Might as well face it you’re addicted to pickleball. That’s a twist on the song MIGHT AS WELL FACE IT YOU’RE ADDICTED TO LOVE. Ha ha! It is real? The addiction?
Let’s look at the signs you may be addicted:
- Lack of control, or inability to stay away from playing pickleball
- Abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships to play pickleball
- Ignoring risk factors as in playing on an injured knee even though your doctor told you not to
- Physical effects, like withdrawal symptoms or needing to play more and more pickleball
Most people reading this will check off all four, and I am also in that group. Case and point: I broke my toe a while back and my doctor told me to wear an orthopedic boot for 3 weeks until my next appointment, and no pickleball. Did I listen? Nope! I shoved my foot into a court shoe every morning and played through the pain. Once I took that shoe off, my foot would blowup like a balloon, and I would soak it in ice water until I could limp around again. Ugh! I know!
The other day, I went to the courts and ran into people I haven’t seen in awhile. Veteran players who started this wonderful sport called PICKLEBALL around the same time I did, and it seemed like they all had different injuries that they were trying to work around. Plantar fasciitis. Rotator cuff tears. Meniscus injuries. Tennis elbow. Sciatica pain. I’m thought, it looks like they have all come back from being in a war, and the war is pickleball. Oh, the limping, the moaning and the rubbing of sore parts. It was sad to see.
Take some time off
Hey, it’s okay, that’s right, OKAY to take some time off. In fact, it can help your game. Playing non-stop can be bad for your play. Doing the same mistake over and over again may just being adding insult to injury. Stepping away for a couple of weeks or a month may be just what your body ordered. I know you may have FOMO (fear of missing out), but you’ll be fine and probably better when you come back.
What do the orthopedics at SMH call pickleball? Oh, that’s right CRIPPLEBALL! They see so many injuries from pickleball it has earned it the nickname “crippleball.” They secretly despise pickleball, but I don’t know why, it’s good $$$ for the doctors.
Things people have told me:
- I can’t wait to get finished with physical therapy so I can get back to pickleball.
- I broke up with her because nothing gets in the way of my pickleball!
- I can play with my left hand until my shoulder heals from shoulder replacement.
- I went back up north and I couldn’t wait to get back here to play pickleball because I felt withdrawal symptoms.
- I’m putting off surgery because I don’t want to take time off from pickleball.
Other ways to know if you are playing too much:
- You have no other interests or hobbies.
- You only socialize with people who play pickleball.
- You dream about pickleball.
- Your non-pickleball friends and family roll their eyes because all you want to do is talk about pickleball.
- You have an extensive court shoe collection.
- You own more than 2 paddles.
- Every weekend you spend competing in tournaments.
- You play morning, afternoon and night on the same day.
- You play more than 3 days a week.
- You are obsessed with pickleball and feel offended when someone plans a game time and doesn’t invite you.
- You’ll ditch your bestfriend to play with a better player.
- You are obsessed with buying different paddles because you think what’s wrong with your game is your paddle.
- You snap at people on the courts because, let’s say, they don’t run for the ball fast enough. (I have seen this.)
- You fight with people on the courts.
- If you find yourself doing this, you are taking the game too seriously.
- Franklin Outdoor Balls
When I coach a beginner for their first time, I say, “Your whole life will change,” and it does. They become addicted and I feel like the dealer.
But we also have a good time. I have the honor and pleasure of playing with many wonderful people. I just want to see them last a long time and play for many years, so I warn them about overdoing it.
Pickleball. It can take over your life. So, be wise and play with care. Have other activities and hobbies besides pickleball.
As a wise man once said, if you’re not having fun, why play?
I always say, “It’s just pickleball.” Or, “Do we have 10k on this game?”
Thanks for reading.
Pickleball Terry
Founder and CEO of Sarasota Pickleball Organization LLC
Sarasotapickleball.com
PPR Certified Instructor
Seen in Sarasota Magazine, The Scene, VisitSarasota.org.
Head Pickleball Coach at The Isles and Core SRQ Sarasota
All around nice person…
Dinlpickleball@gmail.com
941-400-0978