You’re not alone.
In fact, nearly 5 million people have felt the exact same joyful feeling you’ve felt.
And it goes a little something like this…
You heard about the game, then heard about it again. Or a friend said “come play pickleball,” and you said, “picklewhat?”
Either way, you found yourself on a court — something that never entered your consciousness just a few weeks prior.
But then, it happened…
You had fun and didn’t completely suck. And after playing, you walked to the car, got in the driver seat, and thought, “maybe I could actually be good at this.”
Something you’d never say after playing most other sports for the first time.
A few days later…
…you found yourself back at the courts. Maybe with someone you knew or maybe, you felt bold enough to go alone. In fact, you can’t quite recall how you even got there.
As if some kind of addiction gnawed away at you until you got your fix.
Two weeks later, you were with a friend and the only thing you could talk about is this pickleball thing.
They were annoyed, but you didn’t care… so you continued on.
And suddenly, your friend used one of two words to describe your newfound love for this game.
Addicted or
Obsessed
You brushed it off.
Maybe even said, “So what if I am?” Then you got back to talking about how Linda (age 77) really gave you the business last time you were on the courts.
It’s a beautiful thing — pickleball.
And it feels like it’s completely taking over the world.
Well, I got news for you. It is.
And there’s three reasons why…
ChildLike Discovery
Shareability and
Community
Let’s start with…
CHILD LIKE DISCOVERY
What is it about this game that brings back the kid in us?
James Clear said it best…
Children are joyful and treat each day as a miracle — in part because they are continually surprised. Each day, they hear a new word or listen to a new song or learn about a new animal. It’s their first time visiting that restaurant or jumping in that pool or riding that rollercoaster.
The world is continually unfolding before them.
And as we get older, we lose that.
We treat each day as, just another day. We hear each word as, just another word. That childlike wonder and a sense of newness feels hard to find.
But then..
Out of nowhere, you get into pickleball. And it’s like you’re a kid again, discovering something new.
It gave you that, “new thing” feeling. That, “new feeling” excitement. That, “new excitement” rush.
The ball was high and you smashed it. The serve was yours and you crushed it. The game was close and you won it.
And those feelings are why it’s no accident pickleball is on the rise. It’s those feelings that make you go back to the courts day after day, week after week, and for some of you — year after year.
And when you have those feelings, like kids experiencing something new — you share it with others!
SHAREABILITY
See, in life — we love to share with those around us.
When something excites us, you share.
When something makes us laugh, you share.
When something brings us unimaginable joy, you share.
At its core, I also believe you share because you want to make others lives’ better.
And when a person plays pickleball and catches what some call, “the picklebug…”
…they can’t help but tell everyone they know about “this new game they just started playing.”
And here’s the thing, they don’t just mention it in passing. They literally won’t shut up about it because they’re having so much fun going to the courts after work or on the weekends.
Been there? I know I have.
Now multiple this 1000x with pickleball, and suddenly…
You have a sport bringing new people to the game daily and ultimately…
…taking the world by storm.
Which inevitably, creates more of the one thing we all need in our lives.
Community
This may be the one game where people from all walks of life get competitive with people they’d never otherwise interact with.
Tom Brady and Lebron James don’t typically compete against each other.
But they can in pickleball.
77 year old women don’t typically compete against 23 year old men.
But they can in pickleball.
Billionaires don’t don’t typically compete against high school kids.
But they can in pickleball.
See, your demographic doesn’t matter. This game promotes community.
In fact, even the size of the court promotes community.
44 ft x 20 ft.
You’re so physically close to everyone you’re playing with and against, you can’t help but meet new people, form new friendships, and talk a little trash.
It’s a beautiful thing to watch. And shoot, I’ll go a step further…
It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.
And I’ll close with this…
Yes, this game is blowing up like nothing we’ve ever seen.
Courts are being built. Friendships are being made. Tournaments are being played. Sponsorship deals are being inked. Businesses are being built.
But maybe the most important thing of all…
We’re doing this together. We’re having fun together. We’re laughing together. We’re competing together. We’re learning together.
We’re living together!
It’s as if we’re all riding this wave of being a small part of something bigger than us.
Because the truth is, while no one truly owns pickleball — we all feel this sense of ownership over the game, together.
WE love to defend it from the (tennis) haters. WE promote it on our social medias. WE smile when our friends send us “pickleball news” as if we didn’t already know.
**chuckles.**
It’s a beautiful game that brings out the kid in all of us. A game that’s, going to be around for a long long time.
So here’s my challenge for you!
Let’s all continue to be a light that brings joy to others by inviting them into this game.
Kyle
PS: If someone sent you this article or you found it from social media and want more like it — subscribe to my weekly newsletter.
It’s for the obsessed pickleball player. Each week, you get
1 actionable tip
1 entertaining video,
and updates on my journey to pro.
Well said, young man. Sadly, too many adults have forgotten what "playing" was like as a child.
I tell people all the time that Pickleball is going to save millions of lives, but not because of the physical activity, it's the CONNECTIVITY that is vital to human health and happiness. Our biggest Public health issues, magnified by the irrational response to covid by official policy, are
Depression/anxiety
Increased substance abuse
Increased rates of suicide
I hear more laughter on the Pickleball courts than anywhere except a comedy show or movie.
It's pretty easy to get good at Pickleball, but it's difficult to get really good. In line with the Pareto principle, the 80/20 rule, I believe that only about 20% of players will attain the skill level of 4.0 or higher. But most importantly, the lives of the other 80% will tremendously enriched.
Could you please use your facebook page? That’s how we communicate with each other here in Australia. I’d love to share your content to our club facebook page. Cheers, Sue