Hi, I’m Marie Spentel, pickleball addict. And that’s me playing tennis in my heyday. I’ve since switched to pickleball.
I started playing pickleball back in ancient times; early 2000’s to be specific. Back then, pickleball wasn’t popular and pickleball courts didn’t really exist.
No, there was 1 tennis court nearby and I worked with a few others to convert sections of it to be able to play pickleball on.
That being said, why listen to a woman like me?
Allow me to introduce myself.
That’s me there practicing my tennis serve. I basically love tennis and pickleball, which gave me the inspiration to compile my experiences over the years into a blog to help others getting into the sport.
The wealth of information about pickleball wasn’t available when I started playing. It was learn as you go and it was difficult to get new players into the game.
That all changed around 2015 when pickleball became the fastest growing sport in the US and now it’s difficult to find court time since it’s so packed (which is a good thing).
My achievements playing Pickleball
I say the following not to brag, but to illustrate why I think I’m more than qualified to write about playing pickleball. I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes, and continue to make mistakes. But I have also garnered a few accomplishments along the way, and these are the highlights:
League champ for Women’s doubles all around finals – local tournament
Local Pickleball Player of the Year – This was specific to the eastern region where I was given the “MVP Award” for my overall performance for a local tournament there.
Beyond those official awards, there are a few other highlights I’d like to point out as I think they speak to my overall ability to do a good job of balancing pickleball games, developing strategy, and continuing to build my overall game.
Developing new players – I offer mentoring for local children who have interests in learning about pickleball and tennis.
Community Development – Helping construct pickleball courts in my area to provide more playing surfaces for pickleball.
Rule Guidance – Providing assistance with local tournaments rules governing pickleball play.
How I spend my time outside of work
When I’m not working, I like to spend time with my family or gardening.
I love to travel, hit up water parks and theme parks, see family and friends and just enjoy life.
My dog Misty loves to go to the dog park and I have many other pets that crave attention.
