I am taking an 8 week pickleball class at the YMCA that I belong to. I thought it would be fun and it is fun, sometimes. The class started in early January and tomorrow will be our second to last session.
It takes place on Tuesday mornings, since I work a flexible schedule, I could make this work. But also because it takes place on Tuesday mornings, I am am the only person in my class who isn’t retired.
It seemed like in the beginning we would all be on equal footing. There was only one couple in our group who had ever played before. But I don’t happened. Everyone got a lot better at pickleball than me quickly.
I did miss a session in the middle because one of my children was sick from school. Then I missed another session because our school district had a delayed opening.
Then, then suddenly everyone is amazing at pickleball and I am like “how does this go again?”
I liked it better in the beginning when we worked on skills and “dinking”.
Last week, when we split up into groups to play a game, one of our instructors whose name isn’t Luigi but sounds like it could be Luigi, stopped our game after every play that I participated in to correct my form. It reminded me of elementary gym class.
What can I say, I don’t know what it is about me, maybe it is my face, but I am the kind of person that people like to correct. I used to go to an exercise class when I was in my 30’s and my instructor corrected me and me only week in and week out. I feel like she could sense that I hate that kind of thing, so she kept doing it.
I know that I am not good at pickleball but I am not going to get any better if I never get to play because my Luigi is always telling me how I could hit the ball better. It got to the point last week, where I had to politely tell him to stop because I don’t really want to keep being singled out.
Maybe all this being singled out nonsense is a test from the universe. I don’t know. When I was a young person being singled out by a teacher (probably a gym teacher) really used to make me flustered. I am sure that there were adversaries in my classes at school who like to see me like that. Now that I am an adult, I can see that gym class isn’t life.
It is almost comical now to think about how I am in this predicament in pickleball class. I am impressed by my classmates. I hope that I can be like them when I grow up.
Last week, when we were scrimmaging, I was the only female in my doubles match. My fellow players were really very nice. They had a real Dad-energy about them. They were encouraging but not in the “oh sweetie” slightly pitying way that I felt the previous week when I played with all ladies. When I kept flubbing my serve, they wanted to give me pointers the way a father would when he was helping his kid in the backyard or helping his kid’s little league team. It was kind of sweet.
Long story short, I don’t know what the universe is trying to teach me though this experience.
I don’t think the universe if trying to teach me to “just stick with it”. I am super stubborn. I don’t quit things. Plus, I am cheap. I paid for this class. I am going to get my money’s worth.
Maybe the universe is trying to test my communication skills? Perhaps I am being tested to see if I can use the pointers that Luigi wants me to offer and not snap at him every time he tells me I did it wrong.
Perhaps, I am supposed to use my words to “kindly” tell him to cool it a little on the “constructive feedback” so I can enjoy this class that I paid for?
Or maybe the universe is trying to teach me to embrace my inner schlemiel. That could be it. Maybe I am meant to love the awkward, uncoordinated part of me who can run for 13.1 miles but can’t serve a ball in sport that is beloved by senior citizens.
Wish me luck tomorrow in my class!
Love,
Katie
Katie- I admire you, if someone kept stopping play to correct my form, I would not go back. Maybe because you are the “youngin” in the class, he feels the need to single you out. Jim and I joined a couple gyms recently because we qualify for free membership because we’re old- it’s called Silver Sneakers. The first gym we joined was LA fitness, really close to our home- it’s huge, and sparkling, and ultra fancy with lots of spandexed women and bulging muscle men… I was super intimidated every minute I was there, so I didn’t go. Recently we found a gym a little further from our home, but catering to silver sneaker folks. We even got 5 sessions with a trainer ( who is also a silver sneaker)-much less intimidating and actually fun. I even started going to an aerobic dance/exercise class.
Hi Aunt Heidi, Thank you for your compliment. I am glad that you found a gym that you like. I am honestly glad that my class is almost over but I look forward to playing with Brendan at an outside court near our house in the spring. I think the last class will be fun though even though it has been a little rough going. I hope you all are doing well! I send my love.