Pickleball Forum introductions... šŸ‘‹ Start Here!

Hi there. My name is Sarah Smith and I and from Las Vegas Nevada. I was introduced to pickleball a few years ago and have quickly grown to love the sport. I now play six days a week with my parents and a few other people. It has really made our family closer and has given me something to do during this crazy time we are enduring.
I canā€™t wait to start improving my technique and would like to start playing tournaments soon. I am excited to have a place to experience camaraderie and get support and encouragement to improve my game. I look forwarding to getting to know all of you!

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Hi, everyone!

My name is Megan Charity. I currently live in Charlottesville, VA, but Iā€™m originally from South Africa. Like several other pickleball pros, my background is in tennis. I played on a professional tennis league in Germany before moving to America on a tennis scholarship at an NAIA university in Kentucky. I spent several years coaching at top tennis programs at the private club and D1 collegiate levels before discovering pickleball in 2018. I quickly fell in love with the game and have been competing in tournaments across the country ever since. Iā€™m now a PPR certified coach and have helped build up the pickleball programs at local country clubs here in Charlottesville. When Iā€™m not playing pickleball, Iā€™m working with an awesome team to bring a new hospitality concept designed for athletes and activity-enthusiasts to Richmond, VA. Pickleball will be part of it, of course :wink:

Iā€™m eager to get back out on the tournament circuit and meet/play with those of you I havenā€™t yet met!

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Hi, I am Sandy Smith, from Macon, MO. (You might see me as Cassandra, my real name, on youtube sometimes). I found the Pickleballlist from @betterpickleball when she was talking to @Dayne and they suggested it, so I am adding it to my pickleball list of sites to visit :slight_smile:

I am a fitness instructor, personal trainer, and pickleball instructor at our local YMCA. I am also a PPR certified pickleball coach, and a USAPA Ambassador . I love staying healthy and fit and helping others do so as well.

I have been playing pickleball for 2 years and love everything about it. The competition, the social aspect, the health benefits, everything!

My husband plays too and so when we travel we like to find places to play, where we always meet the friendliest people, playing pickleball!

I look forward the the fitness challenges, and making new friends here.

Btw, I created a longer version of my story, itā€™s in the stories section :smiley:

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Hi everyone,
I luv pickle ball. Have been playing for about 6 years. My volleyball friend got me started. I usually play about 5 days a week and tournaments. In Appleton Wi we play outside if it is 50 degrees by 9 am or if desperate 45. My profile shows my new Covid 19 partner by my garage court. Enjoy playing with new people and sometimes having a cold beer after a hot match.

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@SarahSmith567 you should come up to Little Valley when you feel it is safe! Iā€™m sure brett and I can help get you introduced to people up here!

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@PickleballPhil I would LOVE that! I am nowhere near your league but I am eager to get better and learn new skills. You name the day and time and I will be there. I am free pretty much any time!

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Hello! As with so many others, I really fell head over heels for pickleball. I am now a full-time instructor and love the competition play of big tournaments, but still try to make time for some of the smaller ones that have such a fun atmosphere. My story goes like this: My parents introduced me to the sport in 2014 when I went back to Oregon to visit, expecting weā€™d play some tennis, and they said ā€œwe donā€™t play tennis anymore! Try pickleball.ā€ Well, fast forward 6 years, and pickleball has really become almost my entire life. I have worked with individuals, partners, groups, clubs, Pickleball Magazine, LevelUP Pickleball Camps, Rally Pickleball Camps, USAPA University, Boost Pickleball Camps, and currently own and operate Rise Pickleball Camps. Through my operations, I have catered to a variety of skill levels and group sizes. It is a very rewarding activity and I enjoy it very much. Traveling the country teaching has allowed me to meet people from all over, and one thing I consistently saw was how much kids enjoyed playing. It took me some time to figure out how I wanted to try to help get more kids involved with the sport, and in 2018, a group of like-minded pickleball enthusiasts and myself formed the Pickleball Legacy Scholarship Foundation. This is a non-profit 501c(3) registered in Utah with the mission of promoting pickleball, particularly to younger players, and also to award higher-education scholarships to qualifying youth pickleball athletes. I am very excited to be a part of this organization.

And now Iā€™m excited to be a part of this community!

Hope to see you on the courts!

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Hey Picklers!

Iā€™m Michelle Esquivel! Iā€™m a professional Pickleball player with TeamEngagePickleball and Founder and Co-Director of Ultimate Pickleball Academy.

I LOVE pickleball, the community and happiness it brings to so many lives. Iā€™m lucky enough to be able to compete at the top level and teach to people who want to excel. Cant wait to see you guys for the Covid 19 day challenge on Thursday! Stay safe :heavy_heart_exclamation:

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Congrats on your launch of ultimatepickleballacademy.com. love the site and the logo design! No doubt it will be a big success.

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Hopefully you come to Wisconsin soon, my singles game needs all the help it can get lol!! :rofl: :rofl:

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@roweda is such an amazing player, but what he is even better at is being such an amazing person. There are very few people that are as humble and willing to teach and help you progress like Rob is. If you have the opportunity to do a lesson with @roweda take it!!!

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Thanks for joining Michelle we are so happy to have you here!!

Excited to join the community. So happy I found it!

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Welcome @Cheryl!!! This forum is a really cool place to connect and learn from each other!

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I think one of the things I would like to see change is to go to rally scoring because in any match among our large group, we frequently forget who is first server and who is second and It takes up valuable time trying to figure it out. Rally scoring eliminates that level of confusion.

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@rob I think you may have meant to post your comment in this thread: Is Rally Scoring The Future of Pickleball?

Thereā€™s several reasons I could share, on why I do not prefer rally scoring. However, this is one of those things I canā€™t dispute. I think there are also some sound reasons that rally scoring in pickleball could be a good thing for the sport.

One thing I donā€™t know is if pickleball would have had the same appeal to me when I started playing, if it was rally scoring. I donā€™t attribute my instant addiction to the game to the way that we score, but I canā€™t help but wonder if rally scoring would have created a different psychological effect that would not have been as captivating to me. :man_shrugging:

Thanks, Jordan, for your thoughts. I play with a group of about 20 players at about 3-3.5 rating. We use traditional scoring, but lately, when most players have left, I have gotten people in our group together to use rally scoring, and the one comment I get most is that it does eliminate the confusion that arises around which player served first and which second. Often, not one of the four players remembers. Since most of us are over 50, I think this will continue to be a problem at times. That is my main reason for wanting to rally score.
In doubles, with traditional scoring, it is true that one team has two tries to win a point. But, to me, when you play to 21 in rally instead of 11 in traditional, you still have plenty of chances to catch up if they get ahead. Maybe give it a try with some of your fellow players to see if you might like it.

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Hey everyone,

Just like you, Iā€™m totally hooked on pickleball! Been at it for a good 6 years now, ever since my volleyball buddy dragged me onto the court. Now I canā€™t get enough ā€“ you can usually find me out there 5 days a week, sharpening my skills and having a blast at tournaments.

Living in Appleton, Wisconsin, we make the most of our outdoor season. If itā€™s 50 degrees by 9 am (or sometimes, if weā€™re feeling desperate, 45!), weā€™re out there rallying. Speaking of rallying, check out Best Pickleball Reviews for some `Preformatted tips on equipment and technique ā€“ itā€™s a great resource for anyone looking to up their game!

But pickleballā€™s not all about winning (though thatā€™s definitely fun!). Itā€™s about the people you meet, the friendly competition, and maybe enjoying a cold beer after a hard-fought match. Thatā€™s what keeps me coming back for more.

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Vic,here. Coached and taught tennis for 29 years.

April 4, 2024 was two years since I touched a pickleball. I went to a group lesson ā€¦ came home and told my wife, ā€œIā€™m done with tennis.ā€ I havenā€™t touched a racket since.

We built our own pickleball court on the property last year. I think Iā€™m hooked!

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