Articles written by Jim Lavrakas
Sorted by date Results 1 - 8 of 8
Choosing the best pickleball paddle for you
This column is primarily for beginners who want to buy their first paddle, but don't know where to start. I recommend buying a less expensive paddle to get you going just to see if this game is for...
Pickleball etiquette: Know these basics
If you're new to pickleball, or just need a refresher course on how to behave (you know who you are), here are well-accepted rules for behavior before, during and after play. These basic rules were...
Improving your recreational pickleball play
We can all get stuck in a comfort zone. Trying new things and changing old habits can be a challenge at any age, but as we get older our attitude can become inflexible. Like continuing to try to hit...
Pickleball insights: 'It's all about your head'
A friend of mine recently sent me an excerpt from "Open: An Autobiography," by Andre Agassi, the retired tennis professional. In it he talks about the mental battle he learned to fight after finding...
A unique pickleball opportunity in Fairbanks
The Alaska International Senior Games (AISG) is the official Alaska state qualifier for pickleball for the National Senior Games Assoc. (NSGA), which is a national organization of athletes age 50 and...
Move smart to avoid pickleball injuries
I've hurt myself a couple of times playing pickleball, and each time it could have been avoided. Moving too quickly – lunging, twisting and throwing myself on the ground - caused lower back pain,...
Add pickleball to your Hawaii itinerary
Playing Pickleball in Hawaii is just what you'd think: Pleasant weather, tropical breezes, and usually a wonderful, welcoming group of people to play with. It can also be a place where you take the...
See for yourself why pickleball is so popular
When I turned 65-years-old, I stopped playing pickup basketball at the local high school here in Homer. I was just getting too beaten up. Not by the 20 and 30-something youngsters I was playing with,...