FLOWERS: Learning, laughing with pickleball

May 1—MOULTRIE — I've been playing pickleball seriously for maybe a month? Maybe. I honestly think that's being a little generous. And by seriously I mean actually practicing the game rather than just scrimmaging. But, even though I'm a novice, when I saw the Moultrie YMCA was hosting the Smash Out CF pickleball tournament I didn't hesitate to sign up.

The tournament was Saturday and Sunday and all the benefits went to the Cystic Fibrosis foundation.

Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening, inherited disorder in which mucus blocks the airways and damages the lungs and digestive system.

Not only was I happy to support such a tremendously important foundation, but I was excited to take my first official step in the pickleball world. I didn't care if I lost every game. I just wanted to have fun and see it as a day of scrimmages.

Having never done any type of tournament I had no idea what to expect. I went into it saying I would be happy if we won just one point.

We, because pickleball is primarily a doubles sport. My partner was Kathy Cheney, Alterations Specialist at Modern Cleaners on 5th. She also happens to be my momma and lifelong best friend.

I love playing sports with my mom. We used to frequently play racquetball together when we lived in Washington State, so we had some knowledge with racquet sports, just not pickleball.

The only prior experience we've had was way back when I was in middle school when some friends of my parents installed a home pickleball court and invited our family over to play. I only remember us going to their house a handful of times.

So, my palms were a little sweaty as we walked up to the registration table. But, that could have easily been because it's South Georgia in late April — hot and muggy.

And not that this has anything to do with anything but the gnats. Oh my goodness there were so many gnats.

Anyways I seriously did have baby butterflies in my stomach. This was all completely new to me. I didn't want to make a fool of myself trying to compete in a sport I've only just begun to learn.

"Today is about losing and laughing," said Cheney as we checked in at registration. It made everybody chuckle, so 'Lose and Laugh' became our motto for the day. Something to help keep us upbeat if we got annihilated, which we did during one game.

There were six teams in our division — 2.5 skill level, ages 5 to 40 — and each team was guaranteed one game with each team before the top four teams moved on to the medal placement.

Let me deviate real quick to tell you when they called our division for instructions, we had a mini panic attack.

Apparently we were too excited when signing up because we both missed that there was an age restriction to the division, and considering I'm 30 ... Well, let's just say my mom didn't have me when she was 10.

Later we learned that you can play down in pickleball, so we didn't actually break any rules, but for those first couple matches we had some anxiety we would be found out and kicked out of the tournament.

Though let's be honest, this is Moultrie and everyone is amazing. We wouldn't have actually been kicked out.

Okay, back on track.

We lost all our games except for one, and did not make it into the placement games, but we averaged six points per game. Considering matches are played to 11 and this is basically brand new to us, I'll take that without complaint and a smile on my face.

Plus, we now have a better idea what our focus needs to be on during practices before the next tournament.

The wind was something that didn't even even cross my mind I needed to factor in, until it started changing the game.

With racquet sports a player must be able to anticipate where the ball is going so the return shot can be lined up.

I can't tell you how many times I lined up my shot and then at the last second the wind picked up and carried that lightweight perforated ball just out of reach.

When that happened I would always be caught on the heels of my feet because I had planted them for the return shot, something that works well in racquetball because you play inside.

I need to focus on staying on the balls of my feet for those quick last minute movements.

The other thing that kept getting me in trouble was hitting the ball like I would if I was playing racquetball: angling the racquet down a little bit and hitting hard.

Though that move serves me well in racquetball because it allows me to hit the front wall super low with almost an immediate bounce, all it did in pickleball was make the ball continually hit the net or go out of bounds if I did manage to make it to the other side of the court.

One of my favorite aspects of the tournament though was watching everyone else play.

Colquitt County and the surrounding areas have some incredible pickleball athletes, and watching those more advanced players quickly smack that wiffle ball back and forth made me really get lost in the beauty of the sport.

It takes very speedy reflexes and reaction time to play pickleball, especially at the higher levels. Think about it. That ball travels anywhere between 25-40 miles per hour and when both teams are up at the kitchen line they are only standing 14 feet apart.

Doesn't leave much time to watch your opponent hit the ball, calculate where it's going to go, line yourself up for the best return shot and look to see where the best placement would be.

Though I didn't medal in this tournament, I am very proud that I set my fears aside and did something outside my comfort zone. I had a great experience and expanded my circle.

But, next time my goal is to get into the medal bracket games! Not even asking for a medal, yet.