Mother nature can be wild in some ways, one day you are out in the court under the blazing sun and the other second you will find yourself drenched in soggy wet socks because it decided to throw its curveball in the form of a downpour.
In that case, the only option you are left with is to scurry under a shelter until the ambiance is favorable in your condition because a deluged court is an accident waiting to happen. But then again, pickleball is such an addicting sport that an insatiable urge could push anyone to play in rumbling thunder.
Taking that into account, in this article we are going to discuss “Can you play pickleball in the rain” and what kind of challenges would you have to face if you are inclined to play on wet soggy terrain.
Is It Possible To Play Pickleball In the Rain?
For your naive heart that is throbbing to play pickleball regardless of the situation, yes, theoretically, it is possible that you whip your paddles in the court while having a burning spirit, however, there are some challenges you may have to face which are listed below,
1. Slippery When Wet
Have you ever been to malls or an airport where there are mini hazard boards lying around whenever the cleaners are wiping the floor? Well, those hazard signs are there for a reason, tiles or concrete when it’s in wet form is extremely slick and slippery, it’s like a layer of slime is applied on top of it except it’s less messy.
So in other words, you might as well forget about rolling in with grace for those dink shots, because you would have limited mobility on the court.
Especially the sudden ones, which means if you are planning to play pickleball when it is raining cats and dogs, I would highly advise you to keep your mobility in moderation and not be a “hero” during flanks because you might be in for an impromptu belly flops.
2. Poor Ball trajectory
Look, the ball used in this sport is only made from synthetic plastic and is pretty much hollow, weighing no more than 1 oz, which means you need to cut that poor soul some slack as it would struggle to propel across the moisty terrain even if you are swinging like a gladiator at it.
In other words, you are going to spend more energy but at the cost of very little mileage received.
But that is not even the worst part, because most pickleball sessions are often won with ernie, lobs, and even spins, no matter how much texture your paddle offers when it is wet, it would feel like you are slapping a wet napkin on the ball causing it to wobble around the court which might even result in a couple of penalties.
So, in other words, while the tradeoff might seem great whenever you are out on the court playing in the rain your skills might suffer great hindrance.
3. Horrendous Visibility
Have you ever been caught in the rain, looked up at the sky, and gotten your retinas flooded with pesky water droplets? Imagine that, but double the intensity and add in poor visibility, it’s a bad idea to play on wet surfaces but even a horrendous idea to play whenever it is pouring water from above.
To make things worse, the court is usually affected by fog especially if you are living in a region where humidity is rampant, so in other words, you barely would have any visibility even if you have plenty of lamps installed.
4. You Could Catch A Flu
I don’t want to sound like your grandma but when you are burning calories and all heated up while moving around rapidly in the court, there is a higher chance you could catch the flu or even end up with muscle soreness.
Your immune system is highly susceptible to viruses whenever you are playing in colder and wet conditions. Rainwater is the biggest culprit in spreading bacteria and viruses which could be spread through inhalation of oxygen giving rise to respiratory problems and such.
How To Overcome These Challenges
Being a pickleball guru myself, once you hooked up to this sport, there is no way you could skip a day without hitting the court with your buddies since it is so addictive. Here is how you could play pickleball in the rain.
1. Get Dressed Up
Pickleball is supposed to be a fun experience, not a trip to the ER, which means you need to be dressed appropriately when the weather doesn’t seem to be in your favor. Weather a proper raincoat that could proper you from getting cold and catching flu could be a lifesaver.
On the other hand, wearing a polarized visor could ensure your vision stays intact so you don’t end up falling face first in the court. While it may sound embarrassing, trust you don’t want to be the person who could suffer such injuries.
2. Equip Better Shoes
Wet floors mean less friction which will undoubtedly reduce the chances of you staying put on the surface especially if it’s painted with epoxy resin. In other words, you are going to find yourself in a pickleball if you don’t do something about those wet floors.
So make sure you wearing something that has enough spikes or texture to keep you afloat on the ground as it will provide enough traction. Luckily enough, there are pickleball shoes designed especially for outdoor courts as they induce more friction with aggressive threat patterns to keep you rolling effortlessly whenever you are busy during endless volleys.
3. Specialized Equipment
But that’s not all yet, due to poor visibility you also need to use specialized forms of balls that emit vibrant colors and can be seen even through thick fog. Moreover, these balls are also designed to have enough traction to be effective on your textured paddles.
In addition to that, you also need to wear a waterproof tarp on top of your paddle to protect it from inevitable water damage especially if it’s made from wood or graphite material so that it doesn’t suffer from moisture-related damage.
The Verdict
Ultimately, as far as the verdict is concerned when it comes to “Can you play pickleball in the rain” the pickleball court is there and you have the complete liberty to play whenever you feel like as long as you are playing in public, however, you must always keep in mind that nothing comes first in terms of safety.
Because at the end of the day, pickleball is all about having fun and if you are hooked up to the point that you ignore the dangers, then you are pretty much neglecting the spirit of the game.
