We have a curious way of measuring success in sports. We celebrate the winners, invest in the most promising players, and build programs around the pursuit of excellence. Yet one question receives far less attention: what happens to everyone who just wants to play?
After years of operating sporting facilities across golf, tennis, field sports, pickleball, and padel, I have found one lesson has remained consistent across them all. Most people look for a way to connect with others and enjoy an activity that gives their lives something rewarding to return to.
Competition has its place, but the relationships people build through sports often determine whether playing becomes a lasting part of their lives.
Consider how a child first discovers a game. The excitement comes from learning something new, spending time with friends, and feeling part of a team. Gradually, the focus can shift toward selection, results, and expectations about how far that child should progress.
Parents naturally want their children to succeed, but it is worth asking whose ambitions are driving the experience. Encouragement can help a young person develop; pressure to satisfy someone else’s expectations can drain the enjoyment that brought them to the sport in the first place.
Playing for Pleasure, Not Pressure
Adults face a similar challenge. Work, family responsibilities, and other commitments already compete for their time, leaving recreational sports to justify its place in a crowded schedule. Add the expectation that every game must produce a stronger performance or a victory, and an activity intended to relieve pressure can become another source of it.
I find it particularly rewarding to see adults return to sports after years away. They rediscover the pleasure of playing, often alongside people they would never have met otherwise.
Some want to improve their technique; others enjoy a regular game with friends or the chance to meet a new group of people. Their reasons are different, and all are valid. A successful sporting environment should give each person room to find their own.
Competition can be an excellent motivator. It gives players a goal, tests their abilities, and creates a shared purpose among teammates. The question is whether competition serves the participant’s goals.
For someone who thrives on challenging opponents, a demanding program can be deeply satisfying. For someone who wants an enjoyable evening with friends, the same intensity may make the experience feel like work. We should make room for both.
The stakes are especially important for children, whose sporting experiences are often shaped by parental expectations. A young athlete may lose interest when selection and results overshadow friendship, improvement, and the pleasure of playing.
Adults can drift away for similar reasons, compounded by the pressures of everyday life. We should pay attention when people leave sports they once loved, and consider whether the experience has stopped meeting their needs.
Increasing Accessibility
Access matters, too. Fees, equipment, and travel can make participation difficult for families and individual adults. As someone who operates sporting facilities, I understand the costs of maintaining quality courts, employing staff, and delivering reliable programs.
Financial sustainability is essential. The opportunity lies in creating different ways for people to take part, allowing them to find an option that fits their circumstances and level of commitment.
At Cross Court Pickle + Padel, our message is “Play, Compete, Connect.” Sporting facilities have a responsibility to make participation feel accessible at every stage, from a first lesson to a return after years away. Flexible programs, opportunities for social play and a welcoming environment can help people find an experience that suits their interests and abilities.
Clear guidance and suitable playing partners matter just as much. Someone returning to sports after a decade away may need reassurance and a comfortable starting point as much as a beginner does.
Community also has practical value for a sports business. People may initially arrive to learn a new skill or book a court, but friendships and regular playing groups can turn an occasional visit into a meaningful part of their routine.
When customers feel welcome and find genuine value in the experience, they have a reason to return. A healthy business and a strong sports community can support each other.
Imagine children developing at their own pace, adults rediscovering activities they once enjoyed, and experienced competitors finding challenging games alongside people who simply want to have fun.
Now imagine facilities where newcomers struggle to find a place, every participant feels pressure to perform, and people gradually withdraw from activities that could enrich their lives. The difference lies in whether sports accommodates the varied reasons people choose to play.
I would like to see the sports industry make it easier for people to discover their own reasons to play, even as those reasons change with age and circumstance.
Sports can undoubtedly keep us active and give us a sense of belonging at different stages of life. Our responsibility is to protect those opportunities.
Make it easier to start, rewarding to continue, and welcoming to return. That is how we build sports communities that last.
Kevin Kaye is managing partner of Cross Court Pickle + Padel, an indoor sports business, in Westchester County, New York.
All opinions are the author’s own.