Pickleball: The Game Where High School Never Really Ends

You show up to the court with your paddle, water bottle, and best intentions — ready for some cardio, laughs, and maybe a killer third shot drop. But then it hits you: Pickleball isn’t just a sport… it’s high school with a net.

No, seriously. The cliques, the drama, the politics — they’re all back, just with more knee braces and sunscreen. Let’s break the Pickleball drama down.

👑 The 

Mean Girl

She’s got the perfect outfit (coordinated skirt and visor, naturally) and a crew that follows her like ducklings. Don’t dare try to join her court without an invite. If you do, brace yourself for the cold shoulder, an eye-roll, or a whispered “we were actually waiting on someone.”

Where have we seen this before? Oh right — the cafeteria, circa 11th grade.

🏆 The 

Jock

Still living off the glory days. Probably played D3 tennis in college and now smashes every ball like he’s auditioning for the U.S. Open. Will absolutely mansplain the rules mid-rally and tell you how you “should’ve covered that dink.”

He’s not here to make friends — he’s here to win and remind you that yes, he does play in tournaments.

🎭 The 

Drama Kid

This one’s fun. Every call is questionable. Every missed shot is a tragedy. Every paddle tap is accompanied by a soliloquy about “how off they’ve been lately.” They’re not just playing — they’re performing.

📚 The 

Nerd

Knows every stat, every rule, every paddle material. They’ve watched 400 hours of pro matches on YouTube and can quote the rulebook chapter and verse. They may not be the fastest, but they will challenge your foot fault with Google evidence.

🙃 The 

Floater

Plays with everyone, knows everyone, and somehow is always on the court. They’re Switzerland in the social wars and always “just here to have fun” — which is code for “I’m secretly keeping mental notes for the group chat later.”

😬 The 

New Kid

This poor soul just bought a paddle at Target and walked onto the court hoping to make friends. Instead, they’ve been ignored, rotated out early, or told to “come back during rec hours.”

We’ve all been the New Kid at some point. Be nice.

🎭  The

Social Scheduler… with a Plot Twist

Every group has one. The person who somehow always ends up organizing the play schedule — but not out of kindness. Oh no. This is strategic. Tactical. High school chess with a pickleball paddle and pickleball drama.

They set up games behind the scenes, coordinate invite-only courts, and somehow always “forgot to check with you.” And when you do ask about it?

“Oh! I thought you said you weren’t sure if you could play…” “I just went with whoever responded first!” “I didn’t want to bother you — you’ve been so busy!”

Translation: They wanted to play with someone else and hoped you wouldn’t notice. And when you do notice? They flip the script and suddenly you’re the dramatic one. “You do you.” “No need to make a big deal.” “We’re all just here to have fun!”

Which is ironic — because they’re the only ones making it not fun.

Here’s the Real Serve:

You’re not crazy. You’re not dramatic. And you’re definitely not the bad guy.

Some people want control more than community — and the best thing you can do is see it, name it (even just to yourself), and stop giving them that power.

Let them play their games — on and off the court.

You? Keep showing up, paddling hard, and playing with people who value inclusion over manipulation.

Because your energy is better spent dinking with the good eggs. 💁‍♀️

So… Why Do We Keep Playing?

Because behind the drama, the awkward moments, and the flashbacks to our teenage insecurities — pickleball is still the best thing going.

It’s social, it’s fun, and if you can navigate the high school throwbacks with a sense of humor and a good paddle… you’ll find your people. And maybe even relive the glory days — only now with better shoes and less homework.