Baby Boomers’ passion for pickleball
By Linda Hepler Beaty
Sun contributor
Over the past seven decades, the post-World War II Baby Boomer population—which today represents nearly 20 percent of the American public—has had a tremendous impact upon our country. “Boomers” have driven consumer trends, changed social and cultural values, and ushered in a focus on self-development. According to the BOOMer Report by Sabi, boomers have a keen sense of adventure, are health conscious, and young at heart. Many are still working, some more for satisfaction than for money, enjoy traveling the world, and are busy ticking off their bucket lists.
But there is no question that boomers are greying. And while it’s easy enough to say that 85 is the new “old” or that you’re only as old as you feel, the reality is that as we age, we do begin to feel older, with a gradual decline in energy, endurance, and reflex time, not to mention stiffening and sometimes painful joints.
Which is why, when it comes to senior participation in sports, pickleball has risen to the top rung of popularity. “Exercise is one of the great keys to success for older citizens,” said local tennis coach, La Becasse bartender, and pickleball enthusiast Tim Sutherland. “But many of us have slowed down a little bit and our reflex time is not as quick. So with a one-third smaller court than tennis and a one-third slower speed of the ball, pickleball is the ideal sport.”
If you’re unfamiliar with this odd-named pastime, it is a racquet sport, with elements of tennis, badminton, paddleball and ping-pong. According to Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s 2016 Participant Report, there are over 2.5 million “picklers” in the United States. The game, according to legend, said Sutherland, was invented in the mid-1960s, when three golfers on Bainbridge Island, Washington, returned home from a Saturday on the links, and found their children bored, with nothing to do. Not being able to find the badminton equipment, they crafted paddles from plywood, found a whiffle ball, and lowered the badminton net to play the improvised game as a family, using rules much like tennis. Over the next few years, more refined rules were developed and the game was ultimately named “pickleball,” after the family dog Pickles, who would run around the court chasing the ball.
By the mid-70s, after an article was published by the National Observer, closely followed by Tennis magazine’s piece on “America’s Newest Racquet Sport,” pickleball evolved from a family game to a popular national sport. In 1984, the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) was formed to promote growth and development of the sport on a national level, and the first official rulebook was published. Today, pickleball is played throughout the United States and Canada, and has gained favor in many European and Asian countries as well.
Pickleball is relatively easy to learn, said Sutherland, “Especially if you have experience in other racquet sports.” It is played on a 20×44 foot court, with a 34-inch high net (tennis nets are set at 42 inches). It is usually played as a doubles game, with only the serving team able to score. After the serve and a bounce on the receiving team court, and a return bounce on the serving team court, players may play on the bounce or a volley. Games are typically played to 11 points (win by 2 points), but tournament games may be played to 21. Very little equipment is needed; besides the net and the multi-holed plastic ball, all you need is a paddle. Most players have their own paddles, according to Sutherland, which are made of wood or composite materials like aluminum and graphite, and are relatively inexpensive. “You can get a fairly nice one for about $100,” he explained.
The draw of the game? “It’s great exercise,” said Marcia Harris, who frequently plays pickleball at the Township Hall in Glen Arbor. But not too much strain on the joints, she acknowledged after a moment’s thought. “You’re only covering a small amount of space because you’re playing doubles and sharing the court. But you get to share with people you like,” she chuckled.
The social camaraderie is one of the best aspects of the game, said Sutherland. “It’s a great social game, lasting only about 15 minutes. It gets the competitive juices going, there’s lots of interactive fun and laughter, and good rapport among team mates.”
You don’t have to have a foursome to play a game, either, he added. Many venues hold pickleball hours on a drop in basis; teams are developed among those present, and play rotated among all.
In Leelanau County, you can choose indoor or outdoor play; in Glen Arbor, you can play at the Township Hall or at the Leelanau School gym, and both Suttons Bay and Empire offer outdoor courts in township parks. If you’re brand new to the game, and you haven’t had a lot of racquet sport experience, you may benefit from taking a few lessons, said Sutherland, who holds periodic clinics and lessons. “If you really want to get into the game and learn all the rules, though, you can take lessons in Traverse City at the Y.”
For more information, Tim Sutherland can be reached at 231-334-3938.
