I’m not sure if it’s the silly sounding name, the distinctive sounds of a plastic ball with holes being smacked around or the odd shaped, short armed paddles, but I can’t help but smile every time someone mentions pickleball! I’ve always been an encyclopedia on golf in Panama, but now I’m routinely being asked about the existence of pickleball. The answer is a simple yes, we have plenty of paddleball and it’s growing every day. It’s a rare morning that I leave for work without hearing the little ball hitting the paddles and the players laughing.
Until a year ago, I knew nothing about pickleball. Now I know a lot. It’s a paddlesport which combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton. The courts are badminton sized, with a modified tennis net and it appeals to all ages and skill levels. The sport has about two million players in the United States and it’s rapidly becoming the sport of choice for retirees in Panama.
Great Cardio Workout
“It’s a great workout and yet it’s not as intimidating as tennis,” said a retiree the other day as she walked off the courts in Coronado. “It’s a very social sport. We play almost every day. Some players are certainly better than others and the games can get very competitive,” she continued. “But you also have people like me, who can chase that plastic ball a lot better than a fuzzy tennis ball I always feared was going to take me out!”
Pickleball can provide a great cardio workout while minimizing the pressure and strain on older joints. Today, in Panama, you can easily hear the distinctive pick-pock sounds of the game.
Catching On Everywhere!
Pickleball is mainly played throughout Canada and the United States, but is now catching on in Europe and Asia. It was created in the 1960s by three fathers from the Seattle area who were tired of their children whining about not having anything to do in the summer. Because the children varied in age and sporting abilities, the men developed a game that just about anyone could play. The first paddles were cut crudely out of plywood in one of the father’s basement and the plastic balls just happened to be on hand.
Today, pickleball is played both indoors and outdoors and is part of many physical education programs and at all levels of schools throughout Canada and the United States. Retired Baby Boomers have embraced pickleball and today you have local, state and national tournaments—including ones here in Panama.
Pickleball is more of a strategy and finesse game and so older players can certainly hold their own against younger ones who might want to drive the ball hard forcing opposing players to cover more ground quickly. Because the courts are smaller, lots of games consist of short rallies at the net. Be careful, a little dropped shot can win the game!
“My husband and I are both serious pickleball players,” said a woman who started our conversation by indicating if Panama didn’t have pickleball, she was hanging up the phone. I laughed and assured her there were plenty of serious and not-so-serious players both in the city and out in the beaches area.
So far, here in Panama, the various pickleball courts and clubs are sometimes a bit of a curiosity. On social media, people will chat about watching men play on a funny looking court behind a hotel near the airport, or along the waterfront in Panama City. “Look for the blue roofs and you’ll find these courts with lots of people participating. Not sure what it’s all about,” was a recent post.
My Time Is Coming
I haven’t tried the sport yet myself as I’m more of a cyclist and runner, but when I watch the action of the game, I know I will be picking up an odd shaped racquet soon. It’s such a perfect combination that is appealing to every level of ability and age. It’s obvious why the expat community here in Panama is embracing all things pickleball!
