Within the past few years, and especially with the COVID shutdown, Pickleball has gained popularity across all ages and even many faculty and staff members at Benilde-St. Margaret’s have been bitten by the pickleball bug. Many of the faculty members get together routinely on Friday mornings before school and occasionally on weekends to socialize and get a good workout in.
As the faculty and staff are usually occupied with their own classes to teach and things to get done, the faculty league is a great way for BSM staff to have a good time and bond outside of work. Doctor Stephen Pohlen organized the morning pickleball get-together. The league plays in the Haben Center and has gained popularity. They have started to invite people out on the weekends and created the style of the league to be a “pop in whenever” type of thing. They do not have specific teams nor keep score, the league is solely for fun and social time with colleagues. “We’ve gotten in the habit of going Friday mornings every week, but on the weekends [it’s] like whatever is available. So we just look at the Basketball schedule and see if anyone is up to go,” Pohlen said.
Amy Jo Hyde, a French Teacher here at BSM, has also been hooked on pickleball. She has been playing for more than two years and was excited to hear that a BSM league was coming together. Hyde participates in the early riser group on Friday mornings before school. Indoor pickleball courts are hard to find and expensive in the winter, so Hyde is grateful they can play in the Haben as it is Indoor and free. “This is an opportunity to play for free and play with my colleagues. [We] have some fun… I love pickleball,” Hyde said.
This is an opportunity to play for free and play with my colleagues. [We] have some fun… I love pickleball.”
— Amy Jo Hyde
BSM Office Staff member, Kathleen Huyck, has been playing pickleball since the COVID-19 pandemic began. With nothing else to do during the shutdown, playing pickleball with family and friends was good exercise and bonding time. Huyck claims to not be the most talented pickleball player, but her skills have slowly improved over the past four years. She typically plays doubles, switches partners, and plays again. She mainly plays pickleball for fun and enjoys being able to play with a wide range of skill levels, as they have new people pop in every so often. “It’s just an enjoyable time with other faculty and staff, for sure double points because I have come to the 6 am on Friday,” Huyck said.