Recently I received a message from a man who had read my last posting here. He retired and discovered pickleball about a year ago and, like the rest of us, became hooked on the sport. He promised himself that he would play by the rules and not become demoralized when he played with people who were much younger or better than he was. He wanted to keep having fun. Then he entered a tournament.

He said the smiling, friendly, talkative individuals he'd become accustomed to seeing on the court had been replaced by serious, competitive folks whose only desire was to win the large prize money ($25). He noted that his opponents all used sidearm serves, and he felt that wasn't right. Lastly, he said he was afraid pickleball would become a game for the agile, young, and athletically inclined instead of a way for older individuals to say active, social, and fit.

The nature of all sports is competitive. One person or team plays against another person or team. One wins. One loses. It's just the way it is, even in play for fun. If you didn't care who won, you wouldn't keep score.

One of the very wonderful aspects of playing pickleball is its camaraderie – the way people have a good time and the general lack of intense competition in everyday play. Where I live, we have what we call ladder play: players grouped together by ability strive each week to move higher on their ladder by winning games. Even though those games are competitive, most players express the great enjoyment of just being out there, playing a wonderful game. It is clear, though, that the higher you get in level in this sport, the element of fun diminishes and the competitive spirit begins to dominate. How much that is seen depends on a person’s individual temperament, but it’s a definite trend, and tournaments accentuate this. Yet this isn't something bad. It's the nature of the beast. If you don't want to deal with that type of play, find people who are like you and play with them, and avoid tournaments where this type of play is more the norm.

As for the sport changing: I looked up the history of tennis, just to see how that game changed over time. It actually began as a type of handball, then progressed to using webbed gloves which evolved into racquets. The early tennis game was played off of walls, like racquetball. Over time, the game changed. Pickleball began as a game for children to play with their parents. The game has grown and changed a lot, and I would guess it will eventually allow sidearm serves. Some would consider that a shame; others would welcome it. Doesn't matter where the sport began, really -- just that it continues to evolve for the good of the game and to accommodate the needs of the majority of the players.

And yes, the young are flocking to pickleball (it is being taught in schools all over the world) and they will bring their youthful energy and power to the sport, but pickleball will not change so much that seniors and children will not be able to play for enjoyment. You wouldn’t go out and play tennis with Roger Federer and expect to have a good game, but you can enjoy a game of tennis with a friend who is evenly matched to your ability. So with pickleball.

The sport will change. Tournaments are competitive by nature. But it will always be a great sport, and you can always play it just for fun.