From Instagram Curiosity to Court Commitment: How I Found Pickleball

It all started with a scroll.

Back in early 2024, I was casually browsing Instagram when I saw my former manager posting pictures of what looked like tennis—but not quite. The court was smaller, the paddles were different, and the vibe? Way more social. I had to ask: “What is that?”

Her reply was simple: Pickleball.

She even dropped a tip—“Just Google open play near you.” I tried. And… let’s just say Google didn’t quite deliver. The results were scattered, vague, and not exactly beginner-friendly.

Then I remembered something from my time in Mexico: an app I used to explore hobbies and meet new people. Meetup. That little flash of memory turned out to be the game-changer.

I searched for pickleball groups in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and found one called DFW Pickleball. Without overthinking it, I signed up for an event. February 2024. That was the day everything changed.

🏓 My First Day on the Court

I showed up about 15 minutes early—nervous but curious. That’s when I met Rick, a friendly guy in his early 60s, rocking a white t-shirt and shorts. He was warm, welcoming, and totally game to volley with me as a warm-up.

As we hit the ball back and forth, Rick explained the most basic rules. It wasn’t that bad—I could actually return a few shots! Before I knew it, we were playing my first real game.

A few minutes in, the owner of the Meetup group joined us. She was super friendly and encouraging, and she invited me to keep signing up for future events. My answer? Absolutely.

Since then, I’ve played on different courts, sharpened my skills, made new friends, and discovered something unexpected: I’m competitive. (But that’s a story for another post.)