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From extra paddles to his signature whites, Johnny Arcilla brings decades of tennis habits into every pickleball game.
Pickleball’s rise in the Philippines has been impossible to ignore. What started as a fitness trend has evolved into one of the country’s newest social and sporting spaces, attracting everyone from casual players to veteran athletes.
Among those embracing the sport is Johnny Arcilla. Through an exclusive interview with The GAME, the longtime tennis standout shares the gameday essentials he never leaves behind before stepping onto the pickleball court.
Extra paddles
Yes, paddles. For most pickleball players, bringing one paddle to the court is enough as it is the most essential thing when playing pickleball. For Johnny Arcilla, however, one is not enough. And not two. The former tennis star always brings at least three paddles with him whenever he plays, a routine shaped by years of competing in tennis where carrying multiple rackets became a must.
Depending on how he feels during a game, Arcilla rotates between paddles with different weights. When fatigue starts to kick in, he switches to a lighter paddle to help maintain his rhythm and control on the court.
“’Di ako pwede isang paddle lang sa court, hindi ako comfortable,” Arcilla shared with The GAME.
The habit mirrors the routines or even superstitions that he built during his tennis career. Back then, he would often switch rackets whenever his strings snapped or whenever his shots stopped feeling right. In pickleball, the adjustment comes through changing paddles instead. If his shots feel good, he sticks with one paddle the entire game. But once his timing feels off or the exhaustion starts settling in, he immediately reaches for another one inside his bag.
“‘Yan ang para sa akin lang, yan ang pamahiin ko,” he shared.
For him, it is not just about equipment, it is also about familiarity, rhythm, comfort, and perhaps, tradition.
Fresh grips
With paddles, there are grips, just like in any racket sport, and even something as small as grips receives extra attention from Arcilla.
He shared that he changes his grips as soon as they start feeling slippery or worn out. The feel of a fresh grip every time he plays is one of the most important things he always considers. And for the veteran athlete, comfort in the hands matters just as much as comfort in movement.
“Pag medyo madulas-dulas na, pinapalitan ko na talaga. Mga isang araw o dalawang araw palit agad,” Arcilla shared.
Whether the grips last a day or two, Arcilla makes sure replacements are always prepared inside his bag before heading to the court. And while he constantly replaces them, one thing never changes: he only uses white grips, a longtime preference rooted from his tennis days.
“Laging white lang, wala nang iba. All the way white, kahit noong sa tennis ako, white talaga.”
It might be a small detail, but it perfectly reflects the routines and habits he has carried throughout his long career in sports, even after the transition from the tennis court to the growing world of pickleball.
Wristbands
Aside from paddles and anything related to it, wristbands are another non-negotiable part of Arcilla’s gameday must-haves. No matter the racket sport, he always wears a wristband.
He admitted that he rarely feels comfortable stepping onto the court without one wrapped around his wrist, a habit rooted from an injury he sustained playing tennis.
“Kasi yung wrist ko kasi dati, na-injured ako, namaga dahil sa tennis din,” he said.
After suffering swelling in his wrist years ago, Arcilla got used to constantly keeping it supported during games.
“Parang may kulang sa akin kasi hindi talaga ako comfortable kung wala akong wristband.”
The wristbands also help manage sweat during long sessions, especially in pickleball where games can quickly intensify despite having a smaller court.
“Puro ako wristband, tsaka sa pawis din talaga kasi pawisin din ako,” he shared in the interview.
Extra shirts
Perhaps, every athlete has at least one in their bags. And Arcilla also makes sure to pack more extra shirts whenever he heads to the court.
“Kasi ‘yung pickleball nga, short nga lang ‘yung court, maiksi pero sobra din ‘yung pawis. Kaya lagi ako nagpapalit. Lagi akong apat sa isang game.”
Despite pickleball’s more compact playing area and faster pace, Arcilla shared that the amount of movement and sweat during games still catches him by surprise. This caused him to change shirts throughout the day and has become part of his routine.
Headbands
These are also equally important.
The longtime athlete explained that wearing one has already become second nature because of tennis. Aside from keeping sweat away from his eyes, the headband has also turned into another personal superstition before games.
“Lagi ko talaga ginagamit talaga dahil na-practice ko sa tennis. Pamahiin din talaga ‘yun, hindi ako makalaro pag walang ganon,” Arcilla said. “Lalo din sa pawis ko, pupunta sa mata ko so at least merong protection,” he added.
Just like all the aforementioned essentials, Arcilla always makes sure extra headbands are ready inside his bag before every match or open play.
Banner Images courtesy of Johnny Arcilla.
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