How to deal with the 'Mean Girls' on the court

PLUS: Pickleball scores Guinness World Record + Bill Gates on being one of the founding members of the pickleball community

Welcome back, picklers.

Read time: ~5 min

In today’s newsletter, I cover how to deal with the Regina Georges (aka the mean girls) of the court. We’ve all fallen victim to our ‘clique tendencies’ before, but in 2023, its got to stop.

Also, pickleball scores a Guinness World Record.

Keep reading, and Happy New Year!

TODAY’S MENU

  • Daily Scoop: How to deal with the ‘Mean Girls’ of the court

  • News Stash: Update on the $36m home with pickleball courts. PPA scores a Guinness World Record. Bill Gates’ 50-year relationship with pickleball.

  • Kitchen Talk: Weird pickleball mannerism and rituals, DISCUSSED

DAILY SCOOP

How to deal with the ‘Mean Girls’ of the court

If we look at pickleball as a whole, an outsider who has never played the game might brand us as a “nice” game.

I mean, most of us have smiles plastered across our faces while we lob and smash those balls over the net, touching paddles in cheer, and then sharing a drink or two after a joyful, 2-hour session.

But as I’ve observed the pickleball community, I’ve realized a trend beginning to bubble up (all thanks to human nature): the formation of cliques.

I’m talking about self-proclaimed 3.5 players who are not willing to play with anyone below their rank. I’m talking rude players putting down newbies that simply want to learn from better players. Players who are ONLY playing to WIN and not just playing to play.

I’m talking the REGINA GEORGES of pickleball. OOMF.

Look. I get it. Pickleball has become highly competitive. People are living their pickleball lifestyles and wanting to get better by only playing with people either at or above their level. Pickleball is no longer the “old man’s” game and has transformed into a game of potentially breaking ankles left and right (quite literally) just to protect the ego from losing a point.

So the question becomes this: What do you do to avoid these ‘mean girls’?

Enter: the Cady Herons of the pickleball community

I headed over to social media and found that this scenario is actually quite common, and people are OVER it.

And here’s what I found:

  1. Understand their whys and forgive them. (i.e. time is limited and they just want to play a few good games.)

  2. Play a game, read the room, and if the vibe is off, move on

  3. Form your own group (i.e people who are looking to play and learn, not just win)

  4. Take lessons and join open plays (i.e. experience a variety of players)

Let’s understand this point: It is human nature to want to associate with players at your level.

Everyone’s time is precious, especially as pickleball has grown tenfold in the past few years and courts are now as crowded as ever.

BUT…there is no excuse to be rude. Period.

So instead of focusing on being liked by Regina, let 2024 be the year you improve by surrounding yourself with people who are open to accepting you as you are and wanting to grow with you. They are out there.

As for the cliques, thank them for their time and move on. Let’s hope their egos don’t blind them into walking in front of a bus. 🚌🙃

Don’t be one of them. Ya, hear?

NEWS STASH

UPDATE: The $36 million San Francisco home w/ pickleball court

Happenings: Back in August, news broke that a RICH venture capitalist couple was selling their home for $36 million.

The reason it made headlines had nothing to do with how beautiful the home was and everything to do with the hypocrisy of the situation:

They claimed that their home was unable to sell due to the neighboring pickleball courts creating noise.

The hypocrisy? The mansion has a private pickleball court of its own.

I recently went back to Zillow to check whether or not it has has sold. Here’s the update: IT HASN’T SOLD. 

As of December 27th, 2023, the home is now listed at $29 million (a $7 million decrease).

It has been listed for 203 days now. Not looking great for this pickleball playing couple…🤭🤭

Pickleball’s new Guinness World Record

Happenings: Some SERIOUS pickleball pandemonium went down in Dallas earlier this month when 264 players rallied to snag a new Guinness World Record.

The Pro Pickleball Association teamed up with Deep Eddy Vodka to host a 12-hour pickleball bash leading into the big national championships. They divided into Team Ruby Red and Team Lemon and swapped in and out every 10 minutes.

After over 650 combined points, Ruby Red edged out a close victory - but both sides scored major clout for putting pickleball in the Guinness records.

PPA rep Brook Thygerson said signups exceeded all expectations: "If we had more time, I bet we could have played for 24 hours!”

Must see: Bill Gates’ pickleball past, 50+ years ago

Happenings: Did you know that billionaire Bill Gates was part of the founding community of pickleball players almost 50+ years ago?

While he was growing his Microsoft empire, the game of pickleball was his go-to sport after a long day of work.

I found this clip of Bill Gates playing. Be sure to watch all the way through to see pickleball photos from his youth ! Enjoy:)

KITCHEN TALK

Source: Reddit

Highlights

👩🏻‍🏫 New skill for 2024: The Jack Hammer

‼️ Just because: A Tesla with 10 FT buggy wheels

Time to PARTY!! 🎉🥳

There’s only 1 thing left to say…

Picklers…THANK YOU for such an awesome 1st year at The Pickle Talk newsletter.

Without your readership every week, there would be no newsletter and writing for you has been the biggest joy.

The community is growing, so please, if you’d like to keep this newsletter up and running, continue sharing it with your pickleball peers as a New Year gift (it’s free and sharing only takes a second of your time 😃 )

All there is left to say is Happy New Year. I will see you in 2024 :)

Where to reach me?

Dink me at [email protected]

Thanks for reading.