Now, let’s talk court lingo. The court is divided into sections, including the much-feared "Kitchen." No, it's not where you make your pickle sandwiches. The kitchen is the no-volley zone near the net, and stepping into it at the wrong time is a pickleball sin. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard, “Stay out of the kitchen!” More than once, I’ve been tempted to retort, “But I’m starving!” To illustrate my point on the importance of navigating the kitchen let me tell you a little story:
- It's a classic sports underdog story. Everyone loves an underdog, right? Wrong. Not when you are the “underdog” as a 24 years old, recent Division 1 athlete, and your competition, the favorite, is a 70 year old with two knee braces on. At the risk of embarrassing myself further, I will keep this story brief. Me vs my competitor. Competitor is on the verge of pickling said underdog aka me (pickling for those not familiar means you get beat 11-0), Competitor is serving for the win and the point is going on, as a last ditch effort for the little respect I had left, I make a diving effort to save the point and then the worst case scenario happens, I step in the kitchen. Immediate gut punch. Then to add insult to injury, my competitor yells gleefully, what are you a slut for the kitchen? and hence the “kitchen slut” nickname emerged. Now, I have learn to wear this nickname with honor. Because what else are you supposed to do when you are a kitchen slut.