It didn’t take long for us to catch the pickleball bug - one “game” turned into two, then suddenly weekends revolved around hard-to-snag court time. Proof that adventuring doesn’t always mean leaving your neighborhood - sometimes it’s just a quick stroll (paddles in tow) or a car ride to the nearest court. But this new obsession of ours leveled up big time when we hit our very first PPA Tour stop, the Veolia NC Open, right here in our home state and next town over. Watching our fave players crush it live was a full-blown banger of an experience, and now we’re massively hooked on both playing and spectating. Next up, Raleigh PPA Challenger.

It all started with hubby being asked to join a foursome with a group of picklers in the ’hood. Sure, we’d heard of pickleball (who hasn’t at this point - it’s been crowned the fastest-growing sport in America four years running!) but had no clue this trendy sport (trendy since 1965, mind you) was actually a movement.

What began as casual curiosity quickly spiraled into a full-blown fever - for all of us. A few quick Google searches for tips and drills turned into hours of YouTube deep-dives with Tanner (@tanner.pickleball), Instagram reels and eventually our TVs defaulting to pbtv streaming live coverage of the PPA Tour + MLP. Our guy was officially pickled.

And oh, how fast the bug got to me and b + b. Pickleball is dangerously FUN. That satisfying pop of the paddle? Awwww, I’m smitten. Todd is massively hooked with his 7a daily sesh, while I just dink around and practice non-competitively and take lessons when I can. Meanwhile, b + b? They’ve created their own version of the game and are absolutely convinced they “school” us every time we play as a family.

And of course, our recs! Our seasoned pickler has allll the serious pickleball recs… while mine are more in the “fun + flippy skirts, cute carryalls, and sunnies that protect but also look adorbs” department. Balance, right? Here are a few recs that actually leveled up our game: Lessons. The best way to learn rules, scoring, and strategy. The boys and I started with lessons for noobs at our club, but Daddy is still our fave coach. Town programs. I’m currently taking lessons through our town (inexpensive yet effective) and doing it with a girly pop friend = fun + fitness. Hiring a pro. Twice now I’ve surprised Todd with lessons from a pickleball pro while vacaying in Florida - serious upgrade. YouTube. Total free goldmine for all the tips and tricks, stategies, footwork and even drills. And here’s a sneaky-fun rec - when Todd first got into pickleball, he skipped the lessons and grabbed Nintendo Switch’s Pickleball Smash (Amazon, $20) instead. Sounds silly, but it gave him a crash course in scoring plus it was a blast!

So, if you’re ready to hit the court (or just look the part), bounce over to my recs page where I’ve rounded up all the pleated minis, totes, tanks + socks that keep me feeling stylish while I play - plus Todd’s go-to paddles, balls, and gear picks. Basically, all the things pickleball live right there waiting.

smiles + SONshine,

-SeaChelleB