Relocated to a mid-size city for work and i dont know anyone here. Back home i had a solid group of 8-10 people we played with 3-4 times a week. Now im just showing up to random courts and hoping theres open play. Sometimes theres games going and people let me jump in but other times its empty or everyone already has their groups set. How did you guys find your regular playing partners when starting from scratch?
4 Comments
Facebook groups are honestly the fastest way. Search for "[your city] pickleball" and theres probably 2-3 groups already. Most post about open play times and locations. Introduce yourself, say your skill level, and ask when the best times are. People in this sport are ridiculously friendly.
good call i didnt even think to check facebook. just found 2 groups already thanks
Also try the Meetup app. Lots of cities have organized pickleball meetups with set schedules. My city has one that does Tuesday/Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings and its always 20+ people showing up. Way easier than trying to find random games. Some YMCA and rec centers also run organized open play sessions if you ask at the front desk
biggest tip: pick one court location and one time slot and just keep showing up. Consistency is how you become a regular. I moved 2 years ago and felt the same way. Started going to the same park every wednesday and saturday morning. By week 3 people recognized me. By week 6 i had numbers in my phone and was getting invited to private games. Dont spread yourself across a bunch of different spots, just commit to one and let people get to know you.