Life Lessons from Community AND Pickleball
Strong communities are an important source of social connection and a sense of belonging. Participating in a community bonded by attitudes, values, and goals is an essential ingredient to enjoying a fulfilling life.
These photos are about community. In this instance, it’s because of the sport of pickleball that we play several times a week. Pickleball is one of America’s fastest growing sports for all ages because it’s competitive, fun, easy to learn and it provides a good cardio work-out. It’s a combo of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. The official ball used is just like a wiffle ball, only smaller. The paddles are between the size of a ping-pong paddle and a tennis racquet. Singles or doubles can play. Only the serving team can score – and game play is to 11 – but must win by two points. We love it here at our Everleigh community.
This community is really the picture of “community”. There are over sixteen of us who play regularly. No barriers between us regardless of our backgrounds, ethnicities, religious beliefs, or gender. And on the pickleball court, it is the same whether it’s our turn to play or watching and cheering each other on from the sidelines. I’ve learned a lot of Life Lessons from the game. Not just in pickleball, but what if we applied these Life Lessons in life?
1) Never give up. Several players are not to the caliber of play of some of the agile, former tennis players. But it doesn’t matter. By having a “never give up” attitude, the “newbies” have become more proficient and confidence in the game steadily has increased.
2) Cheer and congratulate when others do well. I love it when someone makes a good play and these friends cheer and make each other feel like rock stars – rather, pickleball stars.
3) Mentor others. The best players mentor those who are still learning. And they do it with such a sense of TLC – tender, loving care. Willingness to help each other learn is the good, old Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
4) No name-calling or trash talk allowed. I know that’s common in many sports, but I love the genuine sportsmanship and comradery in pickleball. Even if we trash talk ourselves because of a simple mistake in play, others are quick to steer us the other direction.
5) Be a friend. Make a friend. — Pickleball is a great social sport, and it gives us a chance to make new friends or bond more closely with old ones. It doesn’t take too much motivation for us to want to play. But sitting on the sidelines gives us the opportunity to get to know each other more, share in family or personal concerns and celebrate our victories.
6) Get healthy. A perk to pickleball is the health benefits:– It helps lower our blood pressure. Moving our legs and swinging at the ball raises our heart rate which creates a great cardiovascular workout that strengthens our hearts.
— It burns body fat. We burn 250 calories for every 30 minutes we play and we usually play for at least two hours at a time.
— It improves balance. Navigating the pickleball court to intercept shots and deliver winning volleys takes all kinds of movements. In pickleball, we move forward, backward, sideways and we shift our weight in many directions which trains our bodies to have better balance.
My focus was on pickleball in this blog, but I hope you were able to read between-the-lines, the importance of community. Not doing life alone. We need community. And, in community, we grow stronger and more tenderhearted to those who are facing life challenges.
In community we learn to never give up, to cheer and congratulate each other, we mentor each other, embrace comradery, make friends, and do the necessary things to keep our bodies healthy and strong. I hope you find community – if not in the game of pickleball, perhaps in your church, your neighborhood or by joining groups that you find friendship and fellowship.