It happily came upon us like a warm, spring breeze, you feel as if a new lease on life is right around the corner. For those of us who prefer play over work, who prefer small victories over large victories, who like being in the out of doors in all types of weather vs those who like quiet indoor activities, Pickleball is for you.

There is so much good to say, I cannot decide where to start. As I’m in Ocala, we will begin here.

It was a recent weekday and the players were thinning out. But who remained, were my best friends and PB foes. When the 6 of us play, the games get better, the skills are honed and laughter ensues. Later the ibuprofen flows and the couch does call, but thats another story.

There will be no names, but any who read this will be able to decipher. We will use Shelley’s name as she has been known to take down anyone who dares to start a fire fight at the net. Another player, far more skilled than I, stated ”you know, we have to win this”, i understood my orders. Still another is fast and determined, aiming to make you work the entire time. The most powerful server out there, reminds you now and again, ”this is his court”, and if you’re not listening, a shot will go right by you, right down the line. Still another use the drop shot so well you are off the court chasing the ball.

As with many sports, there is a hierarchy that develops based on skill level. The good part of being oldish, is that there are days where you want a gentler, more entertaining game, than other days, so all are welcome. At our level, the boys have a tendency to be a smidge more aggressive than the women, but if you go up just 1 more level there are a few women who make the men cry.

There is a strategy, steady serving, strong second shot to keep players back and something called a third shot drop. This allows for players to get to the net, so they can dink. Forgive the terminology, nothing we can do now.

Remember that strong second shot, thats your first attempt to hit your friends with the ball. If they are moving up, they are a target. The next chance you get to hit them is when their partner pops a shot up a bit, and you can pop one right at them. So sweet, when that happens.

No one is really trying to physically hurt someone, just their pride. It is only a plastic wiffle ball. I have hit Shelley, in the face, that was not good. So we do not aim for faces. Although someone did get me recently, right into my glasses, it cut my face, I did survive, and it was a woman who did it. Just saying.

Shelley loves to hit me, she laughs and laughs. Come to think of it, I get hit alot, and it usually is the women who do it… what does that say ?

Back to the game, the dinking game is most challenging, angles, short shots, deception and the like. It takes skill and practice, going slowly back and forth, back and forth, just waiting for a mistake by your opponent, then one pounces.

It is akin to fire fight, or snowball fight, it’s close range, moves fast, occasionally there’s some methodology, some tactical to it, the adrenaline will flow I assure you. The good, the smart players, (not me), can do that 2 or 3 times before a point is had. It is great fun.

My preferred techniques are always at work. One is to lull someone during the dink mode into complacency and the hit them in the chest, no just kidding, just hit them anywhere. My number 1 shot is the dink lull and then a lob. So, so sweet. And no one is bruised, only ego.

It always helps to have 4 at the same level for games to be the most fun and fulfilling. It always the right thing to do to help others along, we always need more players.

I have played golf, tennis, soccer, basketball, baseball, swam etc for most of my life. They are are all analogies for life, none more than golf when you’re young, basketball while your in your working years and pickleball fits really nice into older years.

There some individual skills being honed still, some mental and brain work being completed, the score keeping alone will keep out the riff-raff. The exercise is valid, but its the laughter and camaraderie, thats best, this Florida crew we have here is second to none. Thank you.