I was told there would be pickles…

There’s a new game in town — and it’s kind of a big dill. Not quite tennis. Not quite badminton. Not exactly ping pong. It’s pickleball.

Get pickled

Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court with ping-pong-type rectangular paddles, a wiffletype ball and tennis-like rules. It’s a bit like relish — a sweet and tangy mix of ingredients.

Slower-paced than tennis, and a lot easier to learn, it’s marketed as enjoyable, regardless your age or fitness level. In fact, Pickleball Canada calls it “a game for all.”

Relish something new

As I am equally unskilled at pretty much all ballrelated sports, I figured I’d give pickleball a try. The new Mont-Tremblant Sports Center has a fabulous court — so why not?

It was the best two dollars I’ve spent in a long time. It’s an absolute blast — and did not involve brining any cucumbers.

We were a group of eight so we reserved two courts and played doubles. There were a few seasoned tennis players in our crew, but most of us were playing for the first time.

I was grateful to partner up with Denis Roy. If you are going to try a new sport, having a Roy boy on your side is like having an ace up your sleeve.

Rookie tips: Keep your feet moving at all times. Stay out of the kitchen (good rule of thumb for more than pickleball). It’s not baseball – less power, more finesse. The first one to 11 wins.

If you are relishing a fun new game to pick up with your friends and family, or find yourself in a dill-emma on a bad-weather day, give pickleball a try. Reserve court time at the Sports Center and take a crunchy bite of this sport. It’s pickle-liciously fun.

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