Pickleball has been all the rage for the last few years, but it’s got some serious competition coming up with teqball. Deco’s Alex Miranda went back home to Kendall for the story.
Kendall Soccer Park, literally steps from where I grew up, is just one of the spots in Miami-Dade County where teqball is the hot new thing.
Now, it’s actually not about technology, it’s more about technical ability … of which I have no more than I did as a child.
Ever heard of Teqball? Yeah, me neither. Well, until now.
Alex Miranda: “Pickleball is, I feel, the sport that everybody just started talking about out of nowhere. Do you think Teqball is the next hot thing?”
Julian Light: Absolutely, yup, and we’ve actually secured a broadcasting deal with ESPN last year, so that’s how everyone in the country, and even in the world, is able to now watch.”
And Miami-Dade County thinks it’s so fun…
Courtney DeStefano: it’s like ping-pong mixed with soccer.”
…Parks and Recreation may be adding a court near you.
Amy Poehler (as Leslie Knope): “That would be the coolest thing since NSYNC, Aerosmith and Nelly performed at the Super Bowl halftime show.”
Aubrey Plaza (as April Ludgate): “Eww.”
No, not that “Parks and Rec” — the real one!
Courtney DeStefano: “We currently have two tables here at Kendall Soccer Park. We have two portable tables at our indoor gymnasiums, and the plan is to install tables at 20 more of our facilities in the upcoming months.”
Julian is a professional teqball player.
Julian Light: “You’ll notice there’s a beautiful float to it, and an art to it.”
Alex Miranda: “Is that what I’m feeling? Because there’s something about this that is sort of pleasurable.”
Julian: “So the game is built upon keeping the ball in the air.”
And the rules?
Julian Light: “As a team or an an individual, if it was one-on-one, you have three touches.”
Which have to include hitting it over the net, but never with your hands.
Alex Miranda: [ball hits chin] “Does the chin count?”
I’m not sure what happened during my practice run.
Alex Miranda [ball bounces] Yes! I got it, I got it!”
Julian Light: “Eh!”
Alex Miranda: “You know what? I’m feeling good.”
But this move is Olympic gold.
[Alex does crazy move.]
“Even though I technically lost.
Julian Light: “You have one. I think I have 12.”
Now, with two vs two…
Alex Miranda: “No!”
…the drama is inevitable.
Julian Light: “You were over.”
Teqball player: “I met the ball over here.”
Alex Miranda: “Guys, guys, guys! Enough! How come i didn’t get a cute jersey? Orange is my color.”
It’s not like I’m making the team, anyway.
Juan Rojas: “It was very humbling to not being able to do this at first try.”
Juan is a big soccer guy, so…
Juan Rojas: “It made me want to get better. It made me want to keep playing. It forced me to go to different tournaments, and now I’m here.”
And in Miami parks, you can be, too!
Courtney DeStefano: “It’s first-come, first-served. Walk up. If you see a table empty, you’re more than welcome to play.”
For more deets about teqball, click here.
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