PickleballCANADA
GAME ON , CANADA !
The snow is melting . The days are getting longer and warmer . Spring is in the air . Birds are returning from their winter getaways , adding vibrant colors and songs to the landscape . It is an exciting time in Canada . Thoughts return to outdoor activities and sports we ’ ve been dreaming of all winter long . Hockey sticks and skates are being packed away in favor of soccer balls and cleats .
No group is more excited to be moving back into the sunshine than pickleball players . While indoor pickleball is great , and certainly much better than not playing the sport we love , there is something special about hitting that hard plastic ball back and forth over the net on a beautiful spring day . The click-clack of outdoor pickleballs rebounding off paddles is like music to our ears .
Some of our snowbird friends are home already — soon they all will be . The pickleball players among them will be anxious to impart stories of tournaments played or watched and to share newly acquired skills they learned while away . Those who chose to winter at home are especially anxious to take their game back to the outdoor courts .
Paddles have been re-gripped , and some have applied strategic amounts of lead tape hoping to find the perfect blend of power and control . Many will debut new paddles this season and bring to the courts plenty of new armchair skills and strategies learned through
By Wayne Kerr and Brian Kerr
watching Ben Johns , Anna Leigh Waters , and others . Mostly , we look forward to seeing the faces we ’ ve been away from for six months and greeting them with a gentle fist bump that we ’ ve learned to substitute for a handshake or hug .
Like all good Canadians , the short pants come out of the closet before the last of the snow has melted from the shaded side of the house . The eager early-morning players will arrive at the courts to find small pools of water that were ice patches just a few hours earlier . A sturdy broom or a leafblower will make short work of them , sending droplets scattering through the fences . There will be inevitable discussions about which ball is better for near-freezing temperatures , and which color is easier to see in the morning sun .
In no time at all , play will ensue and jackets will be shed . Some of us will plan the chores we need to