Zen and the Art of Pickleball

Book Synopsis: Pickleball has lately become all the rage in America. Indeed, across the globe. Once a sport for older racquet sports enthusiasts who needed a slower version of their favorite sport. Now youngsters are picking up the game, playing in pro tournaments, making a good living from pickleball. And with the growing popularity of pickleball has come the need for lessons and clinics to teach the mechanics of the sport. I used to teach tennis but when I found pickleball about five years ago, I put away my tennis racquets and have used a pickleball paddle ever since. In my opinion, pickleball is a game of chess compared to tennis which is a game of checkers. Once you master the stroke mechanics of pickleball then the challenge is to master the mental game. That is where the fun begins. I have been a pickleball instructor now for three years. And I do focus on the mechanics of the game when I teach. But I go beyond that to teach the mental aspects of the game which separates the good players from the excellent players. I’ve been encouraged by many of my students to write a book that details some of these mental aspects of the game of pickleball. And when I play in tournaments or recreationally, I often get comments like ‘how can you be so calm on the court’ or ‘you make this game look effortless’. One of my partners complimented me in a recent tournament by saying ‘thanks for your Zen attitude on the court’. Thus, the inspiration for this book. If you can remain calm, remain focused, remain relaxed during a game of pickleball, you will find much success, both internally and externally, I think if you take the messages in this book to heart, you will also be happier and enjoy the game of pickleball more. In my opinion, pickleball can be a metaphor for life. A Zen approach to the challenges we face can allow us to face adversity with a sense of calm and focus that will make us much happier on our journey through life.