Test Time
Yesterday I passed my IPTPA Pickleball Test for Level 3.5 certification. The IPTPA levels range from 2.0/2.5 to 5.0. 5.0 is considered Professional, 3.5 is considered “Upper Intermediate.” To obtain a rating of 3.5 you have to achieve a score of 80 out of 120 in a skills assessment and a minimum score of 23 points out of a possible 33 points in live play against a 3.5+ opponent. I scored 96 and 24 respectively. I passed the skills easily. The live play is a bit more challenging because there is pressure involved.
In the live play, I fell behind in the first of 3 games scoring only 5 points. By the time I got to the third game, I needed 11 points to pass. (Each game is played to 11.) I scored 11. It was quite the nail-biter. A lot like a goal line stand to win that game with only seconds remaining on the clock - a similar feeling.
Two days prior to my test day, I took a bad fall on the court. I landed on my head. Play stopped and everyone gathered around to see if I was all right. I’m fine. The owner of the club drove me home. (They are wonderful people.) I took it easy the next day but I have quite the abrasion on my forehead and gash above my right eye. I always wear safety glasses, I was chasing down a lob and I went down landing right on my safety glasses. I was playing against 3.5s and 4.0s, trying to show I belonged. I learned a valuable lesson, going back for a lob is fine, sometimes you have to, but don’t combine that with reaching out beyond your balance point. I’m won’t let that happen again.
Last night I played in a masquerade pickleball tournament. I dressed as a cyclist (not a huge stretch). Part of my costume was my bicycling helmet. I’m sure I will get plenty of comments (and laughs) like, “you should wear that helmet all the time!”
Maybe I should…