Is Your Identity Tied to the Game? Let’s Talk About That

Some people play pickleball. Others are pickleball. They schedule their weeks around matches, keep pro stats on lock, and casually slip “third-shot-drop” into dinner conversation like everyone should know what it means. 

It’s funny, but also worth pausing on: what happens when your outlet becomes part of who you are? Sports psychologists call this athletic identity — the degree to which you define yourself through your sport. And in pickleball, it’s everywhere. One study even found that players over 65 who kept their “pickleball friends” during the pandemic reported higher life satisfaction than those who didn’t. For many, the sport has gone way beyond a pastime and settled into identity territory.

Why We Tie Ourselves to the Game

Athletic identity can be a positive force. When you’re proud to call yourself a pickleball player, you’re more motivated to train, show up consistently, and improve. That’s exactly what one longtime player told us:

“When I found myself planning my week around matches, learning strategy, watching pro matches for hours, and proudly calling myself a pickleball player, that’s when it shifted from something I did… to part of who I am.”

Psychologists say that when it gets stronger, two things can happen:

• Identity fusion → your sense of self and the sport overlap so much they’re inseparable. (If your Amazon cart is 90% pickleball-related, you know the drill.)

• Role engulfment → when “pickleball player” overshadows every other role in your life. Rest days aren’t really rest — they’re just spent streaming matches on YouTube. 

And honestly? A lot of people are fine with that. As our player put it:

“Playing, coaching, and working in pickleball shapes the way I carry myself every day… and it keeps me connected to a bigger community that’s passionate and constantly evolving.”

Photo by The APP

The Upside of Being All-In

Let’s give pickleball identity its credit: it comes with some pretty big perks.

• Community: Pickleball is social glue. TIME magazine reported that older adults who built friendships on the court saw their well-being rise significantly. Ask around, and you’ll hear the same thing: “Pickleball became my socialization,” one 68-year-old player said. The camaraderie is as addictive as the rallies.

• Confidence: In a 2018 study of 153 older adults competing in tournaments, frequent play was linked to lower depression rates. One 80-year-old described it perfectly: pickleball gave him a way to be active, feel good about himself, and look at aging with optimism rather than dread.

• Performance: Passion fuels improvement. Research shows athletes with a strong sport identity stick to training longer, push harder, and achieve more. Or, as our player joked, “When every conversation somehow circles back to pickleball, you know you’re invested.”

When you adopt the label of “pickleball player,” you also adopt the benefits: accountability, motivation, and a built-in support system.

But Here’s the Catch

There’s a thin line between passion and fixation. And when pickleball becomes the only lens you see yourself through, cracks show.

• Burnout is real. One longtime player admitted that after a decade of constant play, she “got a little burned out” because pickleball became her entire identity. The joy gave way to obligation.

• Life imbalance sneaks in. Psychologists warn that athletic over-involvement can lead to neglect of other roles — family, career, friendships. If you’re skipping dinner with loved ones for open play every week, that’s a red flag.

• Emotional whiplash hits harder. When your self-worth rests on your sport, every bad game feels like a personal failure. Sports psychologists note that athletes in this headspace are more prone to anxiety, anger, and even depression when things don’t go their way.

Our player has learned the hard way:

“When you love pickleball, it’s easy to let it take over every spare moment. I’ve learned that setting boundaries actually helps me enjoy it more. Taking a day off, cross-training, or simply spending time outside the game keeps me fresh and prevents burnout.”

How to Keep It Healthy

Loving pickleball doesn’t mean letting it run your entire life. Here are a few ways to keep your identity balanced:

• Check yourself: If your mood tanks after one bad game, your identity might be too tightly tied up in pickleball.

• Diversify: Pickleball can be your favorite role, but it shouldn’t be your only one. Explore other hobbies, keep up friendships outside the courts, and build identities that don’t require a paddle.

• Set “no pickleball” zones: Dinner tables, vacations, or even just one night a week where you don’t talk about the game. (Yes, it’s possible.)

• Keep the fun first: Research shows that players who focus on joy and social connection are more likely to stick with the sport long-term. If it stops feeling fun, reassess.

As our player shared:

“If I had to take a break from playing, you’d still find me on the trails with my dogs. Hiking keeps me moving, clears my head, and keeps the competitive spark alive — even off the court.”

So, Where Does That Leave Us?

Tying your identity to pickleball can give you purpose, confidence, and community — all things we crave as humans. But it can also make you vulnerable to burnout, imbalance, and emotional rollercoasters if you let the game become your only defining feature.

So may the real test isn’t how many hours you log each week, but whether you can step away and still feel whole. Love the game, live the game, but remember: you’re more than your dinks and drives.

Next time you catch yourself eating, sleeping, and breathing pickleball… ask yourself: are you playing the game, or has the game started playing you?