Can I Do It? Pickleball puts beginners to the test

Can I Do It? is an occasional KnoxTNToday feature in which readers step outside their comfort zone to try a new activity and share what first-timers need to know.

The first surprise about pickleball was how quickly “no pressure” could turn into “game on.” At a recent Rotary social event, newcomers had a chance to learn the basics in a relaxed setting — no tournament, no expectations and, at first, not even much concern about keeping score.

That suited Bruce Van Cleve just fine — until someone explained the scoring. “Usually, I am very competitive when playing sports,” Van Cleve said. “So, I was excited to have the opportunity to learn how to play pickleball in a relaxed setting at a Rotary social event. No pressure, no scoring, learn the rules, and have fun. Well, we were doing just that, and then someone explained scorekeeping, and it was game on!”

His competitive streak should not have surprised anyone. Van Cleve recalled running the Knoxville Expo 10K years ago when a younger woman pushing a jogging stroller passed him with about 1.5 miles remaining. He chased her the rest of the way, determined not to let his ego be bested by a toddler riding to the finish line. Pickleball, it seems, simply gave that competitive instinct a paddle.

Tracey Simmons came to the court with experience in tennis, golf and gymnastics, although she jokes those were her “younger years.” These days, she says, she is more likely to be “boating, floating, and reading a good book.” Still, she was willing to try something new.

“It was easier than I thought it would be,” Simmons said. One lesson stood out immediately: “I learned the open backhand, which is not like tennis at all.” Her final assessment came with a laugh. She was “very thankful I didn’t break a bone, walked away with no injuries, and was able to get out of bed the next day.”

For a sport that seems to have appeared everywhere almost overnight, pickleball has a surprisingly long history. It began in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, when Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell improvised a family game on an old badminton court using table-tennis paddles and a perforated plastic ball. Barney McCallum soon joined them in developing the rules. The first permanent pickleball court followed in 1967, and by 1990 the sport was being played in all 50 states.

The game combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It can be played as singles or doubles on a badminton-sized court with a lower net. The underhand serve, smaller court and non-volley zone near the net — better known as “the kitchen” — help make the game approachable for beginners, even though strategy and scoring can take a little longer to master.

That may be the best answer to the question behind this series: Can I do it? Yes. You do not have to arrive as an athlete, know the scoring system or own expensive equipment. A beginner-friendly introduction lets you learn a few strokes, discover where to stand and, most importantly, laugh while figuring it out.

These readers did not leave ready for a pickleball tournament, but they understood why people keep coming back. It is social, active, and competitive enough to keep things interesting — especially once somebody starts keeping score.

Try it yourself

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