Pickleball Anyone? Eye 👁️ Protection Anyone?

The game of Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States. A few weeks ago, the International Olympic Committee added Pickleball as a sport in the next games (2028 in Los Angeles). I couldn’t be more thrilled of this new added sport to the roster. Hey, they used to have Breakdancing (hmmm) and Baseball/Softball (I can see this more as an Olympic sport).

Pickleball is a wickedly fast paced game. It was started in 1965 by a Congressman in Washington State with two buddies and his 12 year old son at the time. The founders have all passed away, but their legacy is moving at a lightning pace, about the speed of a fast put away hit (ball) on the 20 ft wide x 44 ft long court.

It’s big fun to play, but also fun to watch and cheer on the best players. It’s like:

table tennis+tennis+badminton all in one sport.

Note: It is not an “old people’s game” either. Nope. The best player in the world just turned 19 years old (Anna Lee Waters).

I LOVE to play pickleball! I love the community of players that have become family. I love my club: The Putawayhttps://playputawaypickleball.com/ in Millersville, Maryland.

But…and it’s a big but, eye protection is key to play safely! The ball is moving so fast, that’s it is very easy to get hit, everywhere on the body, but the face and eyes can get hurt…badly with no protection.

Many players wear baseball caps since the bill can offer face protection. I learned the hard way about a year ago when I got hit in the face at a short range (kitchen line to kitchen line as my opponent hit a very fast clip on the ball, never intentionally going for my head/eye).

I went down. It was a shock to the face!

I was OK, thankfully, but as soon as I got home, I ordered three pairs of clear lenses pickleball glasses. They worked well until I the lenses got oily. I started seeing rainbows and halos from the lenses that I could never keep super clean.

Glancing through targeted social media “ads,” there was an ad for a pair of lense-less frame for pickleball players. I decided to purchase them to see if ithey would fit and work on the court. No lenses to keep clean, yet the frame was touted as a good option to for eye protection.

This past week, I was hit hard once again like I mentioned above, a ball coming right towards my left eye. But this time, that lense less frame kept my eye safe! Phew!!!

However, the ball did hit the tip of my paddle and the ball hit my cheek instead. I would have been in big ophthalmology trouble if I had not worn that lenses-less frame. I’ll take the red cheek that is still sore anytime than an emergency eye injury.

It’s the little things to protect a paddle princess 👑!

BTW, Paddle Princesses is the name of one of my favorite ladies pickleball group that plays Tuesday nights.

bSoleille!

Terri