That’s Not My Age

Anya Hindmarch’s Pickleball bag from Farfetch

Every summer I give myself the challenge of trying something new. These experiences, no matter how small –  from taking a pottery class to yoga in the park  – bring dopamine hits which can help to boost confidence and creativity. Pickleball has been on my bucket list for the last few years, but it took a succession of 40+ women taking up new sports (and excelling) to finally nudge me to learn it.

First, there was Oorbee Roy, aka Aunty Skates, who started skateboarding at 43 and became a TikTok sensation. Then, there was the inspiring cast of synchronized swimmers in the documentary Unsyncable. All are over-60 and range from world champion Sue Nesbitt to amateur Joyce Clarke, whose life and health has been transformed by taking up the sport. Comedian Carolyn Taylor was the third, fulfilling her decades-long dream to choreograph a professional figure-skating routine to Whitney Houston’s song ‘I Have Nothing’ – as documented in the hilarious and inspiring series with fellow comedian Mae Martin (Netflix).

The Pickleball class was held at my local community centre. Here, the badminton courts had been hastily taped into Pickle court dimensions, echoing the infrastructural changes happening across the globe. While tennis-hybrid Padel may be more Euro-popular, the TNMA generation is the fastest growing adopter of Pickleball globally and taking over many a local, re-fitted tennis court. Cities are scrambling to meet demand by re-purposing existing facilities, like New York’s Wollman Rink in Central Park (bookable for spring/summer play). Enterprising American business people are turning defunct shopping centres into giant Picklemalls. And, celebrities like Charlize Theron have been early adopters to play and host charity events.

Being a fashion person at heart, my first concern was what to wear? Thankfully, it’s the summer of sportswear, with an abundance of ‘tennis-core’ collections that fit nicely in the Pickleball aesthetic. The look is a mix of tennis, golf-wear and cool 1970s gym attire. Comic Relief’s 2022 Celebrity Pickleball Tournament was my stylespiration: I wore a polo shirt, wide-legged trackie-bottoms, Staud’s court sneakers and a slouchy cricket jumper for après play.

One of the first things I learned about Pickleball is how to keep track of the score, because there are complex serving rules and a lot of self-refereeing going on. That part of my brain went into hibernation during Lockdown so having to remember serving-score calls, and new rules that were just different enough from tennis to bait-and-switch my brain, definitely cleared the cobwebs. Generally, the rules are easy to learn – hence the massive uptake – and it is relatively inexpensive to kit up.

Sadly, I was lulled into the illusion that Pickleball would be physically easier than tennis. I wasn’t running about as much thanks to doubles-play, yet a good cardio workout was had, as I dove for shots (Pickle-balls don’t bounce much) and leapt across court defending ‘The Kitchen’ (the front part of the court near the net).

Trying something new is good for you. As well as the exercise, I met some really lovely people and I enjoyed pickleball tremendously. It is truly a social sport, ideal for staving off the isolation and loneliness plaguing society today. I aim to play again soon… unless I’m surfing, which is next on my bucket list.

Alexia Economou is a design and culture journalist, and regular TNMA contributor@thedesignfeedTW

That’s Not My Age is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.