Bucknell students are notorious for taking on far more than they can reasonably handle. And I get it—there’s too much going on here to simply be a student! The typical solution students resort to is to compromise some combination of sleep, self-care, and exercise. While that is certainly not the healthiest approach to collegiate life, it is an understandable one.
If you happen to find yourself with time to spare this year and you feel your body yearning for movement that is not overly demanding, a new club has been introduced to campus that parallels the nationwide obsession with the bizarre sport of pickleball.
This blend of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton is currently the fastest growing sport in the United States, having increased in popularity by 223.5% over the past three years. Although there are certain arbitrary rules, like the ball’s required bounce on the return serve and the ultra-specific scoring announcement, pickleball is relatively easy to begin if you have even an ounce of hand-eye coordination.
Boasting over 200 members total, the Bucknell Pickleball Club splits court time between beginner, intermediate, and advanced sections so that players are matched with other people of a similar skill level, making the games enjoyable and challenging for all. Extra paddles and balls are available for those looking to give it a try without spending an exorbitant amount of money!
If you show up to a match, decide this is a sport that works well for you, and want to devote more time to it than the club offers, the Lewisburg Miller Center hosts Open Pickleball hours almost every day during which people can drop by and pay a small fee in order to access all the courts and play with whoever else from the community shows up on that particular day. You can find that schedule on their website.
It may seem daunting to try something new, but you may find yourself, like I did, quickly falling in love with the game. Whether you are a first-year student looking to meet more people or a senior with an established Bucknell identity, it’s never too late to broaden your list of activities. Every time I show up to a practice, I leave feeling fulfilled both physically and socially, two needs that are frequently neglected in order to fit in an extra hour of studying.
Sources: Pickleheads, USA Pickleball