for the love of pickleball

submitted by bradley scheffler
edited by sarina e. guerra & justin orsino

My pickleball adventure began in late 2019, on the tennis courts of Southwest High School in El Centro, not too long before Covid entered the picture. While playing tennis with some of my friends, I noticed a small group of people of all ages playing what I later found out was a game cal.led “pickleball”. It was different from tennis but looked fun. I was intrigued to say the least.

The group of people that I met that day were welcoming and amazing to me. They took me in, gave me a paddle, and quickly taught me how to play. From that point forward, I was pickled;

The pickleball family I became a part of has been with me since that day. Even though I play with many other different players, those original friends I met still play with us as well. The list of people who I play this wonderful game with is lengthy, but I would love to give a shout out to those who started it all for me. It started with Lori, who sold me my first paddle, Onix, who helped me learn the basics, and the great ambassador of the game, pickleball leader Frank. I’d also like to thank Chris, Bill, Bruce, Caesar, Blanca, Sid, Daniel, and my coach, David. Finally, I’d like to mention Guy, a great man who kicked my tail then and still does sometimes now, even at 70+. In this game…

If I missed anyone, it’s just because there are so many more, all of whom are special to my journey.

During Covid, we even came out with the ol’ face masks on and some distance between and still played as much as humanly possible. Fast forward years later, and I now have all the gear, a collection of paddles, and I compete in travel tournaments outside of the Valley to play against other competitors—but it’s always the best feeling with the group of friends I have here. There are many places to play pickleball locally, with most courts being indoor and only limited outdoor places. I play as much as I can at all of them: IV Fitness indoor pickleball, Valley Christian Church indoor pickleball, Conrad Harrison Center indoor pickleball, and Brawley Lions Center indoor pickleball. Some friends even have outdoor courts at their homes and are kind and gracious enough to host games as well. And one final shoutout to La Quinta, for hosting us at their wonderful pickleball courts. Pickleball in the morning, pickleball at night, the Imperial Valley has…

It’s growing and I have been here first hand to witness it.

At the end of the day, pickleball is not just a sport or something to do for fun, it is a coming together of old friends and new friends, old and young, guys and gals, beginners and seasoned players. It’s about building memories and creating camaraderie that will last a lifetime.

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