The myth that pickleball is only fit for retirees is finally broken. It’s now become the go-to choice for teens, making it the fastest-growing game in America. Pickleball is a game that’s considered a combination of tennis, racquetball, badminton, and ping-pong. It’s gained massive popularity over the years and is no longer considered uncool by Gen Z.

The Rise of Pickleball

One of the reasons for the rise of this game is its addition to the athletic curriculum of schools in the US and summer camps. Children seem to be joining this game for fun and enjoyment. Hope Tolley, the Managing Director of Recreational Programs at USA Pickleballs, believes that the game has passed on from generation to generation, which is its beauty. While a lot of people have chosen this game as a hobby, there are a few who practice diligently and play in tournaments. This game is receiving recognition and importance on so many levels that even Gen Z considers it cool now. There are training programs that focus on skill development for the age group of 16-23 to help them participate in professional tournaments.

The Journey of Stone and Sobek

Wyatt Stone came across pickleball while he was exploring Texas city with his family at the age of 13. Now at 17, he’s won 83 medals and dreams of representing the country in the Olympics. He went from not knowing what pickleball was to being one of the most talented players in the game. On the other hand, 18-year-old William Sobek has spent his teenage life mastering the art of pickleball. Sobek didn’t care about homecoming or birthday parties; he was focused on competing in tournaments and achieving his goals. He practiced for hours and balanced it with his studies and school. These journeys are commendable and inspiring for others.

Let’s face it, most TVs are unsightly. And, for decades, little has been done to change that, with manufacturers producing ever-larger versions of the enormous, black plastic box. So it’s no wonder that Samsung decided to break away from the pack of television promotion and focus on the TV through the lens of well-designed environments was a major hit with the design community. The Frame redefined what television could be while it wasn’t in use. This television became a fixture in high-design houses, with four bezels (or “frame”) possibilities and numerous virtual matting alternatives for every single piece of art at the time. Living rooms could easily transition from hosting a dinner party to becoming a media room, and bedrooms, where couples had battled over whether a television belonged in that space, were transformed into peaceful havens.

Since then, this deceptive art piece/media center has allowed couples, design aficionados, and wall lovers to enjoy the beauty of art as well as the art of ultra high definition watching.

The Frame? It’s a Piece of Art

The Frame in 2021 is substantially slimmer than the previous edition and features a far wider range of bezel color choices. While these add-ons, like a standard frame for a piece of art, aren’t cheap, it’s wonderful to have the opportunity to alter your mind (and hence the hue) later. You can go from a small gallery wall in a guest room to a large statement piece in the main room with sizes ranging from 43” to 75”. Even the tiniest sizes can now be hung vertically to fit into your wall decor.

Samsung is also concerned with improving our WFH lives and keeping our bodies in shape. You can use the TV as your own Zoom/Meetings display, providing a welcome reprieve from the computer screen. On the health front, Samsung Health is a free program that comes with your smart television and includes Routines from workout professionals like Jillian Michaels and companies like Echelon to help you keep active. With the addition of a simple camera, the television can even detect your movements and display happy or sad faces based on your posture.

The New Samsung TV Is Packed with Features

Plus, all the original Frame’s great features are still applicable. The light-sensitive art display is related to the rest of the art because it replicates the light in the room (versus looking like a bright tech display). When The Frame detects no movement, the display switches off. All displayed art can be featured with a choice of mat options to truly enhance the sensation of an art wall, and your own art may be changed with built-in filters to make it gallery-worthy.

Samsung has also just released MyShelf, a new accessory that frames The Frame on a shelf for displaying other, ahem, objects and valuables in your house, effectively turning your television into a three-dimensional work of art.