If you are a regular reader of this column, you might assume Landings Club pickleball is all about tournament play. Afterall, most of the ink is devoted to who has won what tournament. And why not? Without writing about winners and losers, sports fans would be deprived of heroes and goats; the thrill of victory and agony of defeat. But the perception that all pickleball is tournament play is wrong and it’s time to correct the misconception.
Most Landings Club picklers don’t play, and have little interest in tournaments beyond cheering on friends who do. The majority of pickleball enthusiasts play for the joy of it. Consider Marilyn Brady’s group. It has played almost every Sunday morning since it was organized in 2018. The group started with Marilyn, Kay Nazarian, Ann Harper and Dave Henry and in five years has expanded to over fifteen individuals playing on three courts. Some individual members, including Marilyn, occasionally play in tournaments, but as far as the group is concerned, Sundays are about convening with friends. And good friendships have been forged within the group. They will occasionally meet after playing for a champagne breakfast. Dinners and other social gatherings are the norm.
They are not the only group with similar interests. Mike Hazuda’s group, which includes several players from the Brady group, and plays Wednesday evenings, follows most sessions with beer and wine and other libations, often at courtside. It’s become something of a ritual. Nancy Ambler formed a group that has played Tuesday and Thursday mornings for the last seven years. Like the other groups, they enjoy socializing when not on the courts.
The point is, not all pickleball players are playing for fame and glory, medals or mentions in TWATL. It is not about DUPR ratings or the struggle to move up to a higher level. Most players play for fun, exercise, and occasionally, even some good-natured trash talk.
Separately, it appears The Landings Club might be on the cusp of a youth revolution. I hobbled down to the courts on a recent Saturday afternoon and was struck by the number of young teens I saw playing. Two young men played with older members, while six boys and four girls, played in two separate groups. Unlike their male counterparts, the young ladies were actually running through drills. They appeared to be taking great care in improving their games, while the boys were trying to out man each other with their aggressive power games. Regardless of their different approaches everyone was having fun and it was encouraging to see so many young members enjoying pickleball.
The future success of pickleball is not found in older Americans who are often thought of as the backbone of the sport’s success. That ship has sailed. As noted in a previous article, because of our demographics, the average age of Landings Club pickleball players is greater than the national average, which is just over 34. If what I witnessed Saturday is any indication, we might soon be overtaken by a youth revolution. It’s about time!