Rettenmaier Responds to Pickleball-Smearing Article by the Washington Post

PPA Tour’s Travis Rettenmaier gives his take on a recent article about pickleball in the Washington Post. See the original article here.

“I hate pickleball” is the introduction to the column.

“Hate” is such a strong word, but one’s enjoyment of the sport is subjective and therefore just an opinion.

Personally, I think tennis sucks, even though it was a huge part of my life for more than three decades. Does it bother you that thousands, wait, millions of people around the country have found something that gives them more joy than anything they can remember?

Maybe instead of focusing on the stupidities of the sport, it would be better to focus on the joy it brings. In my community, I have seen obese people lose weight, have seen lonely people make friends, and have seen depressed people find happiness.

I have seen myself find purpose and community.

Without question, Rick, I would be one of those annoying people begging you to play what I think is the greatest sport of all time. 

Now, there are certain parts of your column a bit detached from reality. You compare the sport to crochet. I also see your independent Canadian study saying that an hour of pickleball is half the steps of an hour of walking. This may be true on a very small scale, but the speed and intensity of these steps is what makes the sport challenging. As a previous professional tennis player, I know an hour of pickleball burns the same amount of calories as an hour of tennis.

I would challenge you to come play pickleball with me for a few hours but my guess is you would puke after 30 minutes here in the hot Florida sun. Your perspective is based on being bitter, not based on fact.

We do agree on one thing – and fortunately, I have always found agreeing with someone disillusioned can often bring them around to seeing more clearly.

The sound of pickleball is a real pain in the ass to some people. As a pickleball junkie, it doesn’t bother me, but if I were to live next to a court and not partake in the game, then undoubtedly it would piss me off a bit. To me, the sound of a pickleball hitting a paddle means my friends are out on the court talking, laughing, and having fun.

Now let’s get to the injuries portion of your column. Doesn’t this single-handedly prove the sport is indeed a sport?  

It is tough on the body and, although it is easier than tennis or basketball to some extent, it undoubtedly puts stress on the joints. I have no doubt, however, that if any of these soon-to-be patients played tennis or basketball, their injuries would likely be more severe. 

My favorite argument of yours is about the courts. The courts I play on in Saint Petersburg, Fla, at the Crescent Lake have six pickleball courts and two tennis courts. Every evening, we have about 60 people waiting for 6 courts, and the two tennis courts are either empty, except for the birds using it as a waste disposal, or they have people playing pickleball on them waiting for a game on the real courts. 

Tennis and basketball do not encourage people to get together as pickleball does. In tennis, you have to be so close in skill to your opponent for it to be enjoyable. In basketball, if I see an older guy, (and rarely are there women playing rec games), then he has a brace on his knee and is struggling to keep up. I also don’t see a lot of elderly people hooping it up. 

In pickleball, everyone is welcome and anyone can have fun with just about any person. 

I am gonna close with this because I have to go play pickleball, smile, and have fun with my friends: 

Please don’t ever reference this sport as a fad. A sport that brings families and people of all ages, political backgrounds, and races together is not a fad, it is a gift. As my great buddy, Steve Kuhn, has said:

“Pickleball can save the world.”

He’s right! Don’t be bitter. Embrace it, accept it. And any time you want to come play with me, you will be embraced with open arms by some great people.

-Travis Rettenmaier