THE VILLAGES

To My Pickleball Family

Letters · Rollin E. Trueblood, USMC (Ret.)

I wanted to take a moment to thank each of you for welcoming me into this wonderful group. Over the past five months, your friendship, coaching, encouragement, and patience have meant more to me than you’ll ever know. I also owe you an apology. If you’ve ever wondered why I occasionally miss what should be an easy shot, it’s because I wasn’t aware just how much my vision had changed until I started playing pickleball.

After visiting my eye doctor, I learned that I have macular degeneration, and unfortunately it is continuing to progress. I can still see well enough to get around, but the center of my vision has become a blind spot. Reading and writing have become extremely difficult, and on the court there are usually several shots each game that simply disappear from my sight. I’m not only learning pickleball—I’m also teaching my brain to find the ball by using my peripheral vision and learning to move my head differently. My hope is that I can continue improving my game and remain competitive with all of you for as long as possible.

Thank you for your patience, your kindness, your friendship, and for making me feel like part of the family. Every word of encouragement, every tip, and every game you’ve invited me into has helped far more than you realize. I appreciate each one of you and look forward to sharing many more games together.

With sincere gratitude, Ron

— Rollin E. Trueblood, USMC (Ret.)