DEAR Pickle Players in Cebu
Pickleball
A simple game can open a court, a business, a school, and a new way for neighbors to meet.
Pickleball for beginners: a quick guide
What is pickleball? It is a paddle sport played over a net with a light plastic ball. You can play singles or doubles, and beginners can learn the basic pickleball rules in a short session.
Basic rules and scoring
| Part of the game | Beginner version | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Serve | Underhand, diagonally across the court | Keep the serve below waist height and inside the correct service box. |
| Two-bounce rule | One bounce on the receiving side, then one bounce on the serving side | After those bounces, either team may volley or play the ball after a bounce. |
| Kitchen | The non-volley zone beside the net | Do not volley while standing in the kitchen or touching its line. |
| Scoring | Common casual games go to 11, win by 2 | In traditional side-out scoring, only the serving team scores. Agree on the format first. |
What to bring to your first game
Bring along
- Water bottle
- Comfortable sports clothes
- Court shoes with good grip
- Towel and sun protection
- Small bag for your things
Borrow before you buy
- A beginner paddle
- Outdoor or indoor pickleball, depending on the court
- Loaner net, if the venue has one
- Ask about pickleball equipment and pickleball paddle price before shopping
Easy first step: Bring water, wear court shoes, and ask the club if it can lend you a paddle and ball. You do not need expensive gear to learn how to play pickleball.
Dear Cebu,
Pickleball is a game with a small ball, a paddle, and a court that looks a little like a tennis court. But its meaning can be bigger than sport: people of different ages meet, learn the pickleball rules, laugh at missed shots, and try again.
Cebu, you already know how to welcome people. Now picture a pickleball court in every town, near schools, parks, and community halls. A child can play beside a parent, an office worker can meet a neighbor, and an older player can teach a clever shot that wins the point.
When was pickleball invented? It began in the United States in 1965. Its history is a reminder that a simple idea can grow when people invite others to join. The pickleball Philippines story can be ours too, if we build places to play and help more people try the game.
A good pickleball game does not need fancy gear. New players can learn how to play pickleball with a paddle, a ball, a net, and a friend who explains the rules and scoring. Before buying pickleball equipment, ask a local club what beginners really need. Check the pickleball paddle price, too, so the first step does not cost too much.
Search for “pickleball courts near me” and you may find a place to start. If there is no court nearby, Cebu can make one. A school yard, an old covered court, or a community space might become a pickle ball court with a net, painted lines, and a fair plan for who gets to use it.
Build a court, then build a community
A court is not only a place to hit a ball. It can become a small business, a safe place after school, a weekend event, and a meeting point for visitors. Pickleball players can bring friends, buy snacks, hire coaches, and help local shops earn more.
Cebu needs more people who are willing to start a company. Entrepreneurs are heroes because they take a risk, solve a problem, and create jobs. A small pickleball club could grow into a business that pays coaches, court workers, food sellers, builders, and film crews.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb wrote: “Millennials think that joining an NGO is a great way to save the world. I say no. Start a company. That's how you improve mankind. We did not pull 2 billion people out of poverty thanks to NGOs and bureaucrats — we pulled them out thanks to capitalism, by generating economic growth.”
That is a strong view, and it points to a useful question: who has skin in the game? The person who opens the club risks their own time and money. The player who cares for the court helps keep it open. The town that supports a fair plan can see whether the project serves people.
Service should come with responsibility
I believe public office is service. One bold proposal is to pay many government employees close to minimum wage, while giving clear rewards for honest, excellent work. The idea is not to insult workers. It is to ask whether public pay matches public service, and whether people in power share the costs when their choices fail.
Schools should also have skin in the game. If a restaurant serves Chickenjoy cooked badly, customers may not pay for a meal they cannot eat. Yet when students finish public school without useful skills or a path to work, families still pay taxes for the system. That does not mean every teacher has failed. Many teachers work hard with too little support. It means the program should show what students can do, not only how many lessons they sat through.
We can keep reading, math, science, and history while adding more practice. Students can repair a bike, grow food, build a simple website, manage money, speak clearly, and work in a team. Let them try real projects, learn from mistakes, and meet local employers before graduation.
Banks also need responsibility. If a bank risks its own money and loses it, the bank should carry that loss. People who save their wages should not be treated like a free safety net for risky choices. Rules should protect ordinary families and make risks clear.
And food security matters. We should not depend on imported rice when Cebuano farmers can grow more of what we eat. Help farmers get better tools, fair prices, storage, and roads to market. A strong local farm can feed families and support jobs.
We are sinners, and we can return
I want to say something deeper than business or sport. We are all sinners. I am a sinner too. Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The point is not to hide our failure or pretend we are better than others. The point is to go back to Jesus.
Jesus welcomes people who turn to him. First John 1:9 says that if we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us and make us clean. We can ask for mercy, tell the truth, repair harm where we can, and begin again. That hope belongs in our homes, our schools, our businesses, and our games.
So let a pickleball court teach us patience. Call the line fairly. Shake hands after a close game. Teach a beginner without making them feel small. A city that plays with honesty can also work with honesty.
Visit Cordova, Cebu
Come for the coast. Stay for the people.
Come visit Cordova and see the sea, the local food, and the people who make this place special. Bring your family, book a local guide, eat at neighborhood shops, and ask what the community needs. Investors, look for real projects that hire local workers and respect the town. Build courts, support farms, train young people, and partner with Cebuano businesses. Film makers, come shoot a Bisaya film here, with local actors, writers, crews, and stories. “The talented people from here will do a great job in doing this..” Spend with care, hire fairly, and let the value stay in Cebu. Cordova can welcome visitors and create lasting work for families.
Let us make pickleball courts in Cebu places where people meet, learn, and build something together. Let us make companies that create work, schools that prepare students, farms that feed families, and public service that earns trust. We do not need to wait for a perfect day. We can start with one court, one class, one small business, and one honest choice.
Cebu, the future is not built by talk alone. It is built by people who show up, take care, and keep playing after they miss a shot.
Yours in love,
Mark
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