While pickleball may be the fastest growing sport in America, Collington resident Norma Taylor has loved the game with the funny name since well before millions of others jumped on the paddle wagon.
So much so, the 12-year pickleball enthusiast recently competed in the 2024 Maryland Senior Olympics (MSO), winning gold and silver medals, respectively, in a women’s doubles match with her good friend Attrue “Trudy” Johnson as well as a mixed doubles game with fellow resident Bob Reed.
Her secret?
“Practice, practice, practice!” she said, which she did religiously with Trudy and Bob several days a week over many months in preparation for the MSO.
But winning isn’t everything.
Camaraderie on the Court
According to Norma, there are multiple gains for anyone who plays the paddle game that’s a mix of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, whether they earn a medal or win a single round.
“Number one, pickleball is just plain healthy. You’re still moving around as you grow older, expending good energy, getting your heart rate up,” said Norma.
“Number two, it’s great camaraderie,” she declared of the game that makes a distinctive “thwack!” when the plastic ball with holes hits the lightweight paddle. Vocal players add their own soundtrack, grunting, cheering, and perhaps even a little harmless trash-talking.
Bob wholeheartedly agrees that pickleball is a good, friendly competition, adding that it’s also easy to learn. It's a sport older people can comfortably play without a lot of equipment, and highly accessible, with two courts at Collington and many community centers in the local Prince George’s County area and all over the country.
A Companionable Coach
“At first, I thought I couldn’t do it, but Norma said she’d play with me. She spent a lot of time with me; without her coaching, I never would have played, especially in the Olympics event,” said Bob, whose interest in the game was piqued watching fellow Collington residents playing on the community’s courts. “It looked like a lot of fun with a nice group of people.”
Several pickleball devotees at Collington and elsewhere credit Norma with teaching them the game, taking them through drills, offering tips, helpful advice, and encouragement. The generous mentor has competed in at least seven annual Maryland Senior Olympics.
So Many Reasons to Play
Sixty percent of pickleball players are aged 55 and older. Here are some likely reasons why:
- Improved heart health. Pickleball is a great form of cardiovascular health, improving cholesterol, blood pressure and lowering the risk of heart disease.
- Improved balance, hand-eye coordination and flexibility, all essential to healthy aging.
- Prevents osteoporosis. Played safely and with protective joint gear, if necessary, pickleball can reduce the rate of bone loss and conserve bone tissue.
- Cognitive and emotional benefits. Pickleball’s fast pace keeps the mind sharp, engaging eyes, hands and feet, and releases natural “feel good” endorphins and hormones in the brain.
- Social connections. As Norma and Bob have attested, pickleball is an inherently social game that builds vital friendships and connections.
- Anyone can play. Pickleball is accessible, easy to learn, does not involve a lot of equipment and is fun for all ages.
Play It Safe
Despite its boost to overall well-being, there are a few words to the pickleball wise.
Notes Bob, “Pickleball is a game with a lot of side-to-side movement and some risk of falling if players aren’t careful. Many players, myself included, wear knee braces and other protective gear.”
Bob’s advice is echoed by medical experts. “It can still exact a physical toll,” said orthopedic surgeon Diana Young, explaining that the lunging and twisting involved in pickleball can be harder on older muscles and bones.
A Craze Is Born
A game that sounds like it belongs next to a hot dog merits an explanation and maybe a little history.
In 1965, Washington State Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell improvised a game on Pritchard’s badminton court with a perforated plastic ball and ping-pong paddles. The two men and their buddy Barney McCallum then created rules for the game that had proven fun for the whole family.
Two years later, the first pickleball court was constructed in Pritchard’s neighbor’s backyard. By 1976, the first pickleball tournament was held in Tukwala, WA.
In 1984, the Amateur Pickleball Association (APA) was established, and by 1990, pickleball was being played in all 50 states. Places to play the game multiplied exponentially in the early to mid-2000s, as well as tournaments in which several seniors competed. In 2010, the APA organized the International Federation of Pickleball for players all over the world.
Since 2020, core participation in pickleball across the United States has grown an astounding 223.5%, with 13.6 million players in 2023, an increase of nearly 52% over 2022.
But Why the Name?
Barney McCallum maintained it was because Pickles was the name of the Pritchards’ dog. Another version says Pritchard’s wife Joan dubbed it so because the mish-mosh of sports reminded her of the crew pickle boat where oarsmen were picked from the leftovers of other boats.
However it got its name, pickleball is here to stay.
In the words of Norma, “Go out and play pickleball!”
