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58 58 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | APRIL 2022 | | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | APRIL 2022 | Seventy down and five to go. That's what it will take for pickleball to become an Olympic sport. With nearly five million players in the USA alone, pickle is set to make it's mark in the seventy-five countries the Olympic Committee decrees is a necessary global footprint to qualify. That was one of the themes of a recent program on National Public Radio. Reporter Shannon Mullen interviewed various people who either play or study the game. Yes, study. Shannon was in New Hampshire for her story and spoke with Ben Shields, a lecturer at MIT who specializes in the sports industry. Ben believes that once pickleball gets its "Michael Jordan" it will blossom into "a viable competitor in the global sports industry." Sounds like a pipe dream, perhaps. But the growth of the game is truly phenomenal. So, who knows? After all, of those seventy nations where pickleball is now thriving, most joined the International Pickleball Federation in just the last three years. Los Angeles '28 here we come! Another growth item these days is step-counting devices, whether Apple watches, Fitbits or whatever is coming down the pike. More and more players are conscious of their daily quota as a part of healthy living. So, how does pickleball contribute to this area of well- being? Recently in Knoxville volunteers reported their minutes played and steps counted on the various platforms. The range, as we might expect, was huge: 1922 was the minimum tallied and a robust 9465 was tops. Overall the average number of steps during a pickle session (close to two hours) was nearly 6000. This certainly gets you well on your way to whatever daily goal you have established. So, keep in mind that while pickleball is great fun and leads to lasting friendships, it is also a terrific ingredient in maintaining our physical vigor. Finally, a note on sportsmanship. Occasionally disputes occur about line calls. The national organization continually tries to help us all avoid disagreements. Or at least disagreeableness. The final caution in the most recent statement of policy is, "Resolve any uncertainty in favor of your opponents." This seems like a lovely restating of the Golden Rule. Keeping others' interests uppermost is a great way to walk through this world. If you are new to the community and/or to pickleball, give our club vice-president Judy Luna a call. She will steer you to the best times to get plugged in to our great game. Reach her at (949) 929-2390. See you on the courts! Pickleball Club

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