A reader recently asked me to comment on finding a great pickleball partner. Certainly, finding someone you mesh with is important. However, there are just two keys to finding a great partner.
Player = Partner
You can’t be a good doubles player without being a good doubles partner! I have written several posts on partnership:
- I discussed how important it is to be comfortable when you play;
- I’ve written about verbal and non-verbal communication;
- In fact, I wrote an e-book all about being the best partner you can be.
But sometimes two really good partners, may not play well together. They may not have complementary skills. They may not enjoy using the same strategies. It may be they simply have different goals. So don’t beat yourself up if what you expected to be a dream partnership doesn’t work out. Keep trying!
You Have to Put Yourself Out There
To find a great pickleball partner, you need to be willing to be vulnerable…at times a bit uncomfortable. You need to put yourself out there.
When I first started playing, I was lucky. An old friend needed a women’s partner and there I was. However, I realize that is not the case for many….and in fact, was not always the case for me. I remember the 2015 Lemaster Davidson tournament. I didn’t really know if I wanted
to play and I didn’t have a partner, but someone there set me up with Mona Burnett. Neither of us knew the other and she was certainly taking a bigger risk than me given the amount of tournament experience she had. But we met the day before, practiced some and we ended up winning that event.
I learned a lot that weekend about how to work with someone new. How to communicate and support as well as strategizing. It was at that tournament where Gigi Lemaster and I decided to play nationals. Well, that turned out pretty good!
The fact is you need to be willing to sign up for tournaments, even if you don’t have a partner. Use partner-finder or the sign-up list and just start asking people. You may not find the perfect partner, but along the way, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will also meet more and more people. Recreation play prior to or after the tournament can’t be beaten and also gives you the opportunity to get exposed to more players.
The most important thing is to put yourself in the game and be willing to lose a bit because of it. Playing tournaments can help you grow so quickly! The more you play with some different people the more you will narrow down what YOU need. Ask the people you meet if they know someone who would be a good fit for you. I got a big nudge from some friends to partner up with Christine McGrath and I love that I listened!
