THE JOY OF

The Joy of PICKLEBALL

The Joy of PICKLEBALL!

Submitted by Lisa Sims of Balyeat Drive

The sport of pickleball is open to all age levels and skill levels. It brings people together for fun, exercise and new friendships. When you approach a pickleball court, you hear the pop of the pickleball, laughter, a little trash talk and often music. The downside to pickleball – it’s addictive! It is the fastest growing sport in the USA and expanding quickly in the Shawnee/Lima area. It’s played on half a tennis court with a whiffle ball and paddles slightly larger than ping pong paddles. Indoor pickleball courts are located in the Lima YMCA, Senior Citizens Center and in the winter months only at Westwood Tennis. Outdoor courts are located at Collett Street Tennis Courts and play 9-11:30AM, Monday-Friday. Our hope in the future is to have dedicated pickleball courts in Lima. The Lima Pickleball Facebook page is Great American Pickleball Club of Lima, OH. Come out and give it a try, fun is had by all and you will meet some great people.

Images courtesy of Wes Howe

Lisa Sims

For me, it was my son that encouraged me to start playing pickleball, soon I was encouraging everyone to give it a try. It is a fun sport I can play with my kids and grandkids. Being part of the pickleball community in Lima has helped me gain new friends that have turned into family. I will always be grateful to the sport; it brings people together and gave me support (and laughs) that I didn’t know I needed.

Linda Cornwell of Indianbrook believes that the sport provides a dual benefit. She says, “I absolutely love pickleball and enjoy the fun and fitness simultaneously! My pickleball friends are special friends who I truly cherish!”

Jeanne Randall & Chris Lauck

Jeanee and John Randall of Amanda Lakes are frequent pickleball players. Jeanne says, “I just love pickleball, due to the fact that anyone can play, and it is a great way to stay in shape. No matter where you play, the players are always friendly and inviting. I have acquired so many great new friends through pickleball.” Her husband, John, also enjoys the sport for additional reasons. “We like to travel around to different facilities and other towns around the area to play. Many of them have beautiful pickleball courts. We are hoping that Lima will someday build similar courts for us. The best part about pickleball is the camaraderie and community that we have built. It’s filled with great people who love to have fun!”

NEW Pickleball Rules for 2023

For those of you who already play pickleball, there are some MUST-KNOW updates to the official pickleball rules, beginning in 2023. According to the rules committee at USA Pickleball the new rules you need to know about are the following: - No more “spin serve!” If you spin the ball as you release it from your hand, it is a re-play or re-serve. You can still hit the ball with topspin, slice, etc, as long as you follow the other serve rules. The only new restriction is spinning it upon release. - Avoid wearing clothing that matches the ball color. Clothing that approximates the color of the ball could be a safety issue or a distraction and may force the player to change their clothing. - Equipment time-outs no longer require the use of your team’s time-outs and the limitation of “up to two minutes” has been replaced with “of reasonable duration.”