Life has a way of pulling you off the court.

This winter it was everything at once. Work ramped up in ways I didn’t see coming (AI implementations, if you can believe it, have the whole office in a tailspin), and somewhere between deadlines and watching my sons grow into actual humans, pickleball quietly fell off the schedule. One son is heading to the Marines. Another is deep in college. My paddle has been sitting in the corner collecting dust since sometime in November and honestly, I think it’s judging me.

But spring is here, the Hill Country is waking up, and I’m reinvigorated. This site was always meant to keep me accountable and that’s exactly what it’s going to do.

My husband, bless him, has agreed to give pickleball a shot. He’s skeptical. Not because of anything he’s seen firsthand, but because my dad plays religiously and my dad is 71. So naturally, in my husband’s mind, the math checks out: Ann’s dad plays pickleball, Ann’s dad is 71, therefore pickleball is an old man’s game. I’ve tried to explain that this logic is deeply flawed. He remains unconvinced.

My daughter has issued a more formal verdict. Pickleball, she has declared, is an old person’s game. She is young, she is confident, and she is completely wrong. I have chosen not to argue. I’ve chosen instead to quietly fantasize about the day she picks up a paddle and realizes what she’s been missing. It’s coming. I can feel it.

This weekend I’m heading to The Courthouse in New Braunfels and I cannot wait. It’s a genuinely beautiful facility with covered courts, great food, cold drinks, and live music on the weekends. The kind of place that makes the sport feel like an event rather than just exercise. I’ll report back with a full review. My expectations are high and I suspect they’ll be met.

As for my game, I’m being realistic. The rust is real. I’m not going to walk back onto the court expecting to be the player I was in October. I’ll be happy to make solid contact, remember which side is the kitchen, and not embarrass myself in front of my husband on his maiden voyage. Baby steps.

Which brings me to a genuine question for the Hill Country pickleball community. How do you handle the Texas summer heat?

I’ll be honest, peak summer makes me nervous. I love this sport but I also love not melting. I’ve played at Das Rec in New Braunfels before and while it’s wonderfully affordable, the court setup isn’t quite what I’d call ideal for serious play. I’m going to be on the hunt for more solid indoor options as the temperature climbs and I’d love to know what you’ve found. Drop it in the comments.

More soon. The paddle is dusted off.

Ann R.
Editor, Pickleball Is All