Player Profile: Barbara Fong

Barbara Fong remembers the first day she played pickleball. “It was March 18, 2018.”  That’s when Miyo Lefever, her 85-year-old tennis partner, laid down her racket and announced, “that’s it.” But while that was “it” for tennis, neither Miyo nor Barbara were ready to retire from all racket sports. So when Miyo said she was going to try Pickleball, Barbara tagged along.

It was a good thing too. “My partner Mitch and I both used to be avid tennis players, but we were losing mobility – my problem was my knees. We found that playing pickleball, we could both be competitive and still have fun playing at various levels of ability.”

Barbara has since had surgery on both her knees, and finds herself struggling to limit her play to ONLY four times a week.  She plays our City courts in the Richmond and at Stern Grove, as well as Burlingame, Foster City and San Mateo.  While Barbara and Mitch bring years of tennis play to the game, she’s watched complete novices pick up a Pickleball paddle and quickly confirm that the game is “accessible even to folks who bring no previous racket sport experience.”  One of her favorite partners now is her 15-year-old grandson Tyler, who Barbara and Mitch introduced to the game about five years ago. “He can now beat me handily these days,” she reports.

For Barb, pickleball is not only about what happens on the court, but also an opportunity to socialize and make new friendships as players wait their “next up” turn on the court. “It’s not like tennis, where you come at a specific time and play only with the people you came with. In pickleball you can show up by yourself and easily join in some good play,” Barbara said. Whether it’s playing at her favorite local SF court and going out for a meal with new friends, or even traveling around the state to visit court venues like she and Mitch did in 2021, Barbara believes “pickleball is a great way to meet people. Everyone is so nice. One of the couples we met (in southern California) even hosted us.”

Public court access has become a big issue in San Francisco. “Pickleball needs acceptance as an important sport in our city. It’s a game that engages people of all ages from seniors to youngsters.”  Barbara wants to see even more young people on the courts as well, and wants the sport introduced in schools.

“Pickleball changes lives in a very positive way and we want to share that with family, friends and future friends.”

- Judy Goddess