Pickleball has given back my ‘youth”.

You have probably hear about the newest, exciting, additive, (and many more adjective are used for it) …new sport called Pickleball. Hard not to have heard of it, as the sport has increased in popularity 40% in in the last 3 years in North America. Why is that? well, here is how it was for me.

Since I was 12, I have been playing volleyball; I was introduced to it at high school, as the volleyball coach thought I would be good it, even though I was a track and field athlete. But that changed fast, as after my first practice, it was love at first sight. It is a sport that technical ( you need to know how to hold your hands, how to jump so to reach at the same time your highest height to spike the ball, and it is like playing chess, know where and what your opponent’s next move will be. I played a lot, every day; with different teams, and alone, if I couldn’t find anyone to play. I reached a European level of playing. It was part of my life.

Even when I had children, I continued to play volleyball, and couldn’t wait to teach my kids this great sport. My son took up volleyball, but both my kids’ passion were in baseball, soccer and basketball. We were a sports-oriented family, as many families in North America are.

When both kids went off the university, my days were suddenly free of practices and games and tournaments. I had quite my volleyball team, as the commitment was not there. Also, passing 50, it was hard on my body and had harder time to server and jump, and the next day, I would feel like a 80-year old due to the…