Behind the paddles: San Marcos residents share their pickleball experiences

By Marisol Camargo

Blog Content Contributor 

SAN MARCOS— Pickleball has been a gateway to form new communities and companionship throughout each game. San Marcos residents have quickly adapted to the game and each other.

Similar to tennis and badminton, pickleball is a paddle sport that is played with a perforated plastic ball on a smaller court, allowing players of different skills and ages to participate. Monica Ferley, a two-year pickleball player, said, “It’s really a game for everybody.”

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport in San Marcos. Older residents of San Marcos have set the trend for younger generations, and over time, it has become increasingly popular among Texas State students.

“A lot of people originally thought it was just for older people, and it is great for older people because of the size of the court, and you don’t have to be as mobile as you do for tennis, but the young people love it,” said Ferley.

For most San Marcos residents, the support they receive and give goes beyond the court. The game is more than just a sport for pickleball players. It’s a community.

Aaron Cortez, a Texas State pickleball organizer, said, “When I came to play for the first time, and I was hesitant, but everyone was so kind. They explained the rules and let me play and helped me feel like part of the community without me feeling like I was an outsider.”

“It’s really a pickleball community,” Ferley said, “There’s a man that plays on the recreation side, and he turned 89. We decided to have a lunch and 50 people showed up to support him and play.”

Sergio Gamez, who initially found pickleball unexciting, has been playing the sport for over two years, emphasizing its sociability and the opportunity to hear others’ stories.

Gamez said, “I get to meet a lot of people. I get to hear their stories; I get to hear where they’re coming from, where they’re going.”

Just like Gamez, Texas State students were skeptical at first. Cortez said, “In the beginning, we had three members, and now we are at 40 and growing. It’s only been three semesters, and they love it. The goal was to create a fun and safe space for them to play, and they love it. They’re laughing, they’re being social, they’re playing their music, they’re having a good time.”

Like many other sports, pickleball offers physical, emotional and mental benefits, as expressed by players like Cortez, who highlights the positive impact on mental health and community building.

Cortez said, “I have mental health conditions, and with pickleball it allows me to socialize, be physical, exercise and find community. Be able to laugh and have a good time with pickleball and the community.”

Discovering a new sport or hobby creates many pathways for the individual to grow in other aspects of their life, but it can be daunting to think about getting out of one’s comfort zone. Pickleball is a great start to getting active again and making lifelong friends.

Cortez said, “I love pickleball because it allows everyone to be social, healthy, and happy.”

For more information about pickleball games and locations, go to https://www.pickleheads.com/courts/us/texas/san-marcos/rio-vista-park , and if you are looking for a pickleball community, you can request to join “San Marcos Pickleball Community” on Facebook. If you would like to join the “Pickleballers at Texas State University,” you can email the organization at https://studentinvolvement.txst.edu/student-orgs/org-search.html