Pickleball, on the outside, looks like a blend between an athletic and a non-athletic sport. With a funny name like Pickleball, we are inclined to expect not much more, but that’s where I was wrong. It’s a really cool mixture of multiple racket/paddle sports. It takes the precision from table-tennis, adds agility of badminton, pulls in the grunts from tennis, and puts in a plastic cricket ball from the streets of India. There we go Pickleball is born.
I began playing in April 2024, and instantly, it was a hit! I wanted more, like a toddler wanting to run around playing with toys all day. My roommate and I bought Pickleball gear on day one. Since then, there has been no going back! It was the start of spring and good weather, and I just discovered a consistent outdoor sport to indulge in!
Pretty soon we got better at it. We found new friends at court and began building our skills. I had to take a quick break to visit India, but I was back at it as soon as I returned. I wanted to use Pickleball for much more. I saw an opportunity to make a physical transformation.
Being overweight, by quite some margin for a long time. I needed to shed a good amount (close to 20kgs) to be considered anywhere close to being physically fit. I went full throttle at… Gym + Pickleball + Good Diet. From May onward, I was a new man, seeing improvements in my form, my game and my nutrition. I saw the results right away. Each month, I am losing close to 2kgs. I am becoming more mindful of what is right for my mental and physical self!
I am obsessed with Pickleball! My friends lovingly gift me a new paddle. Given, that whenever they call, I am at the court, demolishing opponents. I get better, and the cycle of positive reinforcement continues to motivate me. I begin running a mile a day, something I have been afraid of for a very very long time. I participated in a pickleball competition, thinking I had a ‘real’ chance at the throne. I was wrong about that; me and my teammate were quickly humbled by “actual experts”, but I am not disheartened (maybe a tad bit). There was only one outcome I care about, constant physical well-being!
By November 2024, I have lost close to 17kgs. The gym and the diet have been absolutely crucial in this transformation. They kept my urges in control and made me disciplined, to continue a lifestyle of constant improvement. But Pickleball… That is the star! it made me accept my flaws, made me explore my limits, and made me sociable! For a really good change, I accepted who I was in the past and now I liked what I saw in the mirror. I will never go back!
There will be distractions, like all sports. Some individuals will annoy you to your limit, while others build you up to find your potential. On Nov 18 2024, I hit the most coveted shot in Pickleball, the ATP: Around the Post. I was on the back-foot right at the baseline, and the rival dropped the ball at the far up on the net. I went full-throttle lunging to reach the ball. As I barely made it, I hit the ball square around the post into the box, winning the point! I raised my arms up in euphoria! I have been trying to hit this shot for a while but in vain. Now that I made it; I wanted to share the beauty of this sport.
Pickleball is considered one of the largest growing sports in the world. It sees no age barrier as I have seen people twice my age demolish me like I was nothing. It’s barely complex but extremely rewarding! If you choose to be addicted to something, I would say make it an outdoor sport. Cricket requires a lot of people, Tennis requires a little too much skill, but Pickleball finds the sweet spot! I have seen individuals find themselves in this sport, including myself.
Diamond Dogs 
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