So, the other day I got this itch to try something new, something outdoorsy. And you know what popped into my head? Paddle tennis. Yeah, I know, sounds a bit fancy, but trust me, it’s a blast. Especially here in Western PA, where we’ve got some pretty sweet spots to play.
First off, I had to figure out where to even play this game. Did a bit of digging around, asked some friends, and turns out there are a few courts around. I decided to hit up this place called “North Park.” Heard good things about it, plus it was pretty close to where I live.
Now, I’m no pro at paddle tennis, far from it. I barely knew the rules. But hey, that’s part of the fun, right? Learning something new. So, I grabbed my buddy, Mike, who’s also a total newbie at this, and we headed to the park.
Getting there was a breeze. Plenty of parking, which is always a plus. We walked over to the courts, and man, they were in great shape. Nice and clean, nets looked brand new. We started by just hitting the ball back and forth, trying to get a feel for it. Took us a while to get the hang of the smaller court and the weird bouncy ball. Felt a bit clumsy at first, not gonna lie.
- Find a buddy: Makes it way more fun, trust me.
- Look up the rules beforehand: Saves you some time figuring things out on the court.
- Don’t be afraid to look silly: Everyone starts somewhere.
- Start slow: Just try to get the ball over the net at first.
After a few minutes of awkward swings and missed shots, we started to get into a rhythm. We decided to try playing an actual game. Looked up the scoring online real quick – seemed simple enough. We played for about an hour, and let me tell you, it was a workout! We were both sweating like crazy, but it was so much fun. We laughed a lot, especially when one of us would totally whiff the ball.
Round Two
The next day we went to the “Schenley Park”. It was a bit different. More people, which was cool. We even got to watch a few folks who clearly knew what they were doing. Picked up a few tips just by watching them play. We played a couple more games. We were not great, but we were improving.
By the end of it, we were both hooked. We decided to make it a regular thing. Maybe even join a league or something eventually. Who knows? The point is, we tried something new, got some exercise, and had a great time doing it. That’s what it’s all about, right?
So, if you’re ever in Western PA and looking for something fun to do, give paddle tennis a shot. You might surprise yourself. And hey, if you see a couple of guys flailing around on the courts, come say hi. It’s probably just me and Mike, still trying to figure things out.