During the pandemic, you may have heard of a new sport. From millennials to senior citizens to reluctant teenagers dragged along by their parents, everyone seemed to be playing pickleball. Many considered the sport cringy, like tennis for old people, almost as ridiculous as table tennis. But now pickleball may be making a comeback, especially among West High students.
Pickleball is very similar to tennis, save for a few key differences. It is played on a smaller court with paddles rather than rackets and a ball closer in appearance to a wiffle ball than a tennis ball. The rules and scoring are simple, making it an approachable sport even for less naturally-gifted athletes. Since its rise during the pandemic, pickleball courts arose everywhere, from private clubs to public parks.
For West High pickleball enthusiasts, most of the action takes place at Wilson Park’s pickleball courts. Located near the tennis courts, they are open to the public and are usually lively with players from all skill levels. Yuzhen Jiang (12) started playing pickleball a few months ago and formed great friendships with the Torrance pickleball community: “There’s a good group of people who come pretty regularly, and I’ve gotten to know them over the last few months. They’re all really supportive and it’s so cool to meet new people who are all so different.” Ranging from grandparents to high schoolers, the pickleball regulars are all vastly different, yet the sport unites them. Because he plays so often, Jiang knows “pretty much everyone at pickleball on any given day,” which is just a testament to how friendly and welcoming the community is.
Karin Takahashi (12) started going to pickleball because of Jiang and has also had a positive experience playing the sport at Wilson Park: It was “a lot of fun meeting such interesting people. I got to talk to one guy, and he told me all about his daughter. I got some really good life advice from him.” A significant part of why the pickleball community is extremely special and unique is the conversations between different people who share specific interests. Much can be learned from talking to people whom are not normally interacted with, and Takahashi emphasizes how playing pickleball expanded her worldview.
In addition to meeting new people, pickleball is a great casual activity to stay active and have a good time. Hope Yi (12), whom Jiang also invited to play pickleball, encourages others to try it out: “It’s so much fun and I love how you can just drop in when you feel like it without too much commitment.” Pickleball’s low-stakes nature and the supportive community it built are a few reasons why everyone should try it. As Jiang asserts, “Even if you’re bad, everyone’s really nice so no one really cares too much. We’re just there to have fun.” So if you are looking for an evening or weekend activity, try pickleball. You might be surprised!
