LIFE LESSONS COME FROM ALL PLACES—EVEN UNEXPECTED PLACES, LIKE THE PICKLEBALL COURT.
You have heard us say this before… keep the pickleball over the net and between the lines one more time than your opponents. The reason is… anything can happen on a pickleball court. If you can keep the pickleball alive, no matter how bleak your circumstances look, you have a chance of winning the point.
Winston Churchill, who is most well-known for his wartime leadership as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, once said:
Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never–in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.
To channel our inner Winston Churchill, never, never, never give up on the pickleball court.
This was exemplified at the PPA Arizona Grand Slam in the point below.
Damien Spizzo could not have been in a worse position in this point. Spizzo was literally on the floor.
However, he did not give up. He lunged with an outstretched paddle as he was sprawled on the floor and, while he did not hit a great shot, he kept the pickleball over the net and between the lines one more time. This led to surprising his opponents and winning the point.
So, do as Spizzo did… never, never, never give up on the pickleball court. Give your all until the point is finished – no matter the circumstances – because you may just end up winning the point!
LESSONS FROM THE PICKLEBALL COURT
Read past blogs from the “Lessons from the Pickleball Court” series:
- Integrity Is Everything
- Go Down Swinging
- Read the Room (or the Pickleball Court)
- Always Be Prepared
- Referees Are Impactful
- Never Judge a “Pickleball Book” by Its Cover
- Encourage the Kids to Play
- Learn to Share “Small Spaces”
- Strangers Become Quick Friends
- Pickleball Culture to Workplace Culture
- A Second Chance with the Next Phase
- Turning Defense into Offense
- Be Patient
- Positivity Breeds Positivity
- Sportsmanship Matters
- The Number 10
What lesson have you learned from the sport of pickleball? Share with us via email at stacie@thepickler.com.
