Pickleball - Rambling Style Files

Rambling essentials from fashion to recipes to gear and everything in between. Style Files is the creation of Jill Cohen Morris, an avid rambler, married mother of two from Toronto, Canada with a remarkable zest for life, a fabulous sense of humor and remarkable style (of course).
 

Hey, Sole Sisters!

It's time for my rambling style files, where I discuss all things rambling, from fashion to recipes to gear and everything in between.

Let’s talk pickleball … I’m obsessed!! It is my new favorite activity, and I cannot get enough of it. I started taking lessons about a year and a half ago. From the minute I stepped on the court, I was hooked.

What do I love about this sport, you ask?

In no particular order … I am good at it and being good at something boosts my confidence and makes me feel good. I am not an athlete. I am not overly coordinated. This was an easy game to pick up. Once you get it, I believe the key is putting in the hours and practicing.  

I have the best pickleball group. We like to have fun and laugh… and that we do… the laughter is constant. We are there to have fun. We play hard and laugh hard, but we are never too serious.

If you don’t have a group, don’t despair. Pickleball is an easy way to meet people. Picklers are super friendly and inclusive. I have met a ton of new people since playing. Check out your local courts, community centers, or clubs and see if you can find a group lesson. I promise you will not be sorry!

One word of caution: There are rules that you need to know and remember, as well as scoring. Part of the fun is remembering those rules and the score. I can’t tell you how often we forget the score, which leads to laughter and more laughter.

Let’s talk gear. Clothing-wise, I’m casual. I play indoors and wear a pair of leggings and a T-shirt, as do the women I play with. I have seen some women wearing tennis outfits.

Shoes are super important when playing pickleball. Pickleball requires a lot of lateral movement and lunging back and forth. A court shoe supports and stabilizes your foot when moving in different directions.

I started playing in my Hokas, my favorite rambling shoes, then switched to a court shoe. I noticed the difference in support immediately. I invested in an Asics tennis shoe. There are shoes specifically for pickleball.

I was told there is not much difference, it’s more of an advertising gimmick. That being said, others disagree and believe pickleball-specific shoes are the way to go. I chose which was more comfortable.

Protect your eyes. Someone told me that eye injuries are common when playing. The ball moves fast, and getting hit in the face is not uncommon. Although this has never happened to me, nor have I seen it happen to anyone, I invested in safety glasses.

I am a fashionista, so I needed to find a pair I loved. After a bit of searching, I finally found the perfect pair from Oakley with pink-tinted lenses. I don’t like to stand out, so I had to work up the courage to wear them. Once I did, I never looked back. I love them!

I would say proper shoes and protective eyewear are essential. Then there are the add-ons. I invested in a pickleball bag. Oh, how I love my pickleball bag! It’s silver. It’s got pockets galore for water, balls, space for shoes, and a pocket for my paddle. I love my Selkirk paddle, which my coach recommended. Coincidentally, of course, it’s pink.

In short, give pickleball a whirl. Try it with your fellow Sole Sisters. I promise you will be pleasantly surprised … you might even become an addict like me.

Happy Rambling!!

READ MORE > Rambling Style Files, Rambler Cafe Blog