“Don’t get pickled!” the clinic leader advised with a smile. It was my first time playing pickleball, the hot new sport taking over the nation. Getting pinned means you lose 11-0: a shutout. Despite the leader’s warning, my team was attacked twice that first day. Oh good. There was nowhere to go but up!
Learning a new sport (new rules, new lingo, new equipment, new people) can be daunting for anyone. Add hearing loss to the equation and it can be downright terrifying. But I highly recommend it. Even if they pickle you!
The good news is that pickleball (like many sports) is primarily a visual game. Hand-eye coordination is not affected by hearing loss, unless, of course, yours also has vestibular problems. But there are a lot of confusing rules and communication between teammates about who hits the ball is a critical element. Hearing loss can increase the challenges of keeping score and understanding whether the ball is in or out. But that certainly doesn’t stop the fun.
What is Pickleball?
According to Wikipedia, pickle ball is a racquet or rowing sport in which two or four players hit a hollow, perforated plastic ball with paddles over a 34-inch-high net until one side fails to return the ball or commits a rule violation. It is a fun, social and friendly game that makes learning easy for beginners. As experience and knowledge increase, it can become a fast-paced competitive game. You can read more about the game. here.
According to 2023 Sports and Fitness Industry AssociationAccording to the Topline Participation Report, pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America! For the third year in a row! Pickleball is popular with both sexes (6 in 10 players are men) and was played at least once by 14% of the US adult population last year! I guess I’m a little late to the party. But better late than never.
Pickleball with hearing loss has its challenges
As with any communication activity, there are several challenges when playing pickleball. I had trouble hearing the score (the server announces it before each point), as well as when other players called a ball “out.” It was helpful that they also raised their hands in the air while calling a ball “out,” which many of them did naturally.
Communication with teammates is also key, especially for those strategically thrown balls right in the center of the court. Should I hit him or should I leave it to my partner? It’s a split-second decision before someone says, “Mine!” or “Yours!” But if you don’t hear them say it, there can be problems like when we both watch the ball go by while waiting for the other person to hit it. Of course, this also sometimes happens to teams with two “typical” hearing players!
Pickleball is often played in drop-in locations where partners who may or may not know each other are paired based on ability. This can make it difficult, because there are constantly new voices to learn and new explanations (I have hearing loss, so I may not hear you unless we are face to face) to give. Luckily for me, my partners have always been kind and understanding, which seems to be the general rule.
Don’t Let Hearing Loss Stop You From Trying Pickleball
Despite the challenges, learning pickleball has been a lot of fun and a great way to meet other people if you like to get a little sweaty while socializing.
As with any difficult listening situation, it is helpful to do the following
- Tell others about your hearing loss so they won’t be surprised when you miss something they say. With regular partners, consider creating some hand signals to indicate whose turn it is to serve or if the ball is out. These cues will benefit everyone who plays, whether or not they have hearing loss.
- Use visual cues. What you see will tell you a lot about what is happening in the game. We are good at the art of observation, so use it here and know that it will get easier the more familiar you become with the game.
- Try a remote microphone. If you use a remote microphone with your devices, ask your partner to use it so you can communicate more easily.
- Use a headband to hold devices in place while playing and minimize the sound of the wind. A wind program on your hearing aids can also help minimize unwanted sound. Consider sweat guards if necessary to keep your devices dry. Your audiologist may have other professionals in his or her practice and may also be able to share their advice with you.
- Be gentle on yourself! Many of the “mistakes” we make in the game, like not knowing the correct score or missing a shot that goes right down the middle because no one knows whose ball it is, happen to everyone! We may assume it’s our fault because we didn’t hear something, but it probably isn’t. That’s just pickleball.
The best news of all is that pickleball is a game for people of all ages and abilities. Men, women, young, old, athletic or not, everyone can play pickleball. So, what are you waiting for?
Readers, do you like playing pickleball?
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