Nancy Teeter
Shawne Cryderman
The following is a letter – shared with me as President of the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association – from a woman whom I admire and have the privilege to actually play the game of Pickleball with. I believe the thoughts and feelings expressed in her letter are shared by many of us who have chosen to live in an active adult community such as SaddleBrooke.
Dear Friends,
I’m writing to share my personal perspective and what I believe has made a huge difference in my life.
Please allow me tell you why Pickleball is important to me personally. When we moved here in 2007 Pickleball was just getting started and what little I heard about it left me uninterested; however, just after I retired in 2012, I went to demo day sponsored by SPA (SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association). That event hooked me.
Soon after I started playing, people would say to me, “You are so athletic.” Please know that in my entire life my name and the word athletic have never been used in the same sentence. In fact, just the opposite must have occurred, since in school I was the last picked for any team sport. From the start I found joy in playing Pickleball because it’s easy to learn and fun to play at any skill level. The groups that play are happy and express delight when others perform well. It’s a very social sport. It keeps me active, helps me maintain my weight loss and keeps me socially engaged. I also believe that anticipating the return to play helped facilitate my recovery from the golf cart accident. I’m certain that the majority of the 600 plus SPA members would agree that Pickleball enhances life.
My personal experience partially explains why this is the fastest growing sport in the country. The game has become an important amenity in active adult communities—both new and long established. These communities are adding courts because residents and potential buyers are creating the demand for new courts. Desired amenities help maintain resale value.
I will remain an involved participant in the SPA and continue my active lifestyle. It is a pleasure to do so.
Your friend and neighbor, Nancy Teeter