For someone who works in professional pickleball, it’s a little embarrassing to say I had never gone to open play alone.

I’ve played open play plenty of times, but always with a friend, my mom, or someone I already knew. I had never walked onto the courts completely solo and joined an established group that meets every Tuesday night at the community courts near my place.

Why? Because it’s intimidating.

Showing up to pickleball open play by yourself feels a lot like walking into a party alone. You don’t know who you’ll meet, what the vibe will be, or whether you’ll fit in. There are so many unknowns.

But at some point, you have to challenge yourself. And on this particular night, I felt a little more adventurous than usual.

So I grabbed my paddle and headed to open play.

Of course, I nearly talked myself out of it. I had multiple moments where I considered turning the car around and heading home. Walking onto a new court where you don’t know anyone, don’t understand the group’s unwritten rules, and have no idea what level of play to expect can feel incredibly uncomfortable.

Would I be stepping into a group of ultra-competitive players treating every game like a PPA Finals showdown, playing like Ben Johns and Gabe Tardio with the pressure of millions watching on ESPN?

Or would I find a welcoming group of players and walk away with a handful of new friends?

There was only one way to find out.

I showed up early, and there were already players warming up. Everyone seemed to have their person: a regular partner, a best friend, a spouse. The sense of community was everywhere.

And suddenly, I felt like the new kid at school, standing in the cafeteria with a lunchbox in hand, scanning the room and wondering where I belonged.

Except I’m not a kid anymore. I’m in my 20s, standing on a pickleball court, nervously clutching my brand-new Six Zero paddle.

Then someone called out, “Hop in! We’re just warming up.”

And just like that, I was part of the group.

Introductions were made, names were exchanged (although meeting that many new people at once meant I quickly forgot most of them), and within minutes we were dinking, driving, and serving like we had been playing together for years.

For my first game, I found myself across the net from a married couple in their 70s. The moment I saw Brenda flash me a huge smile, I knew I was in trouble.

She stepped up and delivered a picture-perfect spin serve that immediately put me on notice. (To be fair, I did return it, and I was pretty proud of myself.) From there, it was game on.

I rotated from court to court, meeting new partners and opponents who all shared the same passion for the game. They were skilled, thoughtful players who celebrated great shots from their opponents and laughed off wild comebacks when they found themselves down 2-10.

They weren’t just there to win. They were there to play, connect, and enjoy the game — exactly what makes pickleball special.

The time flew by so quickly that I didn’t even realize I had been there for two hours. It wasn’t until the mosquitoes made their appearance and the overhead lights flickered on that I finally looked around and realized it was time to leave.

I left the courts a little sweaty, a lot happier, and riding the kind of endorphin rush that only comes from running around, competing, and laughing with new people.

But the best part came when sweet Brenda looked at me and asked, “See you here again next week?”

Without hesitation, I smiled and said yes.

I can’t wait to go back.

Maybe I got lucky. Maybe some open plays are filled with ultra-competitive players who arrive in groups and treat every game like a championship match. Maybe I just happened to show up on a night where the atmosphere was more relaxed and welcoming.

Either way, I left feeling incredibly grateful that I pushed myself to go.

I didn’t win every game, but I held my own, hit some shots I was proud of, and challenged myself against some impressive players. More importantly, I walked away with new connections, new memories, and a standing invitation to come back — hopefully ready for another round of those devastating spin serves. 

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