Aging changes how we play, but the joy of the game never fades
Summary: Moving to a retirement community offers time for reflection and discovery in innocuous activities playing Pickleball. The game mirrors life’s trajectory — rapid improvement followed by inevitable plateaus. Gradual aging shifts the playing style, emphasizing strategy over speed.
A move to a retirement community is, in many ways, a transition into a new chapter of life. It is a place where time slows just enough to give mental space that allows for reflection, where routines take shape but have an elastic rhythm, and where one has the chance to explore new pursuits without needing to worry about the outcomes. Win or lose, just being a participant serves the goal. For me, one such pursuit has been Pickleball — a game I had never played before, but one that quickly became an integral part of my life.
Belonging to a Tribe
One of the most unexpected joys of playing Pickleball was the immediate sense of belonging to a tribe. The courts are more than a place to hit the pickleball back and forth; they are a meeting ground, a place where conversations begin and a sense of companionships are forged. For someone like me, newly settled in this community, Pickleball has been a gateway to making connections. There is an unspoken camaraderie among the players that continues off the court; whether you win or lose, the game brings people together in a shared pursuit of having an engagement, striving for improvement (even in our old age, it still happens and is good), and a light competitive spirit (although we keep saying, it is just a game, it is hard to give up the pursuit of winning).
As a newcomer, I expected to struggle with the game and feel out of place amidst players who had been at it for years. But that was not the case. Pickleball community has an inviting quality; even the seasoned players are eager to share tips, encourage progress, and cheer small victories (even if accidental). It is not just a sport but a welcoming experience, making introverts like me feel at home.
The Arc of Improvement
When I first stepped onto the court, I felt clumsy and uncertain. But as with any new skill, improvement came quickly. Each successive game brought better serves, return of reflexes, better hand and eyes coordination, and a growing understanding of playing strategy. With every match, I found myself more attuned to the movement of the ball, anticipating returns instead of merely reacting to them.
Yet, as with all pursuits, making progress gradually becomes harder. The rapid improvement that one experiences at first does not last forever. There are long plateaus, moments when the victories are fewer and the gains are harder to come by. The trajectory of Pickleball skills mirrors the flight of a stone thrown into the air — it rises quickly, gets slower as it reaches its peak, and then slows to a crawl as it approaches its highest point. The amount of work one has to put into improving is inversely proportional to the level of excellence one is at. For a novice, improvements are quick, and little effort leads to marked improvements; for an advanced player, considerably more level of effort is needed to see small improvement.
The Parallel Arc of Aging
Even as my skills improve, there is another trajectory that runs alongside this one and will have a subtle influence on the arc of Pickleball. That trajectory is the arc of aging.
The passage of time is relentless, and with it comes the gradual decline of physical ability. As I get older, I will see a shift in how I play. With age, I will no longer chase down fast-moving balls or engage in rallies. Instead, I will begin to rely more on placement and precision, compensating for dwindling speed with strategy.
I have already witnessed this unfolding in my fellow players. Those who may have dominated the court now play at a slower pace, focusing less on winning and more on simply enjoying the movement. And then there are those who have stepped away entirely from being on the court, watching from the sidelines, reminiscing about the games they once played and what life used to be.
In Hinduism, life is said to be divided into four phases: Brahmacharya (the learning phase), Grihastha (the householder phase), Vanaprastha (the withdrawal phase), and Sannyasa (the phase of contemplation). The arc of Pickleball, in its own way, follows a similar trajectory. There is the learning phase, full of excitement and quick progress. There is a competitive phase, where improvement is pursued with vigor. Then comes the slower phase, where enjoyment of playing supersedes competition, and finally, there is contemplation — the time when one watches from the sidelines, reflecting on the games played, tournaments won, and joys shared.
The Unpredictability of It All
Life is also unpredictable, and every journey carries the possibility of abrupt endings. Pickleball is no different.
Players are unexpectedly forced to quit due to falls and injuries, cutting short their envisioned trajectory. Pickleball, for all its joy, is not without risks, and life itself has a habit of throwing curveballs when least expected. In that sense, the game is a reminder of impermanence and that continuation of nothing is guaranteed.
While playing, I should not take my Pickleball days for granted. At this age injuries take much longer to heal. But if luck allows, I will follow the envisioned Pickleball trajectory. In the course of time, one day I will be a happy spectator, watching ‘younger seniors’ play with the same passion that I once had. Until then, with luck I will continue to play and glide along different phases of my Pickleball career.
After all, life and Pickleball share the same truth: we must play with a sense of engagement, knowing that every rally, every shot, and every phase of journey could be fleeting. Fingers crossed, I will get to that final stage, reminiscing on the sidelines with a satisfied (and yet, nostalgic) smile, remembering the days when I was on the court and someone else was watching me play. Until then…
Ciao, and thanks for reading.
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