Close Menu
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
What's Hot

The soccer Hawks are GCAA champions!

October 25, 2025

Westwood Wildcats get the better of CCA Patriots, win 32-20 in regular season finale

October 25, 2025

Trojans salvage season with 35-25 win over Veterans Warhawks, clinch playoff berth for 12th consecutive year

October 25, 2025
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok
Trending
  • The soccer Hawks are GCAA champions!
  • Westwood Wildcats get the better of CCA Patriots, win 32-20 in regular season finale
  • Trojans salvage season with 35-25 win over Veterans Warhawks, clinch playoff berth for 12th consecutive year
  • Sheriff’s office: Friday night side-by-side accident resulted in fatality
  • Douglas Now LIVE • October 24, 2025
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok Pinterest
Douglas NowDouglas Now
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
Douglas NowDouglas Now
Home»Opinion»Today I infiltrated the pickleball illuminati
Opinion

Today I infiltrated the pickleball illuminati

Robert PrestonBy Robert PrestonAugust 15, 2025935 Views
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Copy Link
Follow Us
Facebook YouTube Instagram TikTok
The local pickleball group let me play on Friday morning. I have jokingly referred to them as the pickleball illuminati because I've never been able to play with them. It was a lot of fun and I play to return -- if they'll have me. Robert Preston Jr./DouglasNow.com
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email Copy Link

I have heard about a pickleball group that meets regularly in town to play. I knew they gathered in the morning, and pre-Hurricane Helene, they would play at both Wheeler Park and Davis Wade Park. Since the storm, they have played at Davis Wade. I have jokingly referred to them as the pickleball illuminati — primarily because I’ve never been able to join them.

I have played a little pickleball myself, although it has been a while since I took the court. I played regularly at the end of 2023. My work schedule changed in January of last year and as such, I have only played once in the last 20 months. When I did play, I primarily played with my younger son and his friends.

Last Sunday, someone spoke to me at church and asked me if I knew about the pickleball group. That led to an invitation to join. However, my mornings are quite hectic and it’s not easy for me to get out there most days. Friday, though, is different. I commented that I would be there this Friday if they would have me.

But first, I needed to get the app. There’s an app for everything these days so of course there’s a pickleball app. You download the app and after you set up your registration, you can see who in your area is playing pickleball. I signed in Thursday night and put my name down for Friday morning.

I played tennis in high school. Like is the case with everything else I’ve tried, I was a pretty terrible tennis player. Playing tennis is not a prerequisite for pickleball but if you have a tennis background, it translates well to the pickleball court. And thankfully, you don’t have to be a very good tennis player to be a serviceable pickleball player.

Before I played pickle ball, I made fun of the game. I wasn’t being all that serious about it — it was just another way to jab at my friends who played. But once I stepped on the court and started playing ,I found that it was a lot of fun.

I’m quite sure the pickleball purists would not like this description, but it really is in many ways a condensed version of tennis. And like most sports that we play as we age, it’s often more about the friendship and the camaraderie than it is about the actual sport itself. I would say this same thing applies to bowling, golf, running, and even slowpitch softball.

I did not know everyone this morning. But I knew most everybody. And the folks I knew were people I hadn’t seen in a while. In the process, I also learned that we shared a common interest.

It was a lot of fun. You also move around to different courts and play with different partners. But don’t let all this talk about fun and fellowship and camaraderie take away from the game itself. They take pickleball pretty seriously. And there are some pretty good players among their ranks.

I did not even have a paddle; I had to borrow one. It’s quite humbling when you don’t even have the equipment you need to place the sport. Add that to the fact I hadn’t played in well over a year and it made for a potentially embarrassing experience.

Thankfully, my partners were patient and we laughed and cut up about my mistakes. They took my miscues in stride. I played for about an hour, three games worth, and then I called it a day.

I think they will let me come back. I certainly hope so. I plan to buy a paddle and return. They seem to be a rather accommodating group.

They like new faces. If you’re so inclined, download the Play Time app and join the fun. You will be glad you did.

City of Douglas Davis Wade Park Douglas Georgia pickleball pickleball group
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Email Copy Link
Douglas Now Profile Pic
Robert Preston

Related Posts

The soccer Hawks are GCAA champions!

October 25, 2025

Westwood Wildcats get the better of CCA Patriots, win 32-20 in regular season finale

October 25, 2025

Trojans salvage season with 35-25 win over Veterans Warhawks, clinch playoff berth for 12th consecutive year

October 25, 2025

Comments are closed.

Top Posts

Convicted child molester allegedly gets drunk, lends truck to girlfriend, forgets and reports it stolen, then gets arrested for failure to register

February 19, 202574,368 Views

18 bodies in various states of decomposition found at funeral home during eviction process

October 27, 202468,109 Views

Dollar General employees catch 58-year-old female allegedly trying to pay for merchandise with movie money

August 27, 202567,167 Views

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

November 11, 202446,368 Views
RSS Latest Headlines from Fox News
  • Vikings great Adrian Peterson busted in Texas for DWI
  • NFL Week 8 scores: Broncos dismantle Cowboys, Jets finally get win
  • High school coach, wife ID’d as victims killed in crash tied to illegal alien trucker released by Biden admin
  • Police swarm student after AI security system mistakes bag of chips for gun
  • Chicago mayor lashes out at reporter over 'illegal alien' term: 'Racist, nasty language'
Follow us on Social Media!
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
  • Pinterest
Facebook Instagram YouTube TikTok Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
  • Community
  • Opinion
  • Obituaries
  • At Home with Pam
  • Contact
© 2025 Coffee County Broadcasters, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Newell Media

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.