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| | | | George makes a pledge to gals interesred in Pickleball | PICKLEBALL with George Brewer
She walked past me on her way to select a seat right up front and sat down waiting, alone, for the meeting to begin. There was nothing about this "tiny" lady that warned me of the impact she was about to make on me and I don't even know her name. It all started with one of those really good meetings The Village Recreation Department sponsors for residents who want to learn more about Pickleball. I sit in the back of the room at most of these meetings to support the spokesperson just in case they need help on rules and other Pickleball questions. The Recreation Director always makes those attending feel very comfortable and before the meeting begins new residents have a chance to look around the room and see if there is someone there they might have something in common with.
When the meeting began "she" slid forward on her chair to take in all that was about to be shared. Literature is passed out and discussed, an excellent video is shown, rules are discussed and paddles/balls are passed around so all there can get an idea of the game. Soon there was time for questions. Her hand was the first up but not immediately chosen. From the back of the room I noticed her small-frail waving fingers at the end of a freshly tanned arm as she patiently waited. Finally it was her turn. What she said made me realize, to this day, that I have always been a deep thinker about things perfectly obvious to a more worldly person.
She said, "I've never played a game in my life. I always wanted to but back in my day they didn't offer sports for girls like they do today. Besides, when I went to high school in the 50s it was to find me a husband. I found me one and now 50 years later I'm ready to make up for what I missed and do me some playing. All I need is for someone to teach me how."
I'm a "he" and I've always taken sports for granted and it never had dawned on me someone, no anyone, could never have "played". You see, back in my day, someone was always organizing some kind of "boy" activity and encouraging me to participate. Back then, I thought if girls were interested in sports they'd just get involved like I did. Since they didn't, I was comfortable believing girls just didn't like to do sports. How naive can you be? Years later Title IX came and went right over my head. It was disturbing for me to hear this woman's plea, for you see I thought she was appealing directly to me to help her. She made me realize that there must be hundred of thousands of girls back in the 40s and 50s who had missed something in their "girlhood" that was always there for us boys. She never used the word deprived but that's the right word isn't it? I tell you true, I'm BIG time sorry I did nothing to see how important sports were to all of the "shes" out there who I could have and should have encouraged to participate in something I have always treasured. I kid around about a lot of stuff in these monthly articles but not about this, I feel bad for being so self-centered.
So girls, if your sill willing to give it a try I'l take is pledge to you in writing: Every time The Villages has Pickleball lessons for beginners I will be there and seek out as many "shes" as possible and encourage those there that they belong and that it's not too late to start from scratch. It's not a gift I offer as an instructor, it's an installment payment, on a debt I owe, that is well past due.
I HOPE I C U on D Courts…..George Brewer
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