Rehoboth Pickleball is Back!

Hi, I am Lidiya Jacobson, the Rehoboth Pickleball Club activity director. I would like to remind the residents of Rehoboth and nearby towns about a famous sport called Pickleball.

It is a fun game that can be played outside and inside, for 2 or 4 players, with balls similar to wiffle balls, and square paddles with rounded corners, on a badminton-sized court with a net. It is a combination of elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong.

It is the fastest growing sport in America with approximately 450,000 active players, including the oldest one of 90 years old. The rules are simple and easy to learn. Its popularity has been booming across the nation and all over the world because people of all ages and abilities can play this fun game that is also good exercise, a competitive sport, and excellent social activity.

I hope everybody read my first article last spring, (“You said “Pick-A-Ball? What is thaaaaaaaat?”) It seems like my first article about Pickleball was published just yesterday, but it is a year ago already!

Please excuse the delay in announcing the kick-off of the season - I was training and participating in pickleball tournaments in Florida, (where my record was 7 wins out of 8).

So…How did I get that far?

The main point is to follow the rules of the game. Then get ready to learn from your mistakes and pay attention to experienced players’ advice. But the most important is to find time to practice non-stop or play as much and as often as you can, and be devoted to the game as the 43 members of our Rehoboth Pickleball Club are (who range in age from 15 to 82). They played two - three times a week during year 2015-2016, improved their Pickleball skills dramatically, had a great time, lost some weight, and built strong interpersonal relationships while playing this amazing game! Some Pickleball Club members have many positive things to say about the game and what it has done for them.

Here are just a few success stories:

“I met Lidiya and Peter Jacobson at senior center when they were introducing and demonstrating Pickleball rules with paddles and a ball after each event at the Senior Center for months. For me it was intriguing and interesting from their first introduction in May 2015. Then I read Lidiya’s article in Rehoboth Reporter, and it was like a shock! Everybody can play! Everybody can move! Why cannot I try it? I jumped in, and was swept by the game, forgot time and place, wanted only to try again and again. I did not do anything special, just tried to hit and direct the ball, and stay on my feet in the right position every time, every day. It was hard on me at first because of my new shoes. Then I realized I needed just comfortable shoes, and my desire. Everything else came by itself with joy and pleasure from the exciting physical activity. I lost 10 pounds during summer without any other efforts but by just playing Pickleball. I played every day, every season with my new friends I found through this game who are ready to play this game any time. And we played Pickleball from June to May excluding only December. I am so happy to be a member of RPC!”

“The director of Rehoboth Council on Aging, Linda Sherman, and everybody there was watching us playing every Tuesday at our Pickleball court at Anawan school, discussing the new sport, being amazed how fast and exact our movements were….They may be joking about Pickleball, asking us if we were "pickled"….But in autumn Linda proudly announced that two Pickleball sets were bought by the RCOA for our seniors to play.”

“I was a former tennis player, but now really love Pickleball. I am so thrilled to find the team of Pickleball players and wonderful people who work with others learning to play and certainly enjoy this sport. I even got my husband hooked on it! He finally purchased a Pickleball paddle. It is great to be able to practice on different levels, with different people, on different days. We like the flexibility of the Rehoboth Pickleball Club members and their constant patience and desire to help and support new comers.”

What can be possibly added to this?

Well, perhaps one other noteworthy aspect is worth mention: Many of our club members bought their own Pickleball paddles, balls, and nets. They can play at any time on their own, but all of them prefer to come, play, and socialize together on our scheduled days because we are not only members of the club, or Pickleball players, we are a Pickleball Community!

My dear friends, welcome to our new Pickleball season in Rehoboth:

Mondays 2.30-4.00pm & Thursdays 4-6pm at Nike Park (three Pickleball Courts); Tuesdays 8.30-10am at Old Anawan School (one Pickleball Court). Time and days can be changed according to club members’ comfort and weather condition. The club provides everything you need for the learning sessions but sneakers.

So, get comfortable ones and let’s start moving to a new Pickleball season! If you have any questions, ready to join in the fun, or renew your membership, call or text: (508) 272-0842.

Sincerely,
Lidiya Y. Jacobson
Activity Director
Rehoboth Pickleball Club