Posted on 02/21/2024 10:15:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Unlike tennis, which is boring, antisocial, and ineffective as exercise ...
Well, the truth is that I only know a few younguns, and way more retirees at this point in my life. The younguns I do know don’t play, and don’t seem to have time to play. The younguns I know love video games though. They have time for that.
I’m not saying that what you’re asserting isn’t true. I’d bet it is growing more popular by the day. It would be great if the younger generation decided to go outside, get some fresh air and exercise, and stop playing video games, even for an hour. I think video games are a waste of time. Just my opinion though.
I see all age groups playing - including often grandparents teaching their grandkids to play. It’s a way to have fun and get out and have a little exercise but doesn’t require great agility, practice, or athletic ability. No wonder it’s so popular!
The only downside is the noise - which if you’re in a public park you should expect. Some courts near residences are installing sound barriers to dampen the sound.
I can’t remember the last time I saw kids out riding their bikes, or playing a pickup game on an empty lot.
This^^^ is what I’ve heard, too.
My nephew is an orthopedic surgeon. He’s been very busy!
Let’s hope it goes the way of racketball and dies so we can get our tennis courts back.
To be good at darts takes a lot of skill. ;)
“This country is aging and this game gives elderly people a decent activity to do that’s also social and not physically taxing. I think it’s here to stay.”
That’s what I figured. It’s apparently for people — not necessarily only the elderly — who aren’t physically up to playing tennis (even doubles?) and actually moving their feet very much.
Even among punkies who think they are athletes (only in their imaginations) the new fad seems to be walking rather than jogging; I know several who brag about how many steps they walk in a day when they aren’t busy couch potato-ing.
If you’re 70, that’s an accomplishment; if you’re 30, that’s an embarrassment.
My take is Pickleball is a total scam. Nobody plays tennis anymore so park had to come with the idea of tennis lite. It is similar to the idea of playing footsie with a bean bag. The local park district put in sand pits a decade or so ago and I have never seen one in use during my daily walks..
Our town spent tens of thousands on a skateboard park, for 1 or 2 people. nuts.
Pickleball is tennis for 50 something former tennis players who can’t afford another acl tear.
The courts are small enough that people are building them into their yards, and the game is TOO DAMN NOISY for the innocent neighbors who are not playing to listen to, especially all night!
"Homeowner associations" are going to need to ban them in yards and where already constructed seriously limit the hours, eg, no pickleball after dark. Then build a well isolated area for community courts.
They also need to develop a ball and paddles that are quieter and ban the noisy equipment! Invention opportunity!
/many people's 2¢
We had a young family buy a house down the street that had retirees in it before them. The retirees moved to Florida full time instead of being snow birds. Well that new family (4 kids) has an active 5 year old boy. He’s full of imagination.
Suddenly, we see kids playing outside with him every day now! Every day, except for maybe the single digit days (and maybe we didn’t see any because we didn’t go for our daily walks outside).
They ride bikes together, play pick up nerf gun fights, throw a football around. It’s caught on like wildfire, playing outside. Lots of the kids in the neighborhood are outside now. Even the girls are out in their yards doing handsprings, headstands, etc.
This one little boy and his family have turned our older quiet neighborhood into a bustling, active place for the children. It’s been a joy to watch.
I wish we had that. The only time I see kids anymore is occasionally when they walk to and from school. I guess they’re glued to computers and cell phones the rest of the time.
The sport can be played by people who don't have those athletic qualities you mention, but you won't win very much without them. Good, competitive games require a tremendous athletic ability. I have played with good players in their 20's and 30's who are top level athletes. It requires all those abilities you mention to be good at this sport.
Of course you can play with people who aren't as competitive, and it is still fun, and keeps you active. There is that side to it as well.
“I’m not gonna ramble about how I don’t care, I hate sports, I boycotted the NFL since 1492, I never owned a TV, I never drank Bud Light, the good guy who wounded the perp should have spent more time at the range, and….”
What?? You’re not an expert at everything?? Then you probably have no business posting on this forum...although you didn’t say whether or not you could land a disabled 747 better than the pilot in command, so perhaps there’s still hope for you. :)
I think it likely your town also spent thousand of dollars putting sand into those skate parks during early Covid and the removal later...
I smack wiffle golf balls in my backyard, I used to watch my nephews play wiffle ball at a ballpark in wiffle league play that was actually kind of fun to watch. But pickleball? I used to play tennis, I had some injuries to various joints that come into play as a right-handed man, a knee for one. shoulder for the other and to be honest I really don’t play golf except to smack wiffle balls in my backyard these days but as the knee comes around back to semi-normal maybe I’ll get a little bit of tee time happening.
When somebody “wiffles” around here it can clear a room, especially if it’s a crop duster.
Pickle ball is kind of a big dill...not gerkin ya around...
You’re right.
This Pickleball is the only thing I’ve seen where the youth are willingly leaving their video gaming to play an actual athletic sport.
It’s good.
The tennis courts are packed every night with teens and early 20’s kids.
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