Pickleball Breeds Friendship

A typical day at many park and recreation facilities across the country, or to some of the new Pickleball Clubs that continue to emerge brings scores of over50s to Pickleball Courts to PLAY together! Yes - and I mean play, as in the way we knew it as kids.

How many of us have our best friend relationships established before age 20, during school-age years? Making friends as an adult, meeting people, building strong bonds and trust, becomes more difficult and often rare.

People often meet through work or through friends of friends. Those past the working age, the retired set so often become isolated and less able to find community or mates to spend time with and find camaraderie. A television, or now, technology and social media become one’s social life. Picture a person, sitting alone day after day, on a recliner, remote control in hand.

Enter pickleball.

A TeamReach app begins many of the playdate invitations, with active with queries such as: ‘Who’s playing today?’; ‘What time?’; ‘I can be there at ….’ and on it goes from there.

Once on the courts the smiles and laughter ensue, with cordial invites from one to another to join in on the next game. Characteristic of courts everywhere with recreational play, common pickleball includes encouragement of one another and inviting people in to play.

Those waiting on the sidelines, and there are more and more of them since this sport is such a popular pastime, will eventually rotate in. ‘Hey, we need a fourth - anyone ready to play?’ or from the service line: ‘3-5-2’. And a lot of ‘Great shot; nice one, or what a great get!’

The encouragement, friendliness and courtesy are a part of the game’s design. Expected even.

The culture for Pickleball on many recreational courts is to allow for mixed play. Sometimes courts have ways to split the beginners from the more advanced, yet often people mix in

and the beginners get better fast.

This too speaks to the nature of the game. It is accessible. For someone who is 80 years old, for example, was once a racquetball player, maybe dabbled in Ping pong, has a winning serve and spin that really sizzles.

The mean age of pickleball players in the early 2000s were in their 50s. That number has shifted downward as younger players take the courts. In 2024, the average age is closer to 39 years old.

Many Pickleball players come to find this sport in their 70s and even 80s. Pickleball offers the ability to learn something new and be able to improve and increase one's skill over time. Combining exercise with having a social life is a beautiful thing.

It is a brain workout too. Be ready for the next shot, prepared to respond. Learning game strategy, how to best work with a partner, and individual skill-building to improve one's own game are all part of the challenge and the fun. Grown-ups are having this type of healthy fun, keeping active in body and mind, feeling real joy that lifts and touches the spirit; Pickleball is about being fully engaged.

The latest statistics from The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) states 19% of all adults (48.3 million people) play pickleball in the U.S.A. Canyon Pickleball reveals for 2024: The latest research from the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) reveals staggering numbers. A whopping 48.3 million adult Americans – nearly 19% of the total adult population – played pickleball at least once in the past year.

Pickleball is more than a sport. It is a life-changing activity that people continue to discover and enjoy, and it is, happily, here to stay.

Written by Melinda Alcosser, Guilford resident, Pickleball player and Certified coach with IPTPA, is available to teach others who want to learn to play. She also organizes Carpe Dink’em Pickleball Vacations and With Heart Travel. Contact Melinda@WithHeartTravel.com or 310.903.5107 for more information.

Join Melinda in March 2025 in Turks and Caicos for an amazing pickleball experience with an all-inclusive beachfront resort stay, expert coaching from Certified instructors, lots of fun and laughter. Open to all levels, from newbie to advanced. Each of Melinda's trips supports a local organization within the destination. These March 2025 trips partner with TCI Women In Sports.