We recently posted part one of our Pickleball article. Here is a link:
PART TWO: By Paul Goldfinger. Editor Blogfinger.net
Now we have learned that the the OG Home Groaners call the Pickleball brouhaha “a serious issue” (Coaster March 3.) They say that Pickleball is a game which causes {pickle} noise pollution. The President of the Groaners says “There are noise issues around the country.”
He also said that the OGCMA President Badger is “not the villain in this situation” and that Badger had issued a statement saying that the Pickleball “season in the Grove will run from May 1-Nov. 30” and that a “quieter ball” will be used “in an attempt to find a win-win situation for all concerned.”
Much ado about nothing!
“Much Ado About Nothing.” Shakespeare.
Mr. President: If you want “serious issues” there are some in the Grove; we don’t expect the Groaners to solve any of those. So you will be discussing Pickleball at your next meeting, but how about some clarity re: the North End Fiasco.
And here are some Pickler suggestions from us: There is another Pickle noise solution and that is a sound barrier curtain which can be attached to tennis court fences or can be erected specific for Pickleball courts. They can reduce the noise by 70-80%. One is “Acoustifence”–guaranteed to lower the decibels.
Currently the OG Picklers play at the tennis court near the playground. Why not convert all the tennis courts in town to dual use ? Why do the tennis players get exclusivity for recreational space?
Blogfinger has interviewed an avid Pickler (ie a Pickleball advocate) from Florida where this sport has become huge and growing.
In Naples, Florida it has become a craze, with tournaments and national championships. It has surpassed tennis, and 4 pickle courts can take up space occupied by 1 tennis court, and those tennis courts can be used (as in OG) by superimposing special nets and lines.
But unique Pickleball courts have special flooring, so picklers prefer to use courts designed for that sport. The flooring is designed for shock absorption, drainage, water proofing and ventilation.
There are now companies that specialize in Pickleball equipment and court construction..
Pickleball champions in Naples, Fla.
All new communities in Florida will be designed with large numbers of Picklers in mind. It is the fastest growing sport in the US and it is played around the world. I saw a scene in a recent movie from Italy where they were playing Pickleball. Tennis, on the other hand, is in a state of declining popularity.
Pickleball requires special rackets, and the balls are usually Wiffle balls. Our expert tells us that the idea of using a quieter ball will not be acceptable to serious picklers. The Wiffle ball makes a unique sound when it hits the ground, and that can be objectionable.
The best bet for OG would be to encourage the Picklers to go to a location, such as a county park or a private pickling center (inside or out) where courts can be reserved. It can be a year-round sport, but not in the Grove.
Do you remember when tennis became so popular in the 1970’s that private tennis centers opened to accommodate that sport. We lived in a residential community with no tennis facilities. We simply met our friends at the local tennis club—it was fine. One of my partners built a tennis court in his backyard.
Meanwhile, Picklers are investing in paddles that can cost over $100.00 and they can purchase clothing designed just for Pickling. As for the OGCMA finding a solution, they are wasting their time because this sport is now so popular that the CMA will not be able to accommodate all who want to play.
And the CMA needs to be consistent regarding their “mission.” There are perhaps a thousand dogs in OG, and the CMA refused to allow those citizens who own dogs to have access to a dog park or dog beach in town. Will they discriminate against dog owners while bowing to pressure from a handful of Picklers in OG?
Pickleball is popular especially for older players because they don’t have to run much, but there are physical challenges and risks for seniors.
Because of the quick head turns, loss of balance can result in falls, with possible serious injuries. And if you watch an active Pickleball play area, you will see mostly seniors with a wide array of orthopedic devices supporting knees, shoulders, ankles, feet, wrists, etc.
Seniors minimize injuries and endurance issues by only playing doubles. But younger people are now getting into the sport, and they play singles.
I witnessed a Pickleball doubles match, and it does look like fun, so there will be a growing demand all over the country, in Jersey, and especially in Florida and other year-round climate states.
But for Grovers, join an indoors facility if you can find one. Check out Monmouth County parks or get some friends and build an indoor business. Play Pickleball year round in the Garden State.
DOCTOR JOHN:
So you would like to tell us what words are “more appropriate.”
I will continue calling those Pickleballers “Picklers” and, in case you don’t know, proper nouns, including nicknames, do get capitalized, as in Home Groaners. In the sports world, nicknames are common. Remember A-Rod? And in international soccer, the players often have nicknames.
Here is a recent word usage by a Pickleball professional: “As of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Pickleball was not an Olympic sporting event.” So they were capitalizing the name Pickleball. But most writers spell “pickleball” for the name of the game.
And some rugby players refer to the players as “ruggers.”
It seems that the Pickleball vocabulary is still in a state of flux, so it is a bit premature to fuss over it.
Probably it will wind up as with other sports: “Basketball” is not capitalized.
But it is fun to fiddle around with the Pickleball vocabulary, and what to call someone who plays pickleball is open for discussion.
Players might like being referred to as “picklers”. Pickleball players would have been more appropriate.