It’s no secret that there are hundreds, if not thousands of us who’ve been schooled on the pickleball court by an elderly lady or gentleman. 

It’s a rite of passage at this point. 

You show up convinced that you can play this “old people's sport” before getting humbled 11-0 by Betty and Ruth, both of whom are sporting knee braces limiting their mobility.

At first, you think it's a fluke, but the more you play and the better they get, you suddenly realize there's some serious skill involved here.

In honor of National Senior Citizens Day, let’s dive into why the elderly are so darn good at America's fastest-growing sport compared to youngsters.

This should help alleviate some of the embarassment we’ve all felt when Nancy and Barbara make complete fools out of us on the 20x44.

It all comes down to one simple thing. Time. 

Pickleball started as a sport that was especially popular in retirement communities. Before the rest of the population picked up a paddle, it was the elderly that enjoyed countless of hours of play, so they already have a major advantage skills-wise.

They’ve been steadily perfecting their serves, dinks, third shot drops and cross-court winners, so you're already in trouble before a match has even started. 

It's almost like you’ve been hustled. 

Not only have they been playing forever, they also have more time in the day to devote to perfecting their craft.

While the majority of us are working full-time jobs and managing families, the elderly are living the retired life. They can wake up at dawn and play for however long their heart desires. There's no need to rush and finish the match so they can hit the showers and get to the office. They can also freely participate in tournaments, which can only help sharpen their skills by facing good opponents and enrolling in clinics.

And when it comes to the soft game and placing the ball in the most inconvenient spots again and again, these players have us beat.

That, however, is the beauty of the game. You can play at any age.

It’s always good to get humbled by a grandma sometimes, right? You might as well give Nancy a call and go win gold together at Pictona.