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It started out as a way to meet people but Dr Michelle Chin of Chermside Dental Care in Brisbane was soon representing Australia in pickleball.
“About 12 months ago, I played in the National Pickleball League in Australia. It was an amazing experience, and I’m still astonished to say I represented Australia in pickleball, particularly as I’m originally from Canada.
“I discovered pickleball in 2017 when I was living in Toronto—a couple of years before moving here. I was with my mum at a community centre and saw it being played. Pickleball has a smaller court than tennis and players use paddles to hit a wiffle ball; a plastic ball perforated with holes. I joined the local club and loved it straight away. It’s an easy game to pick up but as you get better, you realise it’s difficult to master. This also means you can enjoy it no matter what your level of play.
“Pickleball scoring is similar to badminton and the gameplay is quite like tennis. A lot of tennis players go on to become very good at pickleball. There are some unique rules such as the serve must be underhand and the ball must bounce once on each side of the court before a player can volley.
“When I moved to Brisbane in 2019, I didn’t know anyone so I reached out to Brisbane pickleball and they encouraged me to join up straight away. One of the players even picked me up from home and took me to the court—the only dedicated pickleball court in Australia at the time.
“The sport has exploded in Australia and there are competitions right across the country. The growth was so quick that the game has changed since I started playing. It’s much faster now and you need good hand-eye coordination. Being quick on the court is very advantageous.
“When playing at a professional level, I was training regularly and doing exercises to build strength. I had games twice a week and it was very competitive. Unfortunately, I developed some RSI in my wrist so now it’s just a social thing where I play with my family and friends whenever I get the chance.
“I originally fell in love with pickleball because it’s such a welcoming community. I had never experienced that before with other sports. It’s also easy to pick up and gets competitive as you improve as a player. There’s also a social aspect to pickleball and I’ve made good friends that are still close to me. After games, there are often get-togethers and being in Australia, a lot of barbecues. It’s a fantastic way to meet people and a wonderful sport to play.”
