Day Weekend.

I am now in week 16 of my achilles tendon rupture recovery. Unfortunately for me, I don't think my body can take racket sports with the need for quick changes of direction. Too bad. It's a great game.
When I finally started physical therapy, my PT was getting my information and said "Oh, I heard about you. You're the guy who tore up his achilles the first time you ever played it. You are locally famous"....great..
then he put me on a bicycle and the guy next to me was about my age, rehabbing a ruptured patellar tendon, he injured doing what? you guessed it...Pickleball.

So, enjoy, but be careful.

 

[Van-Guard23]

I'm 65 now, and I used to play a lot of Platform Tennis. I stopped around the age of 45 because I kept getting hurt. FF to age 60, and a visit to The Villages Fl, where it is hugely popular. I watched, and decided this would be a great way to get injured, for me.
Last winter DW and I decided we would spend this winter in The Villages. As summer progressed here in NY State I kept running into more and more people, around my age, obsessed with the game. So I got interested. Bought balls and paddles, and joined a club that just built two pickleball courts.
Our first day as members, we were invited to a group get-together on the new courts, introducing new players to the game. I had a great time. I felt as if my Platform Tennis background really carried over to PB.
Like I said, I was having a great time, right up to the moment my right achilles tendon ruptured. This was on August 31, the Friday of Labor Day Weekend.

I am now in week 16 of my achilles tendon rupture recovery. Unfortunately for me, I don't think my body can take racket sports with the need for quick changes of direction. Too bad. It's a great game.
When I finally started physical therapy, my PT was getting my information and said "Oh, I heard about you. You're the guy who tore up his achilles the first time you ever played it. You are locally famous"....great..
then he put me on a bicycle and the guy next to me was about my age, rehabbing a ruptured patellar tendon, he injured doing what? you guessed it...Pickleball.

So, enjoy, but be careful.

Yikes! After being introduced to the sport five months ago, I partially tore my left calf muscle (grade 2) while playing (DW said I was playing like a madman running down every ball and hitting overhead smashes with abandon) and was out of commission for a month and a half...after playing again, I then strained my right calf muscle and have been playing sparingly after recovering from that injury.
Rough sport, but DW loves it and she’s hooked.

 

[Dtail]

Yikes! After being introduced to the sport five months ago, I partially tore my left calf muscle (grade 2) while playing (DW said I was playing like a madman running down every ball and hitting overhead smashes with abandon) and was out of commission for a month and a half...after playing again, I then strained my right calf muscle and have been playing sparingly after recovering from that injury.
Rough sport, but DW loves it and she’s hooked.

Ain't that the truth. It appears like an easy game for retirees, although now also played for money by 20/30's yo in tournaments.
When the game is played on a competitive level, the injuries definitely appear much greater and somewhat surprising to me.

 

[W2R]

OK, just now I finally went to youtube to watch some pickleball and discover exactly what it IS.

Looks like tennis played with extra large pingpong paddles. I dunno, I used to play tennis in high school and really liked it so I'm not sure why they want to change it like that.

Rick Ferri is one of my heroes! That is so cool that you met him. I never met him myself, but I think he is one of the best known Bogleheads. His book All About Asset Allocation was one of the five from the Bogleheads book list that I read multiple times and studied as the basis for my financial planning years ago.

 

[Dtail]

OK, just now I finally went to youtube to watch some pickleball and discover exactly what it IS.

Looks like tennis played with extra large pingpong paddles. I dunno, I used to play tennis in high school and really liked it so I'm not sure why they want to change it like that.

Despite the injuries for some, it still is less taxing than tennis and is really more designed for doubles.
It also takes away any power serving advantages of tennis and places more emphasis on placement up to a certain point, which puts men and women on a somewhat more even playing field.

 

[Retirein2024]

I tried it for the first time in the Villages last December. My wife and I really enjoyed it.

 

[HadEnuff]

OK, just now I finally went to youtube to watch some pickleball and discover exactly what it IS.

Looks like tennis played with extra large pingpong paddles. I dunno, I used to play tennis in high school and really liked it so I'm not sure why they want to change it like that.

Despite the injuries for some, it still is less taxing than tennis and is really more designed for doubles.
It also takes away any power serving advantages of tennis and places more emphasis on placement up to a certain point, which puts men and women on a somewhat more even playing field.

In the brief time I was enjoying it, I noticed that with 4 people on a small court it is a very sociable game. It really is fun. It is with some sadness I accept the fact that I should stay away from it.

 

[joeea]

How many other FIRE people play pickleball?

I read about it a while back and purchased equipment for my wife and I. We went to a local tennis court and fooled around with it a bit. Seems like fun.

Next spring when we move to our beachside home and sell our primary residence I expect to join in the community pickleball sessions. Looking forward to that.

 

[Dtail]

In the brief time I was enjoying it, I noticed that with 4 people on a small court it is a very sociable game. It really is fun. It is with some sadness I accept the fact that I should stay away from it.

Yeah that really sucks for you. Would be a big deal for me not playing. Perhaps you can find a substitute.

 

[HadEnuff]

Yeah that really sucks for you. Would be a big deal for me not playing. Perhaps you can find a substitute.

Golf, and walking. I thought that while wintering in The Villages I might check out the bocce club. Just for giggles. I should be able to play bocce without getting hurt too badly.

 

[Dtail]

Golf, and walking. I thought that while wintering in The Villages I might check out the bocce club. Just for giggles. I should be able to play bocce without getting hurt too badly.

I know the Villages has many softball clubs/teams. Would that be out for you too?

 

[eroscott]

I play. There are some great pickleball videos and coaches. Many of these I watch on youtube on my PC web browser where I use the gear icon and change the speed to x1.25 or x1.50. You will love these!

A solid coach: ThirdShotSports: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFXy3d28sy72PsyXMm8sZ2A/playlists

Pickleball Channel and specifically their '411' videos. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=pickleball+411

Sarah Ansboury is excellent: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHuN2VCgXnwESfgmDTF-Ldg/videos

Deb Harrison is informative: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyhmm99XaLz9t-gHxiHBv-g/videos

 

[HadEnuff]

I know the Villages has many softball clubs/teams. Would that be out for you too?

Funny you should mention that. My BIL snapped both of his achilles playing softball. Double ugh! Nothing like that this year though. No "explosive" movements.

 

[Kroeran]

pickleball would likely benefit from research and beginner's training regarding injury risk mitigation.

someone must know about easing older adults into intensive sports such as tennis.

I grew up playing cottage paddle tennis, which is very much like pickle but with a tennis ball.

the challenge for me is that most picklers are full time, a couple of hours a day, and playing at high levels. not easy to blend in if you just do a couple of games a week.

having seen a lot of injuries I am easing myself in very carefully

Riverland Port St Lucie FL plans 37 pickle courts

 

[Philliefan33]

I found a “Meetup” event posted for beginners to intermediate (Level 3.0) nearby for this morning. DH and I have only been playing doubles for a week or so, after a summer of whacking the ball back and forth at/to each other, and we are probably somewhere around a level 2.5.

We went to the meetup this morning. The players were friendly enough, but there were no beginners there. Most of the people were putting wicked spin on the serves so it was hard for me to control my returns. Talking to some, I found out that there were quite a few 3.75+ players there. They signed up for the meetup once they saw there were openings and knew they could get some court time.

Good for them, but I do wish I could play someone of near equal ability so I didn’t have to struggle on every.single.serve. It’s tough to learn when the only way to win a rally is to make a perfect shot. [emoji26]

We will play again Wednesday, at the club we joined a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I’ll win a game.

 

[Dtail]

I found a “Meetup” event posted for beginners to intermediate (Level 3.0) nearby for this morning. DH and I have only been playing doubles for a week or so, after a summer of whacking the ball back and forth at/to each other, and we are probably somewhere around a level 2.5.

We went to the meetup this morning. The players were friendly enough, but there were no beginners there. Most of the people were putting wicked spin on the serves so it was hard for me to control my returns. Talking to some, I found out that there were quite a few 3.75+ players there. They signed up for the meetup once they saw there were openings and knew they could get some court time.

Good for them, but I do wish I could play someone of near equal ability so I didn’t have to struggle on every.single.serve. It’s tough to learn when the only way to win a rally is to make a perfect shot. [emoji26]

We will play again Wednesday, at the club we joined a couple of weeks ago. Maybe I’ll win a game.

As an aside, it is fairly difficult to put a heavy spin on the serve without violating the rules around the serve.
One supposed to be serving in an upward motion with the racket hitting the ball while being below the wrist.
Thus to put a major spin on the ball, one typically has to hit it side to side or downward motion which is illegal.
We are intermediate players, but will call it illegal, so folks stay away from the heavy spins.
Check out the official rules if you will.
Anyways, over time you will get better. We have only been playing since the summer.

 

[Philliefan33]

As an aside, it is fairly difficult to put a heavy spin on the serve without violating the rules around the serve.

One supposed to be serving in an upward motion with the racket hitting the ball while being below the wrist.

Thus to put a major spin on the ball, one typically has to hit it side to side or downward motion which is illegal.

We are intermediate players, but will call it illegal, so folks stay away from the heavy spins.

Check out the official rules if you will.

Anyways, over time you will get better. We have only been playing since the summer.

This YouTube video shows the kinds of spins I was facing today. Are these legal where you play? No one was calling them illegal today.

https://youtu.be/-uTYNnZWPpU