NATIONALS

Transcription

NATIONALS

M A G A Z I N E
Volume 1 Issue 1 | January 2016
NATIONALS
VII
COMPLETE COVERAGE INSIDE
FROM THE ARCHIVES
50 YEARS
in the making
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
and2016
Schedule
+PLUS
Pickleball Instruction
and USAPA News
Recognized by the USAPA as the
“Official Magazine” of Pickleball
2016
PADDLE
GUIDE
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© 2016 Wilson Sporting Goods Co. Trademarks advertised other than those of Wilson Sporting Goods Co. are properties of their respective owners. 15-3116
CONTENTS
19
JANUARY 2016
Volume 1 Issue 1
USAPA NATIONALS VII
RAISES THE BAR
$20,000 Purse brings out the best pickleball
competition ever displayed in one venue
USAPA
FEATURES
7 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S
LETTER
15 PICKLEBALL 50 YEARS IN THE MAKING
8 USAPA BOARD MEMBER
PROFILE / FROM THE
PRESIDENT
37 AROUND THE WORLD: COSTA RICA
28 WHAT’S THE RIGHT PADDLE FOR ME?
38 ASK THE RULES MASTER
10 USAPA AMBASSADOR
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
PLAYERS’ PASSION FOR
PICKLEBALL
42 PLAYER PROFILES: DANIEL AND
SCOTT MOORE
12 3,777 PLACES TO PLAY AND
GROWING!
46 TOURNAMENT PLANNING
27 MEET THE USAPA TRAINING
DEPARTMENT
SPONSORED CONTENT
14 RIVERSTYKS
43 PLAYER PROFILES: CORRINE CARR
AND SIMONE JARDIM
47 THE CURE TO THE RATINGS
HEADACHE?
50 HOW DO WE GET MORE AND BETTER
QUALIFIED REFEREES?
54 FITNESS & NUTRITION
55 GROWING YOUR CLUB / AROUND
THE POST
56 FACILITY OF THE MONTH
59 MAKING PICKLEBALL EASIER…ON THE
BODY AT LEAST
60 TOURNAMENT RESULTS
62 TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
INSTRUCTION
40 HOW TO (GRACIOUSLY) GET TO PLAY
WITH BETTER PLAYERS
44 THE VOLLEY
48 HOW SHOULD YOU HOLD YOUR
PICKLEBALL PADDLE?
52 PICKLEBALL 411: THE THIRD SHOT
DROP DRILL
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
3
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Welcome
to the first edition of Pickleball Magazine – the
first-ever magazine dedicated solely to our
favorite pastime! As a publisher of several other
magazines, I am often contacted by friends
suggesting new start-up publications. This past
July, several friends recommended I launch a
publication for pickleball. I already knew of the
game because I played it the past couple of
Thanksgivings while visiting my family in The
Villages in Florida.
An avid tennis and platform tennis player, I was
intrigued and decided to investigate further.
After doing some preliminary research online,
I picked up the phone and called Justin Maloof, the Executive Director of the
USAPA. Justin enthusiastically educated me on a few key facts that got me
thinking. First, with 2.5 million players, pickleball is recognized as the fastest
growing sport in the U.S. Second, the USAPA grew from 4,071 to 10,000+
members over the past three years. And finally, the places to play went from
1,400 in 2013 to 3,777 at the time of our conversation.
Justin and I began brainstorming how a full-color magazine could benefit the
sport and the members of the USAPA. We agreed that a magazine would ideally
be offered free to all USAPA members and it should feature: instructional
content, rule changes and relevant news, tournament results, player profiles,
places to play, get‑away destinations, major pickleball manufacturers/
businesses, and more.
Justin and I put together a contract, USAPA Board Member/Legal Counsel Phil
Mortenson appended it, and the USAPA Board accepted it. In general, Pickleball
Magazine will be distributed to all 10,000+ USAPA members, via email link, on a
bimonthly basis (6 times per year) and, in return, the USAPA agreed to recognize
us as the “Official Magazine” of the sport. USAPA members wanting to receive
the printed magazine mailed to their homes can do so for $12 per year… 40% off
the non-member price of $20.
Although we will have thousands of paying mailed subscribers, our
magazine will still be funded 95%+ through the advertising revenue from the
manufacturers and businesses you will find in this issue. If you’re considering
anything pickleball, please consider them first. The magazine’s quality will be
linked to our sponsors’ success.
My email address and cell phone numbers are listed below. Please feel free to
use them if you have ideas on how to make the magazine better, or how to grow
the sport. Finally, to receive a hard copy of each magazine, you can subscribe by
emailing me or by visiting www.ThePickleballMag.com.
Wishing you a joyful 2016!
A Publication of Dollard Publishing Co., Inc.
11 Mayview Road, Canonsburg, PA 15317
www.thepickleballmag.com
PUBLISHER
Wayne Dollard
wayne@thepickleballmag.com
412.833.8805
DESIGN
Michael Miller
ADVISORY BOARD
Kevin Curley
Dennis Dacey
A.J. Fraties
Irene Fraties
Alex Hamner
Rusty Howes
Lynn Laymon
Linda Laymon
Jennifer Lucore
Bob Nibarger
Steve Paranto
Paul Porch
Brian Staub
INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF
Sarah Ansboury
Yvonne Hackenberg
Christine Barksdale
Steve Paranto
Prem Carnot
Paul Porch
Rob Elliott
Tony Tollenar
Mark Friedenberg
Steve Wong
Jim Hackenberg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Mark Berton
Celeste Horpel
Anne Breghero
Rusty Howes
Jen Brozak
Tony Horpel
Prem Carnot
Linda Laymon
Kevin Curley
Lynn Laymon
Dennis Dacey
Jennifer Lucore
Steven Douglas
Justin Maloof
Robert Elliott
Melissa McCurley
AJ Fraties
Steve Paranto
Irene Fraties
Paul Porch
Randy Futty
Kevin Richards
Alex Hamner
Chris Thomas
Brian Hendrickson Barbara Wintroub
Dollard Publishing Co., Inc. publishes six issues
of Pickleball Magazine per year.
Subscriptions are $20 per year.
To subscribe to www.thepickleballmag.com.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE
OR IN PART IS PROHIBITED. © 2016
Please recycle this magazine when you are
through enjoying it.
Wayne Dollard, Publisher
Dollard Publishing Company, Inc., 11 Mayview Road, Canonsburg, PA 15317
412.833.8805 (cell) | Wayne@ThePickleballMag.com | www.ThePickleballMag.com
4
TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 724.942.0940 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM
ENRIQUE RUIZ
SIX-TIME
USAPA NATIONALS
OPEN CHAMPION
SelkirkSport.com
FROM THE USAPA
2016 USAPA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OFFICERS
PRESIDENT
David Jordan
VP & AMBASSADOR CHAIR
Jack Thomas
SECRETARY
Laura Patterson
TREASURER
Darryl Noble
BOARD MEMBERS
(COMMITTEES)
LEGAL COUNSEL, GRIEVANCE
Phil Mortenson
COMMUNICATIONS
*Bob Nibarger
RATINGS
Chris Thomas
TOURNAMENTS
*Lenny Chimino
RULES
Dennis Dacey
JUSTIN MALOOF
Welcome to 2016 and the premiere issue
of Pickleball Magazine, a new publication we
are extremely excited about and hope you
enjoy reading throughout the year! What
better way to provide USAPA members
and pickleball enthusiasts alike with news
of our strides in advancing the sport of
pickleball, industry trends, rule updates and
general pickleball news within the USAPA
and around the world. We are pleased to
offer all USAPA members a free electronic
subscription to Pickleball Magazine as well
as a 40% discount off the print subscription
rate (only $12 per year). If you’re not
already a USAPA member, this is a perfect
time to join!
As we head into the New Year, it’s important to reflect a bit on what was a
very successful 2015…
• Places to Play Pickleball: up 32% to 3,777
(912 locations added in 2015 – 76 per month)
• Number of Pickleball Courts: up 28% to 12,668
(2,805 courts added in 2015 - 234 per month)
• USAPA Members: up 39% to 10,072
(up 150% over the past 3 years)
GRANTS
• Facebook Page Likes: up 98% to 5,528
*Ray Pereyra
• USAPA Ambassadors: up 28% to 1,250
TRAINING CHAIRS
Lynn and Linda Laymon
MEMBERSHIP
*Charles Batt
NON-VOTING
BOARD MEMBER
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Mark Friedenberg
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Justin Maloof
* new board members
• District Ambassadors: up 50% to 69 this year
• Nationals Registrations: up 13% (807 registered players), making
Nationals again the largest tournament in the history of the sport
In late May, the USAPA published the Pickleball Fundamentals book. The
book was co-authored by Mary Littlewood and produced by Human
Kinetics. The book has been extremely well-received and is available for
purchase on usapa.org. A Kindle edition is also available on Amazon.com.
In June, the USAPA held the first annual USAPA Ambassador Retreat in
Lake Tahoe. The event was attended by 125 ambassadors who enjoyed
a week’s worth of informative presentations, camaraderie and, of course,
pickleball play. We are excited to offer the second ambassador retreat
this September in the Orlando, FL, area. Details for ambassadors will be
available soon.
Nationals VII was also a tremendous 2015 highlight. Not only did Aetna
partner with USAPA as the event’s presenting sponsor, but we were able
to livestream nearly 24 hours of match play, free of charge, on Enetlive. If
you missed the livestream, all matches are now available on demand at
usapanetwork.com.
I want to thank all of our members and sponsors for your continued
support and look forward to seeing us reach new heights in 2016. Wishing
everyone a happy and healthy year both on and off the court!
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
7
FROM THE USAPA
USAPA BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
Robert
Nibarger
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
Years Playing: 5
Born & Raised: Anderson, Indiana
Home Base: Cornelius, North Carolina
Favorite sport to watch (outside of
pickleball): NFL
Current paddle: Pickleball NOW:
Carbon Fibre
In late 2015, the USAPA Board welcomed
Robert “Bob” Nibarger as the incoming
Communications Chair. Nibarger, a retired
emergency communications manager,
has been playing pickleball for five years
and currently lives with his wife outside
Charlotte, NC, near Lake Norman.
Nibarger is a big advocate of pickleball.
He sees a bright future for the sport,
focusing on introducing it to all ages – not
just the retirees living in his community. As
the acting Piedmont District Ambassador in
the USAPA’s Atlantic South Region, his goal
of growing pickleball has led him to develop
a program that could be implemented
across the country and start a trend that
involves a larger USAPA junior program.
“One thing we’re starting to do is get
pickleball taught to the young people in our
community,” he said. “This year, I personally
wrote a pickleball curriculum that could be
taught to a 15+ Youth Summer Camp led by
the local Parks Department. The program
was a success – we sold out in our first
summer. It was wildly successful and we’re
ready for this upcoming summer.”
When it comes to his own playing, he’s
very modest about his level of play, saying
he’s probably a 3.5 player. He takes his
training seriously and has a method for
improving.
“I like to compete against myself,” he
noted. “I look at Prem Carnot [the Pickleball
Guru] and the other coaches out there and
look at the 4-5 main strategies that they
recommend for improving – and I work on
those elements to make myself better.”
According to Nibarger, he likes to
challenge himself. He sees open play not as
a way to beat everyone on the court, but to
work on the skills that will help him move
to the next level. And while he does play in
tournaments, he’ll be the first to say that
winning a medal is not the best part about
competing.
“The best part about being involved with
a pickleball tournament is all the wonderful
people you meet. Since retiring, my wife
and I have traveled quite a bit and along the
way we’ve met and played pickleball with so
many people.”
Last year, the Nibargers traveled west
visiting 12 states and getting a lot of
pickleball in along the way. In this new
position he hopes to strengthen the
USAPA’s communication with its existing
members through the member eNewsletter,
Pickleball Magazine, and social media
channels such as Facebook and Instagram. •
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It is an exciting time in
pickleball nation and this, the
first ever pickleball magazine, is
just the right touch to get 2016
off to another fantastic year.
The growth of pickleball has
been astonishing and the love
of the sport has been shared
by so many. Pickleball has
gone from the “sport with
the funny name” to a sport
phenomenon. It has not only
DAVID JORDAN
become the sport for retires,
but the sport for young and old alike and a great family game.
With schools and colleges recognizing the popularly of the
sport, they have added it to their curriculums and cities
around the country are building courts and opening gyms by
record numbers.
But, let’s not forget the importance the social aspect brings to
the game. It is not only fun to play but it brings people back
together through social interaction that seems is becoming
8
a lost commodity in our present society. Not only are we
receiving health benefits from the physical activity it brings,
but also mental strength from increased social activity that
comes with the new relationships and old acquaintances we
now enjoy.
Pickleball, for my wife Nancy and I, has been the catalyst
that has brought us a new meaning to the word retirement
and volunteering. We found pickleball over twelve years ago
while searching for “what we would do with the rest of our
life”. It was then just beginning to catch on as a popular sport
for retirees. We never imagined how it would snowball into
the sport it is today, or how it would change our lives in the
process. It has been a great time in our lives and we look
forward to seeing how pickleball will continue to grow and
change the lives of those who come along for the ride.
Congratulations and thank you to Pickleball Magazine for
making yet one more stride in the development of this
fascinating game.
From our court to yours, Happy New Year. May 2016 be a year
of joy and happiness for you and yours.
NEWS
RATINGS SYSTEM
USAPA
BY CHRIS THOMAS, USAPA RATINGS CHAIR
There are currently over 5,000 players with an official USAPA
rating. In 2014, there were 1,343 rating changes, with 76% of
these being “new” ratings for previously unrated players. In
2015, there were 1,285 rating changes, with 58% of these being
for newly rated players.
All of these changes are done by hand, editing a ratings file.
Given the growth of pickleball and ratings of new players,
etc., the USAPA believes the organization needs to move
forward with investigating an automated, more objective,
computer‑based system. Such a system, as in other sports,
would be based on actual sanctioned tournament game/match
results of players of similar skill levels.
To that end, a Ratings Systems Subcommittee has been
formed with members across the country. No timetable has yet
been established for this work to be completed. The plan is to
have a requirements document that could be sent to vendors
such as an RFP (request for proposal). If you have comments or
suggestions regarding a new ratings system, please email Chris
Thomas at ratingschair@usapa.org. •
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
9
FROM THE USAPA
USAPA Ambassador Program
HIGHLIGHTS PLAYERS’
PASSION FOR
PICKLEBALL
Pickleball has become the fastest‑growing
sport in America, thanks largely to the
vigorous efforts of the USA Pickleball
Association Ambassador Program.
The ambassador program began shortly
after the national association was formed in
2005 as a way to recruit players throughout
the country. At the time, pickleball players
were concentrated mostly in the state of
Washington, The Villages in Florida, Happy
Trails Resort in Arizona, and at a number of
the Thousand Trails Campground locations
throughout North America.
The USAPA Director of Ambassadors today
is Jack Thomas. The Assistant Director is Earl
Hill.
“An ambassador’s goal is to work
independently to promote the sport and the
USAPA in his or her local area,” says Earl Hill,
77, the program’s assistant director.
“We reasoned that others who also had
pickleball passion would want to make local
efforts to start and grow pickleball, and
want to share our great game with others of
all ages,” he says. “Basically, [ambassadors]
commit themselves to work to establish and
grow pickleball in their communities.”
Within three years, the program had
appointed more than 200 ambassadors. Soon
after, regional ambassadors were appointed
to help Hill manage nine separate regions
throughout the U.S. and Canada.
The USAPA Ambassador Program currently
has 1,250 ambassadors across all 50 states,
plus several in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico
and Costa Rica. Pickleball Canada also has an
ambassador program, which is fashioned after
the USAPA one, Hill states.
At first, the ambassador program was an
informal one. Hill would interview potential
ambassadors over the phone to discuss
10
their plans for launching pickleball in their
communities. He would appoint them, add
their names to the USAPA website, and order
business cards for them.
“Within a couple of years, we had an
application process established on the
website, and the applications were then sent
to me,” he explains.
“Ambassadors are tasked with finding new
locations to play and updating the website
accordingly, and they’ve been the impetus for
adding to the nearly 4,000 venues where the
game is played across the country,” says Hill.
The game can be played wherever badminton
or outdoor tennis is typically played, including
county, city or private gyms, senior centers, or
schools.
Ambassadors can be individuals, couples,
or a group working together, and the USAPA
Ambassador Program is open to players of all
ages. The youngest recruit is 12-year-old Kyle
Stoddard from Las Vegas, while 75-year-old
Alice Lane just signed on as an ambassador to
the Seaside, Oregon, area.
In addition to serving as USAPA
spokespersons, ambassadors may also
arrange and facilitate player clinics, organize
tournaments, or lead the formation of
pickleball clubs. To join the program, you
must be a USAPA member.
Hill, who has been playing pickleball since
1985, says that ambassadors join the program
for various reasons. “Each person might be
different, but essentially they feel that they
want to be a part of the growth of our great
game,” he explains.
For more information about becoming a
USAPA Ambassador, visit usapa.org and click
on the “Ambassador” tab. From there, you can
complete an online application. •
NEW AMBASSADORS ARE:
Gloria Beck . . . . . . Sun City, AZ
Ron Blair . . . . . . . . .Adams County, WI
Jamie Elliott . . . . . . McKinney, TX
Doug Brown . . . . . Jackson, MO
Larry Carivau . . . . . Desert Host Springs, CA
Danielle Charvoz . . Friendswood, TX
Sharon Conrad . . . Peachtree City, GA
Mike DeSlippe . . . Columbus East, OH
Margot Dragoo . . . Palm Desert, CA
Rick Dunn . . . . . . . Wood County, WV
William Feekin . . . . Council Bluff, IA
Mary Gawrys . . . . . DeKalb, IL
Rob Guardino . . . . Clarkstown, NY
Paula Handrup . . . Goodyear, AZ
Don Hankins . . . . . Iredell County North, NC
Carolyn Harvey . . . San Francisco, CA
Gayle Hawbaker . . Spalding County, GA
Angel Hernandez . Port St. Lucie, FL
Mildred Hudson . . Gulf Breeze, FL
Laurel Joakimides Klamath Falls, OR
David Kerstein . . . Somerset County, NJ
Raymond Kidney . . Lockport, NY
Amy Kirchner . . . . . Fluvanna County, VA
Richard Kirkham . . South Jordan, UT
Bill Knopp . . . . . . . . Logan, UT
Deborah Campbell-Knopp . .Logan, UT
Alice Lane . . . . . . . . Seaside, OR
Bob Leroy . . . . . . . . St. George, UT
Tracy Lind . . . . . . . Folsom, CA
Phil Lindholm . . . . University Place, WA
Alaina Lofthus . . . . Carmichael, CA
Brendon Long . . . . Naples, FL
Bob/Mindy Lutz . . . Tucson, AZ
Angela Luhman . . . Greater Dallas, TX
Stan Manous . . . . . McDonough, GA
Matt McDermott . . Papllian, NE
Rissa Miller . . . . . . Kerrville, TX
Gary Penn . . . . . . . Athens, TX
John Petrich . . . . . . Gainesville, FL
Peter Phelps . . . . . Spalding County, GA
Bryan Poynter . . . . Evansville, IN
Barb Preusker . . . . Norfolk, NE
Sam Recinos . . . . . Puerto Vallarta, MX
Kathy Reidy . . . . . . Old Saybrook, CT
Karl Reuther . . . . . Akron, OH
Scott Rexinger . . . . Phoenix, AZ
Anne Rheins . . . . . Augusta, GA
Jeff Ross . . . . . . . . . Phoenix North Valley, AZ
Doug Seefeld . . . . . Prescott, AZ
Jill Shehan . . . . . . . West Palm Beach, FL
George Silvas . . . . . Novato, CA
Cheryl Silverman . Amsterdam, NY
Bob Steinkamp . . . Harrisburg, PA
Kyle Stoddard . . . . Las Vegas, NV
Don Trefry . . . . . . . Anthem, AZ
Bob Unetich . . . . . At-Large
Russell Young . . . . Springville, UT
NEW AMBASSADOR AREA TEAM LEADER:
Bob Klarich . . . . . . St. George, UT
Steve Manolis . . . . Phoenix, AZ
John Sloan . . . . . . . Las Vegas, NV
NEW DISTRICT AMBASSADORS:
Chuck Flanagan��Central & South Central
District, TX
Dean Mangione . . Palm Springs District, CA
Addie Mattox . . . . . Bay District, CA
Derik Perez . . . . . . Sacramento District, CA
Cheryl Waymack . Central Valley, CA
Kathy Thomas . . . Central Coast, CA
Steve Sidwell . . . . . Central Coast, CA
FROM THE USAPA
Highest age participants:
60+ accounted for 47% of
the responses. If you add
the 50+, 60+ and the 70+,
then the 50 - 79 age groups
accounted for 91% of the
respondents who play PB.
91%
50+ YES
New senior 5.0 skill level:
63% favored introducing a
senior (50+) 5.0.
SKILL
LEVEL
38/54%
New 5.5
skill level:
42%
favored
introducing
a 5.5 level.
NO
Finding skill level:
70% responded “Yes”
with regard to being
able to find their
skill level rating at
USAPA.org.
45%
Rating accuracy:
45% said their skill level is
very accurate; another 41%
said it “somewhat” reflects
their skill ability; only 3%
said it is not accurate at all.
71%
Member
2015 USAPA
Survey
Number of
tournaments played:
Compiling the results of those
playing in 1-3 tournaments
annually, with those playing
4-6, yielded a percentage of
71% of responses who play
1-6 tournaments per year.
RESULTS SUMMARY
Sanctioned tournaments:
38% preferred playing sanctioned
tournaments; but there were
54% undecided on this question.
Ref compensation:
37% favored refs receiving
compensation, but not necessarily
in dollars; 17% were undecided;
and another 17% favored paying
refs a dollar amount.
Tournament points:
77% responded “No” when
asked if they knew how points
were earned and used; on a
separate question, 90% said
they do not keep track of their
tournament points.
$$$
Tournament bracket preferences:
57% favored age within skill;
another 19% favored skill; adding
the responses (raw responses, not
adding the percentages) of these
two yielded a total of 77% of all
responses favoring some sort of
skill‑based tournament.
REFS
Certified referee:
59% favored having
certified referees once the
USAPA referee certification
program has been
implemented.
55%
50%
Tournament formats:
50% favored double
elimination; another 20% had
no preference.
Ref volunteers:
55% said they have not
volunteered to referee at
a tournament in the past
12 months.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
11
FROM THE USAPA
3,777
Places to Play
and Growing!
LOCATION
1 Wall Sports
17 Vitalia at Traditions
29 Winchester Recreation
Aplex
BAC - Beaverton Activity Center
Beck Recreation Center
Big Pine Key Park
Boston Recreation Center
Boys & Girls Club of Metrowest
Butler Springs Park
Christian Church in The Wildwood
Coral Lakes
Creekview Park North
East Pasco YMCA
Erwin Center
First Baptist Church
Friendship Center
Gilbreath Recreation Center
Gloucester Township Recreation Center
Golden Gate Park Tennis Complex
Hampden Park
Ice Athletics
Island Activity Center
Jane E Lawton Community Recreation Center
Jerry Long Family YMCA
Jimmy Moore Tennis Complex
LaGrange Community Center
Lee Beran Recreation Center
Lincoln Racquet Club
London Bridge Beach Park
Longwood Community Recreation Center
Mallard Park (Caldwell Parks)
Marlton Field House
Nashua Sports Academy
Norwalk Senior Center
Oswego YMCA
Palega Recreation Center
Potomac Community Recreation Center
Red Sandstone Elementary School
Stevenson Park
Stuart Community Center
Sullivan Virgin River Soccer Park
The 300 Club
Valencia Reserve
Van Buren Middle School
Ward Park
Wilmington Basketball Center
Woodbridge Park
YMCA - West Shore
12
In April of 2011, the USAPA pickleball “Places to Play” list topped 1,000. Just
four‑and‑a-half years later, that number is rapidly approaching 4,000 registered locations.
Whether you have a new or well‑established court site, we encourage you to go to
http://www.usapa.org/places-to-play-pickleball/ to register with the USAPA.
If you are looking for a place to play in your area, or if you are traveling out of town,
you can go to the link above to find out who to contact and where to go.
Below is a list of the last 50 locations to enroll since December, 2015. •
ADDRESS
800 Chettic Ave., Copiague, NY, 11726
11899 SW Apple Blossom Trail, Port St Lucie, FL, 34987
263 Main St., Winchester, MA, 01890
701 Woodward Avenue, Alpena, MI, 49707
106 Tonkin Street, Beaverton, MI, 48612
800 Teluride Street, Aurora, CO, 80011
562 Sands Road, Big Pine Key, FL, 33040
6655 E. Zimmerly, Wichita, KS, 67207
169 Pleasant Street, Marlborough, MA, 01752
301 Butler Springs Road, Greenville, SC, 29615
10051 Country Road, Weeki Wachee, FL, 34613
12751 El Clair Ranch Road, Boynton Beach, FL, 33437
4630 Creekview Road, Mechanicsburg, PA, 17050
37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills, FL, 33542
913 N. Pryor Street, Gastonia, NC, 28052
400 Club Blvd, Mountain Home, AR, 72653
5000 Commons Drive, Harrisburg, PA, 17112
106 Park Avenue, Lindale, GA, 30147
60 Broadacres Drive, Clementon, NJ, 08021
Bowling Green Drive, San Francisco, CA, 94117
5002 Hampden Park Drive, Mechanicsburg, PA, 17050
1526 Deer Run Drive, Mishawaka, IN, 46545
6301 Smith Street, Chincoteague Island, VA, 23336
4301 Willow Lane, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815
1150 S. Peace Haven Road, Clemmons, NC, 27012
2810 Sarno Rd., Melbourne, FL, 32935
307 West Jefferson, LaGrange, KY, 40031
313 West 4th Avenue, Emporia, KS, 66801
5300 Old Cheney Road, Lincoln, NE, 68516
1599 Beachcomber Blvd, Lake Havasu City, AZ, 86403
19300 Georgia Ave., Brookeville, MD, 20833
10th and Orchard, Caldwell, ID, 83605
785 E Main Street, Marlton, NJ, 08053
90 Northwest Blvd, Nashua, NH, 03063
11 Allen Road, Norwalk, CT, 06851
265 W. 1st Street, Oswego, NY, 13126
500 Felton Street, San Francisco, CA, 94134
11315 Falls Road, Potomac, MD, 20854
551 N Frontage Rd. W, Vail, CO, 81657
1100 South Friendswood Drive, Friendswood, TX, 77546
415 Franklin Street, Carlisle, PA, 17013
965 South Washington Fields Dr., Washington City, UT, 84780
3715 NW 12th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32606
9275 Lake Royal Road, Boynton Beach, FL, 33473
700 Lousiana SE, Albuquerque, NM, 87108
25 Orchard Street, Marlborough, MA, 01752
7207 Ogden Business Lane, Wilmington, NC, 28411
415 Sierra Blvd., Roseville, CA, 95678
410 Fallowfield Road, Camp Hill, PA, 17011
NUMBER OF COURTS
Indoor: 2
Outdoor: 8
Indoor: 1
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 2
Indoor: 2
Outdoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 2
Outdoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 2
Outdoor: 3
Indoor: 1
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 4
Outdoor: 1
Indoor: 6
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 4
Indoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 3
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 3
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 4
Indoor: 1
Indoor: 2
Outdoor: 2 Indoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 6
Outdoor: 3
Outdoor: 2
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 5
Indoor: 3
Outdoor: 2
Indoor: 2
CONTACT
Jones Wong: 631.608.4453
Celso Fernandez: 770.298.8694
Jim Sullivan
989.354.6164
Gary Killingsworth: 989.435.9821
Aaron Holland: 303.739.7000
Jay Solley: 305.393.0113
Bob Jackson: 316.259.8138
Dave Brower: 508.922.7831
Joe Boch
John Hilliard: 352.293.4353
Bob Versalie bjversalie@yahoo.com
Mike Erno: 717.761.4951
Tom Filgate: 813.780.9622
Sandra Stewart: 980.533.6503
Randy Godwin: 870.404.4546
Lynn Wuestner: 717.657.5635
Tammy Bryant: 706.252.6427
Denise Donald: 856.425.5656
Carolyn Harvey: 415.706.3376
Mike Erno: 717.761.4951
Nick Falletta: 574.344.9393
Diana Tilghman: 443.614.1697
Phone: 240.777.6855
Phone: 336.712.2000
Omar Ollis: 321.243.6034
Bill or Karen Hopkins: 901.834.2951
Marty Hager: 620.803.2314
Bill Roehrs: 402.423.6784
Doug: 775.848.5418
Rob Hanlen, Barbara Hulin: 240.777.4943
Don Denton: 208.453.9799
Dave Graham: 609.209.1765
Bob Hanek
Cheryl Scicchitano: 203.847.3115
Debbie Ferlito: 315.402.6287
Wellington Chen: 415.290.5215
Peter Selikowitz: 240.777.6956
Jerry Stevens: 970.471.3757
Danielle Charvoz: 713.828.9079
Maura Wilkerson: 717.243.3318
Staff Parks & Rec. Dept.: 435.656.6360
Bobbie Mehan: 352.378.2898
Murray Gendzel: 609.575.9612
Gary Rutherford: 505.507.3663
Dave Brower: 508.922.7831
George Green: 910.319.7454
Derik Perez: 916.844.8078
Bryan Chittester: 717.737.9622
PICKLEBALL TIPS
QUICK
TIP
Maximizing Your
Pickleball Potential
Seek Qualified Instruction
The instructor should be knowledgeable (a 5.0
tournament player with instructional experience
and possibly certified would be ideal). The
instructor should assess a player’s skills, and then
suggest specific techniques, drills, and strategies
to improve the player’s weaknesses in the most
critical areas considering the level of the player. As
a player’s skills improve the instructor should be
revisited for the next level of learning.
Drill with a Practice Partner
Drills should be meaningful, mindful, and regular.
Don’t just hit the ball but have specific techniques,
targets, and goals. The more frequent and focused
the drills, the more rapid the improvement
Play Competitive Games
Games should be with players of similar ability
in competitive situations. A USAPA ladder league
is an excellent way to determine your skill level,
play with players of similar ability, and document
improvement.
S
K
I
L
L
L
E
V
E
L
The Learning Curve
Instruction+drills+games
playing games
TIME
Paul Porch, a Columbia River Pickleball Club
member, has medaled at the USAPA Nationals and
Huntsman World Senior Games. He has instructed
pickleball at clinics, festivals, and classes, been
honored as a pickleball pro by Pickleball Central, and
is a member of the USAPA committee to improve the
player rating system.
www.PickleballRocks.com
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
13
SPONSORED CONTENT - BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
SEARCHING
FOR THE
BEST
Kelly Kirk played competitive racquetball for over 25
years and enjoyed a great deal of success. She won
state and regional championships and a U.S. Open title. Later, she was elected to the Minnesota Racquetball Hall
of Fame. As an open player, she took her equipment
very serious.
material, same as that used on the space shuttles, is a
single sheet that covers the blade tip-to-tip and side-toside. We’ve eliminated the soft spot at the throat (where
the blade meets the handle) where other paddles tend
to break. Ounce for ounce it’s the strongest paddle
made.”
She said, “Throughout my racquetball career, I had
access to the best, leading-edge equipment on the
market. So when I started playing pickleball two years
ago, I bought the best paddle I could find and took it
apart. Literally. Piece-by-piece. Was I disappointed.
Epoxy and cardboard. Really?”
U.S. Open Worthy. How do the blades hold up during
competition? Kirk answers, “Dink shots, touch shots,
spin shots, overheads, deep or fast baseline shots, the
blades adjust with your game from the moment you
start using them, helping you compete at the highest
levels.” On a side note, the blades do meet or exceed all
USAPA specifications.
Kirk called up a friend to express her disappointment
with the paddles she tried. When asked what her dream
paddle would look like, her imagination lit up and 30
days later Riverstyks was incorporated.
“I began my pilgrimage to make the best paddle on the
market,” Kirk recalled. She explained, “Light. Durable.
U.S. Open-worthy. Professional craftsmanship. Made
in the U.S.A.” Because of the longevity and consistency
of materials, she prefers not to call her equipment
“paddles,” but rather “blades.”
Light. Kirk recalls, “Like all aspiring players, as I got
better, I bought lighter equipment and found that my
hands were faster and thus my reflexes were quicker. I
could return tougher shots with less effort since lighter
equipment provides quicker reactions.” She added, “Our
blades range from 6 ounces to 9.5 ounces. Most players
adjust to the lighter weights, especially when they
discover all the advantages.”
Durable. Often times, lighter paddles are less durable
than heavier ones. Kirk states that it’s not true with
her Riverstyks Blades. She says, “Our blade has more
strength than a 10-ounce epoxy and cardboard paddle.
She proudly explained, “Our carbon-fiber weave
14
Professional Craftsmanship. Most conventional
paddles start breaking down after 90 days. Riverstyks’
claim is that their hand-crafted blades have a
zero-trampoline effect (even after a year of play) which
means they keep their original integrity and strength.
Kirk says, “Dollar for dollar, our blades will outlast and
outplay our competitors.”
Made in the U.S.A. Riverstyks is located in Winona,
Minnesota, parked along the Mississippi River (which is
why all our blades are named after rivers) in the hub of
the composite industry. “We insisted on staying local in
order to control and improve our materials, products,
and manufacturing processes on a daily basis,” Kirk
explained. She added, “We like to take full advantage of
the research and development taking place in our own
backyard. We’d like to honor the U.S. roots and heritage
of pickleball in our own small way. We are very proud of
our products and innovative spirit.”
If you are interested in having your own Riverstyks
blade for an upcoming tournament or social match play
call 507.453.5723 to order or buy securely online at
www.riverstyks.com.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF PICKLE-BALL INC.
PICKLEBALL
50
In the world of sports, there are very
few games that have evolved from such an
amalgam of unrelated things as pickleball.
Credited to State Representative Joel
Pritchard (who also represented the
Washington state in Congress from 1973
through 1985 before becoming the state’s
lieutenant governor, a position he held until
his death in 1997), pickleball started off as a
way to pass the time on a boring, rainy Seattle
afternoon.
During the summer of 1966, Joel Pritchard
and his best friend, Bill Bell, were returning
home late from a morning of golf, having
promised their children they would come back
early to their summer homes on Bainbridge
Island and find some things to do that would
be interesting to them. When they arrived
YEARS
IN THE
MAKING
and found the children upset with them, Joel
stated that when he was young, kids made
up their own games. As a result, he promised
he could make up something new that they
would enjoy.
Attempting to set up a game of badminton
on a home court, Pritchard and Bell could not
find the shuttlecock. Not to be deterred, the
friends searched a nearby shed for anything
they could play with. They retrieved some
plywood, and Joel drew the pictures of two
paddles. They then cut out the paddles and
headed for a store to buy the perfect ball for
the game. They tried everything, but not
finding an answer.
Along came a young neighbor, Dick Greene,
who was carrying a plastic bat and a whiffle
ball. The inventors asked to borrow the whiffle
ball and found it was perfect for hitting over
the net, which Pritchard had lowered from 60"
to a hip height of either 36" or 28" (depending
on the version told).
Soon after, they introduced the game to
friend Barney McCallum and neighbor Dick
Brown. McCallum, Pritchard and Bell wrote
down the first official rules of the game.
Barney McCallum is the last surviving
member of that trio of inventors. Now in his
80s, he remembers the early days well. With
less than three months left of summer on the
island where Pritchard’s vacation home was
located, people quickly adopted the game.
McCallum said, “We started playing this
game in July and August. Labor Day closes
a lot of things up, and that’s what happened
with pickleball.”
Continued »
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
15
David McCallum,
Barney’s son,
remembers the birth
of the game from
a much younger
perspective.
“As a 10-year-old at
the time, nobody was
being that diligent
about taking down
the history of how
things happened,”
he said. “I was one of
those kids who was
always fascinated
by the adults. I paid
attention to what was going on with them,
with the kids down on the beach, and what
was going on with this game. The adults, they
took to it right away. The parents invented it.
It was a bunch of 40-year-olds dinking around
with this thing and it was curious to me that
they were all playing this new game and liking
it.”
The younger McCallum recalls that, in its
infancy, it appeared that pickleball might be
the solitary highlight of a bygone summer—a
game that came and went only to be
remembered with a smile.
“I don’t think anybody intentionally took
it off the island after the summer ended,”
he said. “It was a neat activity to keep adults
busy. That first year, there wasn’t much
activity regarding pickleball off the island.
I can remember my dad working on paddle
designs a few times,
but that was it.”
The following
summer, however, the
courts were swept off,
the nets put back up
and the paddles came
back out, McCallum
said.
“I’m not sure
anyone thought that
it would happen,” he
remembers. “That
second year was when
it started to move
off the island. People
realized that this was fun and great recreation
and exercise.”
Next, a nearby family on the island built
a court and used it to entertain a lot of their
guests. The circle grew, and local gyms in the
Seattle region started picking it up as well.
“I was an envelope manufacturer,” Barney
McCallum said. “But I took it on myself to
supply people with the things they needed
to play. People called me for balls or paddles.
They referred me to friends. There was no
vision that this thing would grow into what
it is today. If we thought this would be huge
back then, people would have written it off as
whiskey talk.”
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
As word spread about the game and players
became more and more enthusiastic about it,
the media started to take notice of this “craze”
coming out of the Pacific Northwest.
“The publisher of our main newspaper in
Seattle told a guy at a newspaper in New York
about [pickleball], and he came out here and
interviewed me,” Barney McCallum said. “I
arranged games and he played and went back
home. He called me from New York later
asking how much a starter set cost. He called a
second time and asked me if I was prepared to
fulfill a lot of orders. I said, ‘Yes.’”
However, at $29.50, McCallum wasn’t quite
prepared for the response the newspaper
article generated. Checks from all over the
country started flooding into his envelope
factory, which was the address he used for
pickleball merchandising. McCallum said
he got out his handsaw and started making
paddles. He also said he and Pritchard decided
at that point to get a copyright on the concept
and a business was born.
“For the first 10 years, everybody wondered
if it was going to die off and go away,” said
David McCallum.
“We could not have made it without the
support of free rent or a lot of capital,” Barney
McCallum said. “What I sensed about the
game was that it was a winner.”
While the rules of the game were set in
stone pretty much as soon as the McCallum
family returned home from their summer
vacation that first year, as time when on,
Barney McCallum did refine certain aspects of
the sport, namely the paddles.
1967
1976
1984
1997
2003
The first permanent
pickleball court was
constructed in the
backyard of Joel
Pritchard’s friend
and neighbor, Bob
O’Brian.
During the spring of 1976,
the first known pickleball
tournament in the world
was held at South Center
Athletic Club in Tukwila,
Washington. David Lester
won Men’s Singles and Steve
Paranto placed second.
USAPA “was organized to perpetuate the
growth and advancement of pickleball
on a national level.” The first rulebook
was published in March, 1984. The first
Executive Director and President of USAPA
was Sid Williams who served from 1984 to
1998. He was followed by Frank Candelario
who kept things going until 2004.
Joel Pritchard
passed away
at age 72.
There are 39 known
places to play in North
America listed on the
Pickleball Stuff website.
This represents 10
states, 3 Canadian
provinces and about
150 individual courts.
1972
1975
1984
1990
2001
A corporation
was formed
to protect
the creation
of this new
sport.
The National Observer
published an article
about pickleball
followed by a 1976
article in Tennis
magazine about
“America’s newest
racquet sport.”
The first composite paddle was made by Arlen
Paranto, a Boeing Industrial Engineer. He used
the fiberglass/nomex honeycomb panels that
commercial airlines use for their floors and part
of the airplane’s structural system. Arlen made
about 1,000 paddles from fiberglass/honeycomb
core and graphite/honeycomb core materials
until he sold the company to Frank Candelario.
By 1990,
pickleball was
being played
in all 50
states.
The game of pickleball was
introduced for the first time in
the Arizona Senior Olympics
through the efforts of Earl Hill. The
tournament was played at Happy
Trails RV Park in Surprise, AZ, and
drew 100 players. It was the largest
event ever played to that point.
16
“They’re looking
for the new shorts
of the season
and how flashy
the piping is on
the new baseball
hats. That’s
where they’re at,”
he said. “So we
decided to go to
the schools with
the idea.”
That was where opportunity, serendipity
and luck converged for the McCallums and the
future of pickleball.
A new federal law called Title IX had been
put into place, preventing discrimination for
any reason at any establishment that received
federal funding, namely schools. Physical
education teachers were looking for sports for
their students that didn’t favor one sex over
the other and pickleball fit the bill perfectly.
“The key to [pickleball] is balance–offense
against defense. To me, the most balanced
game I know is checkers. The only differential
is who gets the first move,” Barney McCallum
said. “Pickleball has balance. All the rules
that we made were to keep that balance. Big
guys didn’t dominate little. Skill was it. The
attraction was that everybody could play it.
It’s a great mixed doubles game, far more than
tennis. Power is not the main factor by any
means. It escalates in abilities, but there’s still
a place for the guy who can’t chew gum and
walk at the same time.”
“The first
paddles were just
single ⅜-inch
plywood. Then
we built up the
handles and kept
improving the
product,” he said.
“There were no
composite paddles
back then. Then
we got to the point
that it could no longer be a ‘Mom and Pop’
type business. We contracted with a workshop
in Seattle and we had them make our paddles.
Even then, it got bigger than what they could
handle.”
NATIONAL DRIVE
Soon it became clear to everyone involved
that growing the sport meant exporting it to
the entire United States. So, the McCallums
put together some marketing materials, a
bunch of pickleball kits and set out for the
National Sporting Goods Association’s annual
meeting and trade show in Los Angeles.
“That,” Barney said, “was an absolute failure.
But we learned a lot. And we came back and
changed the entire marketing strategy after
that trip.”
Despite a professional-looking booth
and a television set showing the game in
play, McCallum said large retailers weren’t
interested in promoting a sport, and small
retailers didn’t have the extra money to
pioneer something new.
“We’ve hit some major milestones over the
years that have raised the profile of the sport,”
David McCallum said. “We made the ‘NBC
Nightly News’ with Brian Williams. We had
mentions in Sports Illustrated, local magazines
and TV shows. Those gave it a little gas and
got it going. That, and the blossoming of the
baby boomers and snowbirds. Over the last
five years, we’ve been shaking our heads,
saying, ‘I’ll be darned that this hasn’t turned
into something.’ It’s here to stay.”
FUN WAS THE
DRIVING FORCE
Today, pickleball is played worldwide with
avid players from Utah to Ukraine, and the
growth of the sport continues stronger than
ever. It’s played in schools as well as senior
centers, and remains a great racquet sport
for people who find games like tennis too
intimidating. But, perhaps the biggest draw to
pickleball is how it brings people together.
“I met a guy when I was in Hawaii who
told me they call it pukaball, after the
shells,” Barney McCallum said. “We talked
about ‘pukaball’ and how the name is more
glamorous than pickleball.
“Anyway, the biggest pleasure for me about
the game, besides meeting a lot of wonderful
people, is seeing people not involved in any
athletics at all taking up the game. I have
people tell me how pickleball changed their
lives, how they never did a thing with sports
before, but they can play their pickleball game.
That’s quite a reward.” •
Continued »
2003
2008
2008
2009
2015
Pickleball was
included for the first
time in the Huntsman
World Senior Games,
held each year in St.
George, Utah, during
October.
The Rules Committee,
headed by Dennis
Duey, published
the USA Pickleball
Association Official
Tournament
Rulebook – Revision:
May 1, 2008.
There were 420 places to play in
North America as listed on the
USAPA website. This represents 43
states and 4 Canadian provinces and
about 1,500 individual courts. This
does not take into account those
places that are adding courts or the
many courts at private homes.
USAPA establishes the
Grant Program to assist
players in creating new
sites for new players.
By the end of 2013 the
program has accounted
for over 1,400 new sites.
Today, Pickleball has
an estimated 2,460,000
players. The Places to
Play list boasts over
4,000 sites. The 2015
Nationals fielded over
800 players.
2005
2005
2008
2009
2013
Mark Friedenberg
was named
President of
the new USAPA
Board of
Directors.
USAPA became
a nonprofit
corporation on
July 1.
Pickleball has been
included for the first
time in the National
Senior Games Champion
Festival to be held in
Providence, Rhode
Island, September 4 – 7.
The first USAPA National
Tournament for players of
all ages was held in Buckeye,
Arizona, November 2-8, 2009.
The tournament drew almost
400 players from 26 states and
several Canadian provinces.
In January, Justin
Maloof joined USAPA
as its first full‑time
Executive Director.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
17
HOW PICKLEBALL
GOT ITS NAME?
Some sources claim that the name
“Pickleball” was derived from the Pritchards’
family dog, Pickles, while others claim that
the name came from the term “pickle boat,”
referring to the last boat to return with
its catch – or a mixed group of rowers put
together and finishing last in a rowing race.
Interviews with founders Joel Pritchard (and
his wife, Joan), Dick Brown (and his son, Jim)
and Barney McCallum are very adamant about
the name creation. Below are summaries of
interviews taken from all five.
Dick Brown (Founder)
We were sitting at Joel’s old cabin front
room and we were throwing around trying to
get a name for it. Because the dog was always
around there grabbing the ball and so Joanne
said, “Why don’t you call it pickle-ball and it
just hit us. Just like that. Thinking of Pickles,
we said, “That’s a great name.” My wife and
I both will swear that there was called that
night (pickleball) and that name stuck.
Pritchard family together and we were trying
to think out names of what we could call this
paddle game and Joanne Pritchard, at the
end of a lengthy conversation, said, “Hey, why
don’t you name it Pickleball after Pickles.” For
whatever reason, it caught. Everybody went
crazy and said, “That’s it, Pickleball. Let’s do
it.” Then everybody cheered.
Joel Pritchard (Founder)
In an oral history published by the state of
Washington in 2000, Joel Pritchard said the
tall tales about the sport’s name originated
with an out-of-town reporter…and a few
imaginative locals…and his own willingness to
hush-up when a good story takes hold.
Interviewer: There are several accounts
about how you named the game. Is it true you
named it for your dog?
Joel Pritchard: We needed a nutty name
like Pickle-Ball, but, no, the dog was named
after the game. A reporter came through and
was doing a national story on the game, and
somebody told him that story. Everybody said,
“Shut your mouth. It’s a good story. It works
better, leave it alone.” It’s like a lot of stories.
Joan Pritchard (wife of Joel Pritchard)
Mrs. Pritchard was an accomplished rower.
She was interviewed by the West Virginia
News and Sentinel in 2008. Here are portions
of that interview.
Joan Pritchard: The name came after
I said it reminded me of the Pickle Boat in
crew where oarsmen were chosen from the
leftovers of other boats. Somehow the idea the
name came from our dog Pickles was attached
to the naming of the game, but Pickles wasn’t
on the scene for two more years. The dog was
named for the game, but stories about the
name’s origin were funnier thinking the game
was named for the dog.”
Barney McCallum (Founder)
In a December, 2015, interview with
Pickleball Magazine, Barney McCallum said
that he wanted to put to rest the rumors of
the sport’s naming.
Barney McCallum: “I was in the room.
The Pritchards had two dogs, Lulu and Pickles.
It was then that we chose to name the game
after the dog.” •
Jim Brown (son of Dick Brown)
I remember one night being over the
Pritchard’s. It was the Brown family and
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PADDLES
18
BALLS
NETS & POSTS
SETS
CLOTHING
EVERYTHING ELSE
U S A PA N AT I O N A LS
USAPA Nationals VII
RAISES THE BAR
$20,000 PURSE BRINGS OUT THE
BEST PICKLEBALL COMPETITION
EVER DISPLAYED IN ONE VENUE
Continued »
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
19
OPEN MEN’S SINGLES
Gold (Center): Marcin Rozpedski (CA)
Silver (Left): Daniel Moore (CO)
Bronze (Right): Morgan Evans (CA)
OPEN MEN’S DOUBLES
Gold (Center): Matthew Blom (CA) / Daniel Moore (CO)
Silver (Left): Callan Dawson (CA) / Steve Dawson (CA)
Bronze (Right): Aspen Kern (AZ) / Brian Ashworth (WA)
OPEN WOMEN’S SINGLES
Gold (Center): Simone Jardim (MI)
Silver (Left): Christine McGrath (CA)
Bronze (Right): Sarah Ansboury (OR)
OPEN WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Gold (Left): Gigi LeMaster (AZ) / Sarah Ansboury (OR)
Silver (Right): Corrine Carr (MI) / Simone Jardim (MI)
Bronze: Stephanie Lane (TN) / Christine McGrath (CA)
W
ith so many new names, firsts,
and records, it seems that the
theme of the 7th annual USAPA National
Championships should have been “Raise
the Bar.” The USAPA’s premier event drew
a record 807 players from 38 states and
3 Canadian provinces to Casa Grande,
Arizona, from November 7-16, to
compete for the gold.
Presented by Aetna, Nationals VII was
more than just a major tournament, it
was a festival of all things pickleball.
Professionally organized by the USAPA,
the event featured live streaming video,
referee training, a ratings seminar,
beginner to advanced clinics, a paddle
demo day, player and Ambassador dinner,
and the best pickleball play ever seen.
20
Robson Ranch proudly kicked off
the nine-day spectacle on Saturday,
November 7, with practice play, referee
training and a player dinner/social.
Among numerous additional amenities,
the Robson Ranch Community boasts 16
full-time pickleball courts and four tennis
courts that were lined to accommodate
eight additional pickleball courts for the
Nationals (32 courts total).
The competitive excitement began the
following morning when 10 women’s
doubles age group events (19+ to 85+)
and four men’s senior doubles age group
events (70+ to 85+) took place. The
additional six men’s doubles age group
events (19+ to 65+) occurred on Monday.
Results are posted on the following pages.
The events followed a doubleelimination format where losers in the
main draw continued to compete in a
lower bracket until they lost a second
match. Players who won the lower
bracket competed against the winners
of the upper bracket in the gold/silver
matches. Players were only allowed to
play in one “Age” event. In addition,
players of 4.5 or 5.0 ability were also
allowed to play in the upcoming weekend
Open events.
Tuesday paired the top men and
women together in 10 mixed age
categories (19+ to 85+). Again, all events
were one-day, double-elimination (and
posted on the following pages).
Wednesday wrapped up the age‑based
events at Robson Ranch with 10
PODIUM SHOTS COURTESY OF CATHY WILSON: SGPHOTOS.SMUGMUG.COM
NATIONAL OPEN CHAMPIONS
SENIOR OPEN MEN’S SINGLES
Gold (Center): Scott Moore (CO)
Silver (Right): Dan O’Toole (MI)
Bronze (Left): Glen Peterson (WA)
SENIOR OPEN WOMEN’S SINGLES
Gold (Center): Bonnie Williams (OR)
Silver (Left): Hilary Marold (TX)
Bronze (Right): Alex Hamner (CA)
OPEN MIXED DOUBLES
Gold (Center): Simone Jardim (MI) /
Rafael Siebenschein (MI)
Silver (Left): Christine McGrath (CA) /
Matthew Staub (AZ)
Bronze (Right): Stephanie Lane (TN) /
Kyle Yates (FL)
SENIOR OPEN MEN’S DOUBLES
Gold (Center): Scott Moore (CO) /
Glen Peterson (WA)
Silver (Left): Tyler Sheffield (UT) /
Larry Moon (UT)
Bronze (Right): Mike Schwarz (BC) /
Michael Gates (CA)
SENIOR OPEN WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Gold (Center): Mona Burnett (AZ) /
Luba Zhekhovskaya (BC)
Silver (Left): Yvonne Hackenberg (MI) /
Hilary Marold (TX)
Bronze (Right): Lydia D. Willis (FL) /
Alison Fulton (FL) (missing from photo)
SENIOR OPEN MIXED DOUBLES
Gold (Center): Mona Burnett (AZ) / Scott Moore
(CO)
Silver (Left): Luba Zhekhovskaya (BC) /
Michael Gates (CA)
Bronze (Right): Lydia D. Willis (FL) /
Larry Moon (UT)
men’s singles and 10 women’s singles
tournaments (19+ to 85+).
From Sunday to Wednesday, the
USAPA and Robson Ranch hosted 50
different age group tournaments. Gold,
silver, and bronze medals were awarded
in each event. But, the biggest matches
were yet to come with the competition
moving minutes down the road to Palm
Creek Resort for the $20,000 Open
tournament purses. Palm Creek Golf
and RV Resort features 32 world-class
pickleball courts – a perfect site to host
the best of the best in the National Open
Championships.
Before the weekend play began,
the USAPA presented a demo day
on Thursday at Palm Creek. The day
kicked off with beginner to 3.5-level
clinics, followed by referee and ratings
seminars. At the same time, sponsors
offered several hundred spectators
the opportunity to jump on the courts
and demo their choices from over 100
different paddles. Next, clinics were
available for advanced players from levels
4.0 to 5.0. Finally, the evening wound
down with the annual Ambassadors
Dinner (hosted by Pickle-ball, Inc.) at the
Palm Creek Resort.
Friday was the day many spectators
were anxiously awaiting – the start of
the men’s and women’s open doubles
championships. During the weekend
Open matches, the USAPA established
live streaming video on its web site. At
one time on Friday, there were 24,479
simultaneous viewers via the web. Over
the course of the weekend, 355,000 total
views were captured on the internet from
76 countries and all 50 states.
In the Women’s Open Championship,
Gigi LeMaster (Surprise, AZ) and Sarah
Ansboury (Portland, OR) outlasted
Corrine Carr (East Lansing, MI) and
Simone Jardim (Mason, MI) in a
third‑set tie-breaker while Mona Burnett
(Surprise, AZ) and Luba Zhekhovskaya
(Surrey, BC) defeated Yvonne Hackenberg
(Kalamazoo, MI) and Hilary Marold
(Corpus Christi, TX) in the Women’s
Senior Open Doubles.
In the Men’s Open Doubles, Matthew
Blom (Nevada City, CA) and Daniel
Moore (Colorado Springs, CO) defeated
Callan and Steve Dawson (Carlsbad,
COURTESY OF PICKLEBALL CHANNEL
Continued »
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
21
MEN’S DOUBLES 19+
Gold: Kyle Yates (FL) / Wesley Gabrielsen (OR)
Silver: Aspen Kern (AZ) / Matthew Staub (AZ)
Bronze: Rafael Siebenschein (MI) /
Robert Elliott (FL)
MEN’S DOUBLES 35+
Gold: Dave Weinbach (WI) / Justin Rodgers (AZ)
Silver: Jason Munro (CA) /
Rafi Bazerkanian (CA)
Bronze: Brian Staub (FL) / Philip Bagley (FL)
MEN’S DOUBLES 55+
Gold: James Hackenberg (MI) /
Scott Lennan (AZ)
Silver: Tyler Sheffield (UT) / Larry Moon (UT)
Bronze: Steve Paranto (OR) /
Randal Bither (OR)
MEN’S DOUBLES 60+
Gold: Gary Miller (FL) / Robert Loomis (WI)
Silver: Paul Porch (WA) / Ken Curry (CO)
Bronze: William Propert (SD) / Byron Freso (FL)
CA) to take home the gold; and Scott
Moore (Colorado Springs, CO) and Glen
Peterson (Redmond, WA) bested Tyler
Sheffield (Highland, UT) and Larry Moon
(Layton, UT) in the Senior Men’s Open
Doubles final.
Saturday featured the Mixed Open,
Mixed Senior Open, and Junior Age
Singles, doubles and mixed competitions.
Simone Jardim, refocused after her
Women’s Open Doubles final loss, paired
with Rafael Siebenschein (Grand Rapids,
MI) to overcome Christine McGrath
(Pasadena, CA) and Matthew Staub
(Scottsdale, AZ) in the Mixed Open
Doubles final.
Fresh off the Women’s Senior Open
podium, Mona Burnett partnered with
Scott Moore (Colorado Springs, CO) to
defeat her Senior Open partner, Luba
Zhekhovskaya, who played with Michael
Gates (Escondido, CA).
The junior age group competitions were
well-attended and the level of play was
high. Results are shown on the following
pages.
Nationals VII concluded on Sunday
with the Men’s Open Singles, Women’s
Open Singles, Senior Men’s Open Singles
and the Senior Women’s Open Singles.
Marcin Rozpedski of Bermuda Dunes,
California, topped the Men’s Open
Doubles Champion Daniel Moore in
the Men’s Open Singles while Daniel’s
father, Scott Moore, won the Senior
Open Singles title over Dan O’Toole of
Williamston, Michigan.
At the same time, Simone Jardim had
back-to-back gold dates with the podium
when she won the Women’s Open Singles
title against Christine McGrath (who
22
MEN’S DOUBLES 50+
Gold: David Redding (TX) / Ron Chang (CA)
Silver: Andy Gensch (KS) / Scott Moore (CO)
Bronze: Doug Koch (KA) / Ian Dickson (CA)
MEN’S DOUBLES 65+
Gold: Ted Meyer (IL) / Paul Coletta (NC)
Silver: John Grasso (AZ) / Lenny Chimino (AZ)
Bronze: Frederic Tomlinson (FL) /
Richard Scott (FL)
also earned silver in the Open Mixed
Doubles). And, in the Senior Women’s
Singles, Bonnie Williams (Portland, OR)
defeated Hilary Marold.
As one participant noted, “Coming
to Nationals is not just playing, it’s
also about seeing friends and watching
amazing matches.”
For those unable to attend, the
live streaming was a huge hit. Upon
completion of the live video, the USAPA
created ‘video on demand’ viewing of the
Open matches. In November alone, there
were 523,200 total views.
A Facebook viewer from Connecticut
posted, “Even though we were 2,500
miles away, it felt like we were right there
in the bleachers for main court matches.
Amazing and impressive talent. We
loved every minute of it! Thank you for
streaming!” •
MEN’S AGE GROUP WINNERS
MEN’S DOUBLES 70+
Gold: John Rinehart (CO) / Jerry Peterson (MN)
Silver: William Mason (AZ) / Paul Hawkes (ME)
Bronze: Rich Gapen (FL) / Ronald Cormier (FL)
MEN’S DOUBLES 75+
Gold: William Smith (CA) / Emory Summers (OR)
Silver: Richard Johnson (ID) / Delbert Root (AZ)
Bronze: Eric Sandstrom (AZ) /
Ronald Lucas (AZ)
MEN’S DOUBLES 80+
Gold: Gilman Middleton (WA) /
Darrell Sherrin (AZ)
Silver: Artie Wachter (AZ) / Norm Davis (AZ)
Bronze: Frank Benneyan (CA) / Jim Wainscott (CA)
MEN’S SINGLES 19+
Gold: Daniel Moore (CO)
Silver: Dalton Vavra (WA)
Bronze: Kyle Yates (FL)
MEN’S SINGLES 35+
Gold: Marcin Rozpedski (CA)
Silver: Matthew Blom (CA)
Bronze: Scott Moore (CO)
MEN’S SINGLES 50+
Gold: Glen Peterson (WA)
Silver: Scott Burr (CA)
Bronze: Christopher Wolff (OR)
MEN’S SINGLES 55+
Gold: Brian Staub (FL)
Silver: Dan O’Toole (MI)
Bronze: Doug Gale (CA)
MEN’S SINGLES 60+
Gold: Ken Curry (CO)
Silver: Craig Palermo (OR)
Bronze: Daniel Wheeler (PA)
MEN’S SINGLES 65+
Gold: James Hackenberg (MI)
Silver: Dennis Louie (CA)
Bronze: Ted Meyer (IL)
MEN’S SINGLES 70+
Gold: Jerry Peterson (MN)
Silver: Harold Kieta (NY)
Bronze: John Rinehart (CO)
MEN’S SINGLES 75+
Gold: William Smith (CA)
Silver: John Fontius (NV)
Bronze: Dan Holleman (AK)
MEN’S SINGLES 80+
Gold: Emory Summers (OR)
Silver: Jim Wainscott (CA)
Bronze: Fred Eggen (AZ)
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
23
WOMEN’S DOUBLES 19+
Gold: Gigi LeMaster (AZ) / Sarah Ansboury (OR)
Silver: Cammy MacGregor-Ward (CA) /
Jennifer Dawson (CA)
Bronze: Christine McGrath (CA) / Jodi Elliott (FL)
Gold: Joy Leising (OR) / Christine Barksdale (WA)
Silver: Alex Hamner (CA) / Jennifer Lucore (CA)
Bronze: Stephanie Lane (TN) /
Nicole Hobson (TN)
Gold: Rachael Kroog (MN) / Kim Dickson (CA)
Silver: Laura Schwarz (BC) /
Bonnie Williams (OR)
Bronze: Lori Orth (AZ) / Jill Lewis (AZ)
Gold: Mona Burnett (AZ) / Luba Zhekhovskaya (BC)
Silver: Lydia D. Willis (FL) / Alison Fulton (FL)
(missing from photo)
Bronze: Susan Buerkens (TX) / Diane Bock (FL)
Gold: Carol Lindow (AZ) / Jackie Faegre (MN)
Silver: Cherilyn Drake (AZ) / Roxanne Pierce (AZ)
Bronze: Barbara Wintroub (CA) /
Rebecca Warren (MT)
Gold: Yvonne Hackenberg (MI) /
Hilary Marold (TX)
Silver: Linda Hoggatt (AZ) / Carolyn Bagley (AZ)
Bronze: Judith Graves (AZ) / Rita Weihe (AZ)
Gold: Alice Tym (TN) / Nancy Sass (CA)
Silver: Beverly Youngren (AZ) /
Marylou Furaus (AZ)
Bronze: Phyllis Ward (FL) /
Rosemarie Pietromonaco (FL)
WOMEN’S DOUBLES 75-79
Gold: Jean Kiker (FL) / Gail Brown (FL)
Silver: Pauline Avery (AZ) / Lola Benneyan (CA)
Bronze: Joyce Staffen (MI) / Betty Silver (WA)
Gold: Martha Trifonoff (CA) / Joyce Jones (WA)
Silver: Beverly Schalin (AZ) / Joanne Burr (AZ)
WOMEN’S SINGLES 19+
Gold: Christine McGrath (CA)
Silver: Sarah Ansboury (OR)
Bronze: Miriam Blom Skrade (IA)
Gold: Christine Barksdale (WA)
Silver: Joy Leising (OR)
Bronze: Cammy MacGregor-Ward (CA)
Gold: Bonnie Williams (OR)
Silver: Alex Hamner (CA)
Bronze: Kimberly Bennett (CA)
24
WOMEN’S AGE GROUP WINNERS
Gold: Mona Burnett (AZ)
Silver: Pam Cecchini (MN)
Bronze: Pamela King (UT)
Gold: Jackie Faegre (MN)
Silver: Roxanne Pierce (AZ)
Bronze: Sydney Hays (CO)
Gold: Hilary Marold (TX)
Silver: Barbara Wintroub (CA)
Bronze: Carolyn Bagley (AZ)
Gold: Rosemarie Pietromonaco (FL)
Silver: Linda Pejchar (AZ)
Bronze: Genevieve James (TX)
WOMEN’S SINGLES 75+: 75-79
Gold: Lola Benneyan (CA)
Silver: Jean Kiker (FL)
Bronze: Rosalie Knutsen (WA)
WOMEN’S SINGLES 75+: 80-84
Gold: Martha Trifonoff (CA)
WOMEN’S SINGLES 75+: 85+
Gold: Joyce Jones (WA)
JUNIOR AGE GROUP WINNERS
JUNIOR MIXED DOUBLES 11-14
Gold: McKenna Hastings (WA) /
Jack Munro (CA)
Silver: LeEllen Lane (TN) /
Joshua Readinger (IN)
Bronze: Kendall Hastings (WA) /
Garrett Parvu (AZ)
JUNIOR MEN’S DOUBLES 11-18
(AGES 11-14)
Gold: Kyle Stoddard (UT) /
Mike Glendenning (UT)
Silver: Jack Munro (CA) /
William Sobek (FL)
JUNIOR MIXED DOUBLES 15-18
Gold: Rachel Elliott (FL) / Joshua Elliott (FL)
Silver: Melanie Benson (MT) / Jacob Benson (MT)
Bronze: Rena Han (AZ) / William Sobek (FL)
JUNIOR MEN’S DOUBLES 11-18
(AGES 15-18)
Gold: Jeffrey Stone Jr. (AZ) /
Joshua Elliott (FL)
Silver: Jacob Benson (MT) /
William Gardner (OR)
JUNIOR MEN’S SINGLES AGES 11-14
Gold: Jack Munro (CA)
Silver: William Sobek (FL)
Bronze: Kyle Stoddard (UT)
JUNIOR MEN’S SINGLES AGES 15-18
Gold: Joshua Elliott (FL)
Silver: Jacob Benson (MT)
Bronze: Jeffrey Stone Jr. (AZ)
JUNIOR WOMEN’S DOUBLES 11-16
Gold: LeEllen Lane (TN) /
Rachel Elliott (FL)
Silver: Melanie Benson (MT) /
Cecily Benson (MT)
Bronze: McKenna Hastings (WA) /
Kendall Hastings (WA)
JUNIOR WOMEN’S SINGLES
11-17 (participants were 11-14)
Gold: Rachel Elliott (FL)
Silver: Melanie Benson (MT)
Bronze: McKenna Hastings (WA)
JUNIOR WOMEN’S SINGLES
11-17 (participants were 15-18)
Gold: Cecily Benson (MT)
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
25
MIXED DOUBLES AGE GROUP WINNERS
MIXED DOUBLES 19+
Gold: Stephanie Lane (TN) / Kyle Yates (FL)
Silver: Gigi LeMaster (AZ) /
Rafael Siebenschein (MI)
Bronze: Christine McGrath (CA) /
Chris Miller (WA)
MIXED DOUBLES 35+
Gold: Joy Leising (OR) / Steve Wong (CA)
Silver: Cammy MacGregor-Ward (CA) /
Steve Dawson (CA)
Bronze: Jennifer Lucore (CA) / Philip Bagley (FL)
MIXED DOUBLES 50+
Gold: Karen Gysin (ID) / Scott Moore (CO)
Silver: Luba Zhekhovskaya (BC) /
Daniel Gabanek (WA)
Bronze: Alex Hamner (CA) / Brian Staub (FL)
MIXED DOUBLES 55+
Gold: Mona Burnett (AZ) / Tyler Sheffield (UT)
Silver: Roxanne Pierce (AZ) / Scott Lennan (AZ)
Bronze: Linda Kauss (MN) / Del Kauss (MN)
MIXED DOUBLES 60+
Gold: Hilary Marold (TX) / Larry Moon (UT)
Silver: Marsha Freso (FL) / Allen Hager (AZ)
Bronze: Diane Bock (FL) /
Mark Friedenberg (AZ)
MIXED DOUBLES 65+
Gold: Yvonne and James Hackenberg (MI)
Silver: Linda Hoggatt (AZ) / John Grasso (AZ)
Bronze: Barbara Wintroub (CA) /
Bill Greenwalt (CA)
MIXED DOUBLES 70+
Gold: Marylou Furaus (AZ) /
Robert Youngren (AZ)
Silver: Alice Tym (TN) / John Rinehart (CO)
Bronze: Rosemarie Pietromonaco (FL) / Paul
Hawkes (ME)
MIXED DOUBLES 75+
Gold: Kathryn Oliver (AZ) / Delbert Root (AZ)
Silver: Jean Kiker (FL) / Henry Palmer (CA)
Bronze: Betty Silver (WA) / Bob Robillard (AZ)
MIXED DOUBLES 80+
Gold: Beverly Schalin (AZ) / Artie Wachter (AZ)
Silver: Joyce Jones (WA) /
Gilman Middleton (WA)
Bronze: Martha Trifonoff (CA) / Fred Eggen (AZ)
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AT THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM
M A G A Z I N E
26
FROM THE USAPA
MEET THE
USAPA
Training
Department
BY LYNN & LINDA LAYMON – USAPA TRAINING CHAIRS
S
ince the inception of what is now known as the USA Pickleball
Association, responsibility for providing the sport with
training‑related documents and aids – instructional videos and text
materials – has fallen under the Grant/Training Chair. This board
position has been filled by one person who divided his time between
the two responsibilities. With the grant program exploding and the
need for training materials becoming even more critical, that no longer
is the case.
In July 2015, training was spun off from grants and became a
department of its own. With our election to this position, the USAPA
gained the experience, enthusiasm and labor of two bodies with a
single, combined voice on the board.
Building on the preliminary work of the Referee Certification
Committee, headed by John Grasso, Referee Training/Certification
became our initial undertaking. After devising a three-phase
development and implementation plan, our first priority became one
of fine-tuning the Referee Rules Test, which is Phase I of the overall
program.
Next came the task of developing a set of referee standards and
procedures – Phase II. After gathering input from the original
committee and other experienced, highly respected referees who
routinely officiate USAPA sanctioned tournaments, we presented the
initial draft of the Referee Handbook and Referee Trainer Guide for
USAPA Board concurrence. With their blessings we continued into Beta
Testing.
After advertising the opportunity to participate as a Beta Test
trainer, of 75 applicants, 10 were selected based on geographics,
refereeing experience and training qualifications. Each was instructed
to use the new Handbook and Trainer Guide to teach a minimum of 10
students. At completion, all students and trainers were sent feedback
forms. The responses were overwhelmingly positive and contained
many worthwhile suggestions, which were incorporated in the
documents before they were finalized.
On December 1, 2015, both the finalized Referee Handbook and
Referee Trainer Guide were made available to USAPA members via
usapa.org by hovering the cursor over Referee Materials on the Rules
& Referees dropdown menu. When clicking either document, you
are asked for your member password. Every USAPA member in good
standing has a password; if you don’t know yours, click as instructed
and it will be emailed momentarily.
To access and download the Referee Trainer Guide, members
must first register by providing contact information and refereeing/
referee training experience, as well as agree to the Referee Trainer
Responsibility Acknowledgement. This registration process, however,
does not necessarily imply that the person is qualified to train referees
or even plans to train referees; it simply provides the member access
to the Trainer Guide and allows USAPA to track registrants. Therefore,
having registered as a trainer is not an endorsement by USAPA.
Phase III, the Certification part of the Referee Training/Certification
program, is currently under development. The basic concept has been
approved, but there are still a number of details to be worked out. We
do know, however, that the prerequisites for applying for certification
will be: complete a referee training course using the official Referee
Handbook and Referee Trainer Guide, referee the required number and
type of matches and obtain a recommendation from the candidate’s
trainer. After the prerequisites are completed and the application
submitted, along with the certification application fee, the applicant’s
on-court refereeing performance will be evaluated by one or more
members of the USAPA Referee Certification Evaluation Committee,
who will determine if the applicant requires additional instruction/
experience or successfully meets the requirements for certification.
Those who pass will be issued USAPA Certified Referee credentials and
materials and receive other benefits.
The initial Referee Certification Evaluation Committee will consist
of 4 to 10 highly experienced and respected referees who possess
the knowledge, temperament and discipline to objectively apply
the certification requirements. John Grasso and USAPA Southwest
Regional Director Linda Hoggatt have been selected to fill the initial
two openings. We are working with them to finalize the Phase III
implementation plan.
In the meantime, in early January, we will be making the USAPA Line
Judge Guide available at usapa.org and putting up a new Line Judge
Quiz. The Guide contains detailed USAPA line judging standards and
procedures, and the quiz provides line judges with an opportunity to
test their knowledge of the task.
Although it may appear that way right now, the Training
Department’s efforts are not limited to refereeing. We have assembled
a committee of top pickleball trainers to lay the foundation for USAPA
Training Standards. This is an ongoing process that we hope to
complete sometime after mid-year.
The training department is also responsible for providing and
updating training videos at usapa.org. Between now and the end of the
year, watch for new referee and line judge training videos and visual
support associated with pickleball training standards.
We are extremely pleased with the progress that has been made
since July and trust that USAPA members are as well. It is an unending
challenge to keep pace with the exploding popularity of the sport but,
with your support, the training department will make it happen. •
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
27
PRODUCT REVIEW
WHAT’S THE
Right
Paddle
FOR ME?
BY WAYNE DOLLARD | PICKLEBALL MAGAZINE
WITH ASSISTANCE FROM ROBERT ELLIOTT (ENGAGE
PICKLEBALL) AND JIMMY BLUE (PICKLE-BALL INC.)
2015 marks the 50th anniversary of our
beloved sport founded on Bainbridge Island,
WA, back in 1965. Pickleball experienced
very mild growth until a few years back when
everything really took hold. According to
the Sports and Fitness Industry Association
(SFIA), pickleball now has over 2,460,000
players... and it’s still rapidly growing. Just
five years ago, that number was 100,000
players.
Last month, Pickleball Magazine contacted
the USAPA and learned that there are 39
“Approved” manufacturers for the sport.
Furthermore, the market is currently flooded
with 400 to 500 paddles to choose from.
Four of the 39 manufacturers control the
vast majority of the paddle business – maybe
even as high as 80% of all paddles sold. They
are: Pickle-ball, Inc., Paddletek, Pro-lite, and
Escalade Sports (Onix). At the same time,
there are over a dozen other paddle producers
that are rapidly growing due to high quality
and technological improvements. These
include: Gamma, Wilson, Franklin, Viking,
Engage, Riverstyks, Wolfe, PAC, Manta,
Uniker, POP, Whippersnapper, Selkirk,
Harrow and Gearbox.
So what characteristics make a paddle
unique? The short answer is three things…
the core, surface (also called the skin or face)
and weight. Depending on the materials
and layering used, every paddle will play
differently by manufacturers tinkering with
these three things.
Continued »
28
ENGAGE
ENCORE
ENGAGE
POACH
ENGAGE
PULSE
Weight: 7.2 - 7.7 oz
Length: 15.375" Width: 8"
Core: Polypropylene /
Polymer Honeycomb
Surface: Specialized Fiberglass
Price:$75
Length: 15" Width: 7.875"
Core: 'Dual' Aerospace
Aluminum Honeycomb
Surface:Composite
Price:$85
Core: Aluminum Honeycomb
Surface:Composite
Price:$70
FRANKLIN
SPORTS
BANSHEE
FRANKLIN
SPORTS
CHALLENGER
FRANKLIN
SPORTS
VOLT
Weight: 12.7 oz.
Core:Wood
Surface: Painted Wood
Price:$10
Weight: 11.4 oz.
Core:Aluminum
Surface: Aluminum with Screen
Paint
Price:$20
Weight: 12.7 oz.
Length: 16.5" Width: 8.25"
Core:Wood
Surface: Painted Wood
Price:$10
GAMMA
SPORTS
VOLTAGE
MANTA
SPORTS
4G
MANTA
SPORTS
LIBERTY XL
Weight: 7.6 oz +/-0.3 oz
Core: Aramid Honeycomb
Surface: Carbon Fiber
Price:$110
Weight: 7.9 oz
Length: 15.25" Width: 8.125"
Core: Composite Honeycomb
Surface: Composite Resin
Price:$130
Weight: 7.3 oz
Length: 15.625" Width: 8.25"
Core: Nomex Honeycomb
Surface:Graphite/Carbon
Price:$100
ENGAGE
ULTIMATE
ENGAGE
ULTRA
ESCALADE
ONIX
INFERNO
ESCALADE
ONIX REACT
ESCALADE
ONIX SUB
ZERO
Surface:Composite
Price:$85
Length: 15" Width: 8"
Core: Aerospace Aluminum
Honeycomb
Surface: Specialized Fiberglass
Price:$75
Length: 15.38" Width: 8. 06"
Surface:Graphite
Price:$120
Core: Polypropylene Core
with Nomex Insert in
Sweet Spot
Surface:Graphite
Price:$135
GAMMA SPORTS
ATOMIC
GAMMA SPORTS
FUSION
WIDEBODY
GAMMA SPORTS
ION
GAMMA SPORTS
MICRON
GAMMA SPORTS
PROTON
WIDEBODY
Surface: Fiberglass Composite
Price:$90
Price:$70
Price:$100
Price:$60
Price:$80
MANTA
SPORTS
MATRIX
PAC
PADDLES
BULLET
PAC
PADDLES
INTIMIDATOR
PAC
PADDLES
THUNDERBOLT
PADDLETEK
BANTAM
EX-L
Weight: 7.6 oz
Length: 15.625" Width: 8.25"
Surface:Graphite/Carbon
Price:$95
Weight: 8.5 – 8.75 oz
Length: 15.875" Width: 7.75"
Core: Polypropylene or
Aluminum Honeycomb
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$75
Weight: 8 – 8.5 oz
Length: 15.875" Width: 7.875"
Core:Polypropylene
Honeycomb
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$75
Weight: 8.5 – 8.75 oz
Core:Polypropylene
Honeycomb
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$75
Core: Polymer Honeycomb
Surface:Polycarbonate
Price:$85
Core: Ribtec - Foam Core
with Carbon Ribs
Surface:Graphite
Price:$150
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
29
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30
PRODUCT REVIEW
PADDLETEK
BANTAM
TS-5
PADDLETEK
ELEMENT
PADDLETEK
PHOENIX
PRO
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$85
Weight: 7.6 oz
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$69
Price:$75
PADDLETEK
PHOENIX
ULTRA II
PADDLETEK
POWER
PLAY PRO
PADDLETEK
TEMPEST
Weight: 10.5 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core: High Tech Polymer
Price:$95
Weight: 8.1 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core: High Tech Polymer
Price:$75
Surface:Graphite
Price:$95
PICKLE-BALL INC
ATTACK 2.0
PICKLE-BALL INC
CHAMPION
ALUMINUM
PICKLE-BALL INC
ELITE
POWER
Surface: Carbon Fiber with Vinyl
Price:$76
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$82
Weight: 7.4-7.6 oz
Length: 15.875" Width: 8.875"
Surface:Graphite
Price:$85
CORES
The main types of paddle cores
are aluminum, nomex/aramid,
polypropylene and polymers. Though
less expensive, maple wood is another
option for the traditionalist, but is
rapidly being phased out due to stronger,
more durable and lighter materials
entering the market.
Some paddle cores are solid, but the
overwhelming majority are made with
some sort of honeycomb style materials.
The composition of those cores can vary
widely. Even cores made up from the
same materials can vary in wall density
and honeycomb size. All paddles are not
created equal. These factors all play into
how a paddle will play, how durable it
is, and how much it weighs. That being
said, there are some general common
characteristics exhibited by each of these
materials.
Aluminum core paddles are highly
customizable in terms of honeycomb
size and wall thickness and thus weight
and performance. The aluminum core
paddles that fall on the heavier side will
tend to have more power (pop) than
lighter ones offering more control and
touch. They are strong and resilient and
resistant to developing “dead spots.”
Aluminum core paddles can be given
a softer touch by combining with a
lightweight/softer surface such as
graphite or carbon. Similarly, they can
be combined with other materials such
as fiberglass to create paddles with more
power.
Polymer core paddles, involving
a newer material in terms of its use
in pickleball paddle production, have
become very popular in the last few
years due to durability and resistance
to dead spots. Polymer is generally a
heavier material, contributing to its
reputation for power (pop) but has less
“natural” pop than aluminum or nomex/
aramid cores of the same weight. These
cores are combined with a number of
different facing materials, primarily
polypropylene, but also fiberglass (more
pop/power) and more recently graphite
Continued »
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
31
PRODUCT REVIEW
(more control/touch). Like other core
materials, polymer performance will
be most dictated by weight and face
material/surface treatment.
Aramid/Nomex core paddles
have a nice combination of power,
control and feel. Nomex is DuPont’s
trademark and is an aramid fiber paper
coated with phenolic resin (think paper
honeycomb coated in liquid fiberglass).
This was the first honeycomb material
used to build pickleball paddles.
Depending on surface face material,
these paddles can often be combined
with graphite, creating good control
paddles, or fiberglass face materials
creating great pop.
They feel nice when you hit the ball;
however, by the nature of the material,
they can eventually break down and
develop dead spots.
Roughly one-third of the best-selling
paddles have nomex/aramid cores,
another one-third are aluminum,
and one-third are polypropylene (or
polymer based), graphite, wood, or
something else.
SURFACE MATERIAL (SKIN OR FACE)
The surface of the paddle is most
commonly made of fiberglass or
graphite, although there are many
great paddles using carbon, kevlar,
or some other combinations. Each
will intentionally offer a different feel
to complement the characteristics
dictated by the core material and
weight.
Fiberglass surfaces are highly
durable and tend to offer good pop/
power.
Graphite surfaces are known for
their lightweight and responsive touch.
They can be combined with almost any
core material to create paddles with
good control/soft touch. Graphite
surface paddles are generally more
expensive and difficult to source.
Polypropylene is a common facing
material used with polypropylene
cores. It is highly durable and heavier
in weight.
Continued »
32
PICKLE-BALL INC
CHAMPION
GRAPHITE
PICKLE-BALL INC
CHAMPION
GRAPHITE X
PICKLE-BALL INC
ELITE
FINESSE
Weight: 6.8 or 7.8 oz (customer choice)
Surface:Graphite
Price:$79
Surface: Graphite with
Polycarbonate Vinyl
Price:$105
Length: 15.875" Width: 8.875"
Surface:Graphite
Price:$85
PRO-LITE
IMPACT
GRAPHITE
PRO-LITE
MAGNUM
XP
PRO-LITE
ROCKET
XL
Core:Nomex
Price:$80
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core:Polymer
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$73
Core:Polymer
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$85
SELKIRK
300A
XL+
SELKIRK
300A
XL
SELKIRK
30P
XL
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Surface: UV Vinyl Laminate over
Graphite
Price:$100
Weight: 7.4 - 7 .6 oz
Surface: UV Vinyl Laminate over
Graphite
Price:$100
Surface: Screen Printed Graphite
Price:$90
PICKLE-BALL INC
ELITE
SKILL
PICKLE-BALL INC
LEGACY
PICKLEBALL COACH
THE SWEET
SPOT MAXX
PRO-LITE
AERO-D
GRAPHITE
PRO-LITE
BLASTER
GRAPHITE
Length: 15.875" Width: 8.875"
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$85
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$79
Weight: 9 oz
Core:Aluminum
Surface:Fiberglass
Price:$88
Weight: 6.7.-7.0 oz
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Core:Nomex
Price:$66
Length: 15.75" Width: 8.125"
Core:Nomex
Price:$76
RIVERSTYKS
FOX
BLADE
RIVERSTYKS
KICKING
HORSE
RIVERSTYKS
RUBICON
BLADE
SELKIRK
200P
XL
SELKIRK
20P
XL
Weight: 6.2 - 9.5 oz (options)
Surface and Core:
Carbon Fiber Weave
with Hot Resin
Price:$185
Core: Compressed Polymer
Foam
Surface: Carbon Weave
Price:$99
Weight: 6.2 - 9.5 oz (options)
Surface and Core:
Carbon Fiber Weave
with Hot Resin
Price:$189
Surface: Vinyl Laminate with
UV Protection
Price:$80
Surface: Screen Printed
Composite
Price:$95
VIKING
RE-IGNITE
VIKING
RE-IGNITE
LITE
VIKING
SYNERGY
WHIPPERSNAPPER
KLX-II
WHIPPERSNAPPER
KVLR
Weight: 7.2 oz
Surface:Graphite
Price:$89
Weight: 7.6 oz
Surface:Graphite
Price:$99
Weight: 7.6 oz
Surface:Graphite
Price:$79
Length: 15.75" Width: 7.875"
Surface: Kevlar / Graphite
(50/50)
Price:$99
Weight: 7.6-7.8 oz
Length: 15.625" Width: 8.25"
Surface: Kevlar (100%)
Price:$99
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
33
All paddles meet USAPA specifications
for tournament play
Phil Ciaramitaro
586-431-9523
586-412-9526
pacpaddles.com | pacpaddles@gmail.com
SERIOUS DISTRIBUTORS WELCOME
PICKLEBALL.COM
34
PRODUCT REVIEW
WILSON
ENERGY
WILSON
HOPE
WILSON
SURGE
Weight: 7.8 oz
Surface: Thermoset Polymer
Composite
Price:$79
Weight: 7.3 oz
Composite
Price:$99
Weight: 7.3 oz
Composite
Price:$89
WILSON
TOUR-BLX
WOLFE
SPORTS
WOLFE
WOODEN PADDLE
WOLFE
SPORTS
WOLFE XF
Weight: 8.8 oz
Composite
Price:$99
Weight: 11.0 oz
Core: 7-Ply Maple
Surface: Maple Wood
Price:$15
Weight: 8.0 oz
Surface: 3 Layers: FiberglassGraphite-3K Carbon Fiber
Price:$90
LOOK FOR THE
WOLFE
SPORTS
WOLFE XL
Weight: 8.5 oz
Surface: 2 Layers: Fiberglass Graphite
Price:$70
BALL
GUIDE
IN THE MARCH
EDITION
Aluminum and Carbon Fiber
surface paddles are less common and
therefore less tested.
Paddle surfaces are often finished
with paint, screen print, or vinyl which
can add a small amount of texture (for
spin), weight (for power) or hardness
(for power). The USAPA has applied
very stringent limits to the amount of
texture that can be on a paddle surface.
To sum it up – if the surface face offers
a spin advantage, it will probably not
pass USAPA testing.
PADDLE WEIGHT
Not everyone is in agreement about
how core and surface material affect
paddle play. Part of that is probably
due to the wide variation in material
production and sourcing. No one,
to our knowledge, has ever done a
comprehensive study of how paddle
core or face materials contribute to the
play of a paddle.
Possibly the #1 most important
and easy-to-understand thing that
will affect the play of a paddle is the
weight… Heavy paddles generally have
more power (pop) and less control
(touch) while light paddles have less
power but better control.
CONCLUSION
So which paddle is the best one for
you? The answer: The paddle that you
play the best with and feel the most
confident with. But, if you’re not
sure what to look for, first determine
what type of player you feel you are.
Be honest. It’s not who you want to
be...it’s who you really are. Type-A
individuals may lean toward more
of an aggressive type playing paddle
having some weight and pop, while
a ‘B’ personality may want a lighter,
softer paddle for better touch. Your
personality does matter.
Our recommendation is to try
paddles from different paddle
manufacturers... and use the one that
feels the best to you (the one you feel
the most confident with). There are
many great paddle manufacturers and
paddles out there. •
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
35
C
M
Y
M
Y
Y
MY
K
36
AROUND THE WORLD
PICKLEBALL
Costa Rica
BY STEVEN DOUGLAS
According to Albert Einstein, insanity is
doing the same thing over and over again
and expecting different results, yet that is
exactly what people do when they take a
vacation. Whether it’s a Caribbean cruise,
a cross‑country excursion, or an expensive
timeshare ... traditional vacations often leave
you exhausted, financially drained, and in
need of vacation from your vacation. So why
opt for the same old thing when you can
experience one of the fastest-growing sports
(many have never even heard of) in one of
the happiest, most beautiful countries in the
world?
personalized lessons, intermediates develop
quickly by using our pickleball machine, and
the advanced players are very competitive.”
Pickleball Costa Rica is affiliated with the USA
Pickleball Association and Tony has recently
become an ambassador with the USAPA.
The couple discovered pickleball in Spokane,
Washington, in 2012 and, as their passion
grew for the game, they were determined
to continue playing in their new equatorial
home. Unable to find a pickleball presence
within the country, they resolved to pioneer
the effort to bring the game to Costa Rica.
Success took time, yet what began on a
Costa Rica is an alluring destination
complete with exotic and diverse wildlife,
vegetation, microclimates, and volcanoes.
With its unsurpassed tropical, primeval
beauty, is it any wonder this Central American
country was the chosen setting for Michael
Crichton’s novel “Jurassic Park”?
Pickleball Costa Rica, located within
Central Highlands’ stunning and tranquil
coffee region just southwest of San Ramon,
Alajuela, is a rapidly growing, multi cultural
club that began soon after Tony and Celeste
Horpel decided to leave the United States
in 2014. Presently, the group consists of
35 active players from the United States,
Canada, and Costa Rica. “We have room for
everyone here,” says Tony. “Beginners receive
dilapidated outdoor basketball court has
flourished into robust match play, four days
a week, on three dedicated indoor courts.
As Tony and Celeste actively seek to build
interest for the game through their pickleball
clinics, social media, and word-of-mouth,
curiosity seekers and avid players are quickly
joining the ranks.
Tony and Celeste also combine vocation
with recreation by conducting both photo
and pickleball tours to many divergent and
breathtaking locations throughout Costa
Rica. They not only cover the standard tourist
locales, they also have a knack for finding
those hidden gems only the locals know
about. Nearby areas host an array of ecological
wonders including lush rainforests, exquisite
waterfalls, therapeutic hot springs, and the
unmatched beauty of the Arenal volcano. To
the west, several of the world’s most beautiful
beaches are found where colorful macaws
congregate, or perhaps you might prefer to
hand-feed the adorable capuchin monkeys.
Closer to home, opulent coffee plantations
yield one of the country’s top exports, and
local farmers markets provide an abundance
of fresh produce.
For the uninitiated, pickleball is a
mishmash of tennis, badminton, and
ping‑pong. The game itself is fairly
inexpensive, simple to learn, and new players
of all ages and fitness categories are quickly
hooked. Besides being fun, competitive, and
a great way to exercise, pickleball challenges
every skill level with its fast-paced, shorter
duration, highly participatory style.
“Introducing pickleball to locals, tourists,
and expats is a great joy,” say Tony and
Celeste. “There’s great camaraderie, lasting
friendships, and playing in a tropical paradise
while promoting a healthier and serene
lifestyle can’t be beat.”
Pura vida is Costa Rica’s trademark
expression which literally means “pure life,”
yet among its many other connotations, the
saying seems to embody an eternal optimism,
and that very enthusiasm is the driving force
behind Pickleball Costa Rica. So if you’re
ready for a smashing good time ... a bucket list
adventure awaits you in glorious Costa Rica! •
About Tony and
Celeste Horpel
Tony and Celeste Horpel
are avid pickleball players
from Spokane, WA, now
residing in beautiful Costa
Rica. Tony is the first and
still only USA Pickleball
Association ambassador
to Costa Rica. Tony and
Celeste met each other
while working as flight
attendants for Western Airlines in 1976 and they’ve
been together ever since.
Due to the popularity of pickleball in North America,
Tony assumed that Costa Rica had pickleball players
before he made the move. He was sadly mistaken
and realized that if he was going to play, he would
have to start a group on his own. The rest is history!
Contact Info: www.pickleballcostarica.com | info@costaricanphototours.com | facebook.com/pickleballcostarica | 1.509.214.2451 (Toll Free)
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
37
RULES MASTER
Ask the
Rules Master
SUBMITTED BY DENNIS DACEY / USAPA RULES
Dear Rules Master,
As a referee, I noticed the ball appeared
to bounce erratically during the rally and I
suspected it might be cracked. Neither team
noticed, but at the end of the rally I checked
the ball and saw that it was indeed cracked.
Should the point have been replayed? Also,
can a person call a let during the point if he/
she believes something is wrong with the ball?
- All Cracked Up
Dear All Cracked Up,
USAPA Rule 12.D. states that play with a
cracked ball will continue to the end of the
rally; and only if, in your judgment, a cracked
ball affected the outcome of a rally would you
call for a replay. Since neither team noticed
or complained about the ball being cracked
the rally would stand and the game would
continue with a replaced ball. If, during a
point, you think the ball is acting funny,
finish the point. If it is found that the ball was
cracked and in your opinion as a referee you
believe it affected the outcome of the rally, the
point should be replayed.
Dear Rules Master,
I recently played against a guy holding his
paddle with one hand on the handle and the
other hand on top of the paddle when he
hit the ball. Is this a legal shot? In addition,
during one point, there was a flurry of volleys
exchanged and the ball struck his finger, still
on the paddle, while volleying a backhand.
Were we right in taking the point?
- Double-Handed Business
Dear Double-Handed Business,
First of all, Rule 2.B. states that two-handed
shots are legal. The rule does not define where
the hand must be placed on the paddle while
making the shot.
Regarding the ball that struck his finger,
Rule 7F writes it is a loss of point if: “The ball
in play strikes a player or anything the player
is wearing or carrying. There is one exception
to this rule: if the ball strikes the player’s
paddle hand (or both hands if on the paddle)
below the wrist, the ball is still in play.”
Therefore, since the ball struck the finger of
your opponent, it was still in play.
38
This last year we had several rule
modifications and additions. Below is the list
of these changes and a brief explanation for
the change.
Rule Revisions: November 1, 2015
2.E.2. Surface: The paddle hitting surface
shall not contain holes, indentations, rough
texturing, tape, or any objects or features that
allow a player to impart additional spin on the
ball. Paddle roughness is determined using
a Starrett SR 100 Surface Roughness Tester.
The allowable limits for roughness shall be no
greater than 30 micrometers (µm) on the Rz
reading (average maximum height, peak to
valley), and no greater than 40 micrometers
on the Rt reading (maximum height, peak to
valley). All readings will be taken in 4 different
directions. The paddle hitting surface shall
not be adversely reflective, such that it has the
potential to obscure the vision of opposing
player(s).
Reason for change: In the past we always had
a rule not allowing the surface of the paddle to
be such that it would allow the player to impart
additional spin on the ball. We however had no
specification of how to test for this. We added the
test method for determining surface roughness
and this is tested on each paddle submitted to us
for acceptance on our list of paddles that can be
used for sanctioned tournament play.
Ball Specification.
2.D.1. Construction. The ball shall be
made of durable material molded with a
smooth surface and free of texturing. The
ball can only be one single, uniform color,
except for identification markings. The ball
may have a slight ridge at the seam as long as
it does not significantly affect straight flight
characteristics.
2.D.2. Size. The ball shall be 2.874
inches (73mm) to 2.972 inches (75.5mm)
in diameter. The maximum out-of-round
diameter variance shall not be greater than
+/-0.020 inch (0.50mm).
2.D.3. Weight. The ball shall weigh
between 0.78 and 0.935 ounces (22 and 26.5
grams).
2.D.4. Bounce. The ball shall have a bounce
of 30 to 34 inches (76.2 to 86.4 cm) when
dropped from a height of 78 inches to the top
of the ball onto a granite surface plate that is
a minimum of 12” x 12” x 4”. The test is to be
performed at an ambient temperature of 75 to
80 degrees F (24 to 27 degrees C).
2.D.5. Hardness. The ball shall have a
hardness of 40 to 50 on a Durometer D scale
at a temperature of 75 to 80 degrees F (24 to
27 degrees C).
2.D.6. Design. The ball shall have a
minimum of 26 to a maximum of 40 circular
holes, with spacing of holes and overall
design of the ball conforming to straight
flight characteristics. The ball must have a
manufacturer’s or supplier’s name or logo
printed or embossed on it.
2.D.7. Approval. The Tournament
Director will choose the tournament ball. The
ball(s) selected for play in any IFP member’s
sanctioned tournament must be named on the
official list of approved balls.
*Note: On 05/01/2016 any ball not meeting
this new specification will be removed from the
List of Approved Balls. All ball manufacturers
have been contacted and are aware of the new
specifications.
Reason for the changes: It became apparent
that the ball specifications were too liberal in
many aspects. In order to preserve the traditional
nature and character of the game and preserve
the skills traditionally required to play the
game the Board determined the tolerance of the
specifications needed to be tighter, resulting in
the changes.
Rule Addition: August 24, 2015
11.F. Additional Time-Out Rules. At
the beginning of the match, no time-outs
may be taken before the initial score has been
called and the match has begun. The match
cannot begin until all players are on the court
and ready to play. Failure to be ready to play
on time shall result in a match forfeit. Also see
rule 14.H.3. for match forfeiture. During the
match, after a time-out has ended, the referee
will call a “time-in” and then announce the
score (even if players are not on the court and/
or not ready to play). If players are not ready
within 10 seconds, and no additional time-
outs are called or available (see rule 11.D.),
the offending side will receive a technical foul
on the first offense and a match forfeit on the
second offense.
Reason for change: Rule was added to clarify
the results of not complying with the time-out
rules.
Rule Revision: August 24, 2015
13.E. Lower Bracket Matches. In all
IFP-sanctioned tournaments, each entrant
shall be entitled to participate in a minimum
of two scheduled matches per event entered.
This means that losers of their first match
shall have the opportunity to compete in
the event’s lower bracket. The lower bracket
matches may be modified at the discretion of
the Tournament Director (e.g., one game to 15
points).
Reason for change: Wording change to better
clarify the rule.
Rule Revisions: August 1, 2015
2.D.1. Construction. The standard ball
shall be made of durable plastic material
molded with a smooth surface and free of
texturing. The ball can only be one single,
uniform color.
Reason for change: Added the statement that
balls can only be one color. This was done in
anticipation of international requirements in the
future.
Rule Revisions: June 1, 2015
10.E. Alternate Tournament Formats.
10.E.1. A tournament director may choose
to have some or all matches (except Round
Robin) consist of one game to 15 points or
one game to 21 points with a win by 2 points.
This applies to a single or double elimination
bracket. For Round Robin events a winning
margin of one point is required.
10.E.2. A tournament director may choose
to have Round Robin or Round Robin Pool
Play feeding to a medal bracket. For any
Round Robin event, games must be “win by
1 point” (not 2 points). Also see 13.A.4. and
13.A.6.
Reason for changes: Wording changes to clarify
Round Robin format options.
13.A.4. Round Robin. All players (in
singles) or teams will play each other. All
matches will be played with the same number
of games for each match. i.e., 1 game to
15 win by 1, or 1 game to 21 win by 1, or 3
games to 11 win by 1 (1 or 2 games to 11
is not permitted; all 3 games to 11 must be
played even if a player/team wins the first two
games). The player or team winning the most
matches is declared the winner. If two or more
teams are tied for a medal, the player or team
winning the most points will be declared the
winner of the tie.
Reason for changes: Wording changes to clarify
Round Robin format options.
opinion, if requested, shall be accepted. The
opinion of a player looking down the line is
more likely to be accurate than one looking
across the line.
Reason for change: Wording change to clarify
what shall be accepted if a player asks the
opponent’s opinion on a call.
9.A. The non-volley zone is the area of the
court (not the space above it) bounded by the
two sidelines, the non-volley line, and the
net. The non-volley line and the sidelines are
included in the non-volley zone.
Reason for change: Word change to clarify the
NVZ is only two dimensional.
9.G. For non-officiated play, non-volley
zone faults may be called by any player on
either team.
Reason for change: Added new rule to address
who may call a NVZ fault in non-officiated play.
Rule Additions: April 24, 2015
Section 16 – Wheelchair Rules
Reason for changes: Added complete new
section to cover wheelchair rules. See Rulebook
for complete wheelchair rules.
Rule Revision: March 1, 2015
4.I. Readiness. Serves shall not be made
until the receiver is ready and the score has
been called. Serving before the score is called
shall result in a fault, and loss of serve. The
referee shall call the score when he or she
determines that the players should be in
position to resume play.
14.D.4.b. Instruct the players on the need
to wait for the referee to call out the score
before serving, or a fault will incur.
Reason for changes: Wording change on above
to clarify that serving before the score is called is
a fault.
Rule Revision: April 20, 2015
3.O. Non-Volley Zone. The section of
court adjacent to the net in which you cannot
volley the ball. It includes all lines surrounding
the zone. The NVZ is only two dimensional
and does not rise above the court surface.
Reason for change: Word change to clarify the
NVZ is only two dimensional.
6.D.1. Players will call the lines on their
side of the court (excluding the non-volley line
on a serve — i.e., short serve, if being called
by a referee).
Reason for change: Wording change to clarify
that the rule is for ball line calls, not foot faults.
6.D.5. No player should question an
opponent’s call unless asked (except that
player may appeal a call to the referee in an
officiated match). A player should ask the
opponent’s opinion if the opponent was in a
better position to see the call. An opponent’s
Dennis Dacey is a retired
mechanical engineer
in the gas appliance
industry. One of his
duties during this time
was to serve on a national
standards committee.
For the past 5 years,
he has been the Rules
Chairperson for the
USAPA. His objective, and
that of the Board, is to
maintain and develop the rules in a manner which
will preserve the traditional nature and character
of the game and preserve the skills traditionally
required to play the game.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
39
PICKLEBALL INSTRUCTION
HOW
TO
(Graciously)
GET TO PLAY WITH
BETTER PLAYERS
(And Make Sure You’re NOT That Person Everyone Hates to Play With)
As a full-time pickleball coach, I often
tell my students that one of the best ways
to improve is to play with better players.
It forces you to play at the top of your
ability, makes you pay for your mistakes,
and puts you on the fast track to a higher
skill level.
All of that is GREAT for you, but how
about for those “better players” who are
playing WITH you? It does almost the
40
OPPOSITE for them. Playing with YOU
keeps them from having to play at the
top of their ability, from paying for their
mistakes, and from improving their skill
level as quickly. But everyone has to start
somewhere, and even the best players in
the world were beginners at one point.
The culture of pickleball has always
been very welcoming and inclusive of new
players, but as you focus on improving
your game, you DON’T always want to
play with weaker players.
As a newer player, how can you
graciously get to play with better players
so as to improve your game? As a better
player, when is it fair to ask others to
step aside so you can get a higher-level
play, while still “remembering your roots”
and making time to play with lower-level
players?
PLAY WITH BETTER PLAYERS
Here are some general pickleball etiquette guidelines, which address these questions and more.
WHEN YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH
BETTER PLAYERS:
• Politely ask if they mind you joining,
and give them an out. For example,
“Do you all mind if I get a game in with
you, or would you rather play on your
own?”
• Ask at the beginning or end of the day,
when they are warming up or cooling
down. DON’T go when they are in the
midst of a streak of higher-level play.
• If you do approach them in the midst
of higher-level play, ask “Hey, do you
mind if I get a game in with you all
before you quit today?” so that they
can continue playing a few more
games, but will hopefully commit to
playing with you.
• If they do play a few games with
you at the beginning of the day, be
conscientious about giving them a
chance to play with other higher-level
players. Let them KNOW that you’re
being conscientious, so that they will
be more likely to want to play with
you again in the future. You might say,
“Hey, I see you can get a good game in
against those guys, I’ll sit this one out
and maybe we can play again later if
you have a chance.”
• If you ask stronger players to join
a game with you, HIT TO THEM!
Especially in a recreational game, no
one likes to sit on a court watching
their partner hit all the balls. The
higher‑level player is doing you a favor
by playing with you, so hit the ball to
him/her at least half the time. It will
make you a better player, make it more
fun for the other players and make it
more likely that they will play with you
again next time.
• Don’t be obnoxious if you beat a
stronger player in recreational play.
We all play our best when we play with
better players. When we play with
weaker players, it can be challenging
to stay focused, so remember that
they may not be playing at the top of
their game. (Or, if your opponents
read the rest of this article, they may
be focusing on improving their own
shots, rather than on winning.)
• If they give you feedback on your
game, have an open mind and be
appreciative of them taking the time
to play and help you.
WHEN WEAKER PLAYERS ASK YOU
TO PLAY:
Remember, someone took you under
their wing when you first started
playing, so pay it forward and make
a point to regularly play with players
who are weaker than you. Perhaps you
regularly play a warmup game with
them, or once a week you decide to
dedicate the last half of your play to
playing with them.
• If people invite you to play but you opt
for a higher-level game, let them know
when you WOULD be willing to play,
perhaps later in the day, or later in the
week.
• When you do play, let them know in
advance how long you’re planning to
play; for example, “I’d love to play with
you all for a game or two, but then I’d
like to get in with those other players.”
• Don’t be patronizing — or overly
aggressive. Instead of focusing on who
wins or loses, find a way to make it
challenging for yourself. Pick a shot
you want to improve upon and focus
on hitting that shot. Or, try to reduce
your number of unforced errors.
Focus on keeping the ball in play
rather than slamming every put-away
shot.
• Limit your feedback to one aspect of
their play during the game. Giving too
many pointers can be overwhelming.
Plus, they’re probably already nervous
about playing with you, so don’t be
too critical. Afterward, if you want to
give them a little more info, you might
ask, “Are you open to some feedback
on your game?” If the answer is no,
you’ve just learned your first lesson as
a coach: You can only teach the ones
who want to learn. •
Prem Carnot, author of
the Amazon.com #1 Best
Seller Smart Pickleball:
The Pickleball Guru’s
Guide, is the premiere
pickleball coach on
the planet. Thousands
say his teachings are
“transformational” and
that they play their “best
game ever” after learning
from Prem. Get your FREE
report at: www.RatingsAndGoals.com.
PICKLEBALL.COM
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
41
PLAYER PROFILES
DANIEL AND
SCOTT MOORE
Father and Son Epitomize
Family Fervor for Pickleball
For father-and-son pickleball players Daniel
and Scott Moore, pickleball has become a
family affair.
“A good friend named John Foss asked me
the fateful question, ‘Do you want to play
pickleball with me?’” Scott, 53, says. “I tried it
and loved it.”
Daniel, 26, got involved with the game after
his dad invited him
to play. “My dad was
playing, so when I was
home, he got me out
on the court,” he says.
While the Moores
have been playing for a
few years, it didn’t take
long for each of them
to excel at the sport.
In 2014, in their first
match together, they
beat the defending
national champions
at the Tournament
of Champions. They
played well together,
but decided that in
2015 they should split
up to play with others
their own age.
“He [Scott] will say that I fired him after
nationals, but really we mutually agreed that
it would be better to play with other people,”
says Daniel, who works as a tour leader for a
guiding company called Walk Japan.
By splitting up, the two found even more
tournament success. Scott accomplished a
trifecta at the two premier tournaments,
first sweeping the Legends doubles, mixed
doubles and singles at the Tournament of
Champions, and then repeating the feat at the
USAPA Nationals VII, held in Casa Grande,
Arizona, in November. By the end of the year,
he had earned 20 gold and five silver medals,
including several in the open singles and
doubles categories.
Daniel won both the 19+ age and open
singles divisions at the 2014 USAPA nationals.
In 2015, he double dipped at the Tournament
of Champions,
winning the masters
singles and also
teaming with Matt
Staub to win doubles
as well. Then, at the
USAPA Nationals
Tournament, he won
gold in the men’s
19+ singles division
and men’s open
doubles, partnering
with Matthew Blom,
and earned silver
in the open singles,
establishing him as
the top overall player
in the game.
Both men say they
appreciate the mental
and physical aspects of the game.
“It is a general equalizer. Speed and
power is not as big of a factor as most
sports, and therefore a person in his or her
50s can potentially compete with those
in their 20s,” says Scott, who also enjoys
golf, snowboarding, and tennis. “It can be
physically challenging, but it is also extremely
intellectually engaging, as you have to be very
patient and calculating, almost like a chess
game, to think ahead and set up your points in
order to gain the advantage.”
It’s a great
sport and you
meet people
you never
would have
otherwise.
42
Daniel, who was once an avid tennis player,
agrees. “When you get to the higher levels, it
requires so much patience and thinking,” he
says. “You can’t just attack. You have to bide
your time, set up the point and pounce when
the time is right.”
Scott, a self-described “serial entrepreneur”
who resides in Colorado Springs, is a
sponsored professional for Paddletek paddles
and Babolat shoes, as well as an exclusive
master distributor for Paddletek. Daniel is an
international distributor for Paddletek.
Both father and son are world travelers;
Scott has traveled to more than 60 countries
and is fluent in Japanese, and conversant in
Spanish.
Daniel was born in Atlanta and moved to
Japan with his family when he was 7. He has
lived in Colorado Springs, Los Angeles, and
Nairobi, Kenya. He is now living once again in
Ueda, Japan, where he is trying to grow the
country’s interest in pickleball.
“It’s a great sport and you meet people you
never would have otherwise,” says Daniel.
“It’s a great way to get back into competition
without all of the training and intensity that a
sport like tennis requires. It’s an easy, fun way
to get exercise and meet people.”
The Moores have played all over the world
and have presented clinics in half of the states
in the U.S. as well as Spain, Portugal, Japan
and Mexico.
“It is easy to find someone to play with, is
extremely inexpensive, and can be played in
almost any city you visit,” says Scott. “We are
traveling the world playing pickleball, making
new friends, and are attempting to make
pickleball not only the fastest-growing sport
in America, but also in the world.” •
CORRINE CARR AND
SIMONE JARDIM
2015 WOMEN’S USAPA NATIONAL FINALISTS
Standout players Simone Paiva Jardim
and Corrine Carr are quickly becoming
prodigies on the pickleball court.
Carr, 27, and Jardim, 36, won gold and
silver, respectively, at the USAPA Nationals
VII in Casa Grande, Arizona, in November.
Jardim, a native of Santa Maria, Brazil,
won gold in open women’s singles and
in open mixed doubles with partner
Rafael Siebenschein. Jardim was a two-time
All-American tennis player at Fresno State,
and now serves as the tennis head coach
at Michigan State University. She has been
playing pickleball for almost a year.
Carr, a native of Pinehurst, North Carolina,
who now lives in East Lansing, Michigan,
won silver with Jardim in the National
Open Women’s Doubles. Carr, who has been
playing pickleball for about two years, played
championship golf for the University of South
Carolina, where she majored in math and
finance. She’s currently in graduate school at
Michigan State, pursuing her Ph.D. in finance.
Both women say friends invited them to try
the sport.
“I thought the game looked odd and I didn’t
think there was any way I would like it,” says
Carr. “I played a lot of sports growing up and
played golf and tennis at a high level, so when
I heard about pickleball, my first response
was, ‘Pickleball! What is that?’ But I got
hooked. I love the game and now play it more
than anything else!”
Jardim says her friend, Walter Pelowski,
told her she should try the sport.
“He was in a league at the time, playing
with Dan O’Toole, and told him that he should
get me to join their group,” she said. “So, Dan
showed up at the tennis facility where I work,
and from then on, I started playing at least
once a week with Dan, Corrine, Walter and
many other friends.”
Jardim, who has two children with husband
Chad Edwards, says that she played her first
tournament last May in Kalamazoo, which
was when she truly got “hooked” on the sport.
“I met some great people who I call great
friends now,” she says. “People have been
extremely friendly and the environment is
awesome.”
Both players are racking up impressive
pickleball stats.
In 2015, at the Royal Oak Skill Level
Pickleball Tournament, Carr placed first in
mixed doubles with Kyle Yates and in women’s
doubles with Laura Fenton. Also in 2015,
at the Fall Brawl Pickleball Tournament,
she placed second in mixed doubles with
Matt Staub and women’s doubles again with
Fenton. She also won first place in singles in
the USAPA Pacific Northwest Regional Big
Country RV Bend Pickleball Tournament.
In the Second Annual Pickleball Fever in
the Zoo, Carr won first place in mixed doubles
with O’Toole and won the women’s doubles
division with Jardim.
“I have a blast playing the game and I love
the people I’ve met,” says Carr. “I’ve made
some great friends through pickleball. Also,
although I’m young, I love that I can play
pickleball every day and feel like I’m not
tearing apart my body.”
While pickleball feeds Jardim’s competitive
spirit, she says that it’s the social aspect of the
game that she enjoys the most.
“I believe pickleball is one of the few sports
you can play with or against people of any
age,” she states. “Every Wednesday night, I get
to play pickleball with my friends, and after
we get to hang out and talk about anything.”
Carr agrees. “It’s a great game. Pickleball is
not difficult to pick up and it’s loads of fun.
It’s a game anyone can enjoy on some level,
unlike many other sports. It’s a great way for
people of any age to exercise and have fun.” •
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
43
THE
VOLLEY
BY ROBERT ELLIOTT
Volleying correctly
is possibly the most
important facet of
pickleball for players at
nearly every level. Many
people tend to add too
much movement to their
volleys, so remember the
phrase “Less is more.”
The simpler you keep
your form, the stronger
and better your volleys
will be. Here are some
pointers to help you
improve your net play.
44
THE VOLLEY
BODY STANCE
(THE ‘READY POSITION’)
Similar to most sports, you want to
have your center of gravity on the balls of
your feet.
• Bend your knees (with your feet
approximately shoulders width
apart)
• Lean slightly forward (so your body
weight and balance shifts to the balls
of your feet)
• Keep your paddle out in front of you
(with your elbows slightly bent)
• Maintain your shoulders square to
the net (your chest should be facing
the net)
• Your paddle face/head should be
above your wrist (this ensures the
ball trajectory is upward)
This body position will keep you nimble
and quick.
THE FOCAL POINT
It is very important to know where to
make contact with the ball. The ‘focal
point’ (or point where you make contact
with the ball) is in front of your body and
slightly to the side. Note, the ideal volley
contact point is not directly in front of
you. The focal point is where your body
is the strongest, ball contact will be more
consistent and your volley will be the
most solid.
The ball will very rarely (if ever) be hit
directly to you where you don’t have to
move. Body movement is imperative so
that you can reach your focal point and
volley correctly. It is never ideal to hit a
volley while lunging. You must move your
feet.
Next, to maintain proper body
positioning square to the net, step with
your foot that’s on the same side of your
body as the side you are hitting the ball.
This is unlike tennis. If you were to turn
your shoulders perpendicular with the
net it will be very easy for your opponent
to hit the next ball behind you.
VOLLEYING
As noted above, always remember ‘less
is more.’ Also, a volley is a “punch,” not a
swing.
• Your paddle should always start and
finish in front of your body. Never
take a back swing, which means
bringing your paddle back so it is in
line or behind your body.
• Aim your paddle face toward the
intended target.
• Your paddle head should be above
your wrist. If the ball is low, bend
your knees more to ensure paddle
face remains above wrist.
• Punch forward 1-3 inches – always
ensuring your paddle face continues
to point toward your intended target.
There is NO swinging in the volley.
Simply punch forward.
Note: If you were to swing the paddle,
your timing would have to be perfect to
hit the ball in. If you are late or early,
your paddle face is pointing to the side of
the court, and that’s where the ball will
go. By simply pointing your paddle face
toward the target and punching forward,
you will be close to your intended target
regardless of whether you are late or
early.
• Freeze for 1 second at the end of
your volley (this ensures your paddle
face remains/ends pointing toward
the target).
• As you punch forward, keep your
center of gravity on the balls of your
feet. You should never be standing
straight up or leaning backward.
Remember always to hit the ball at the
focal points. If you lunge to make contact
outside of your focal point, simply block
the ball back by stiffening your wrist (to
absorb the energy) and hold your paddle
firm (freezing your paddle movement).
Simply block the ball back (do not swing).
‘Less is more.’
VOLLEY DRILLS
Improving your Ready Position
to have a stronger stance. Get
in your ready position. To test the
strength of your stance, have a friend
face you and push slightly on your
shoulder. You should be able to stay
on the balls of your feet.
Practicing the Focal Point.
When practicing volleying, start with
the paddle in the focal point. Keep it
there while you are practicing volleys
(do not take it back to the ready
position). This will create “muscle”
memorization.
Body movement. Practice moving
without hitting the ball. Get in ready
position. Practice stepping sideways,
ensuring that your shoulders stay
mostly square with the net. If one
shoulder is in front of the other or
your back is facing the net, you know
you have turned too much.
The Volley. At home, practice
volleying to create muscle
memorization and to dramatically
improve your game. In front of
a mirror, place paddle in the focal
point. Ensure your paddle is facing
an imaginary ball and target. Punch
forward 1-3 inches. Freeze at the
end of the punch for one second.
This ensures the paddle will face your
imaginary target. Repeat until you
master this. •
Robert Elliott lives in
Central Florida and has
been teaching pickleball
for three years. He has a
background as a Division
I tennis player and former
tennis instructor at The
Nick Bolletieri Tennis
Academy. Robert is also
a Pickleball Tournament
of Champions and
Nationals Gold
Medalist. For questions, he can be reached at
robert@engagepickleball.com.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
45
TOURNAMENT
PLANNING
Are you considering hosting a
tournament, but you aren’t sure how
to get started? Tournaments are fun,
exciting and food for our competitive
souls. However it requires considerable
planning and preparation to run a great
tournament!!
Here are some tips we’ve learned over
the years that will help you begin to plan
and prepare:
• Plan early (how early depends on size
of tournament: one year recommended
for large tournaments).
• Understand your financials.
• Identify a venue.
• Know your venue.
• Know your sanctioning requirements
(if sanctioning).
• Know your demographic.
• Know what tools you’ll need to help
manage your tournament.
• Set your dates.
• Knowing your venue and how you
will operate within your venue is very
important in putting together your
tournament.
• The number of court hours you have
and number of days you have will
influence the number of events you can
46
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
offer, the number of entrants you can
accept and is significant to putting your
play schedule together.
We can’t stress enough the importance
of understanding your venue.
Understanding your venue will help
you properly define, structure and
schedule your tournament such that
the staff, volunteers, players and
spectators have a positive experience.
Form a committee.
Select a Tournament Director.
Define roles/responsibilities. This
includes identifying volunteers
required to support the tournament,
identifying the roles the volunteers
will play and determining training
needs for all involved in supporting or
operating a tournament.
The volunteers are the backbone of all
tournaments and without them there
would be no tournaments.
The Tournament Director has overall
responsibility for all aspects of the
tournament.
The Tournament Director should set
direction and collaborate with the
committee on a regular basis to ensure
all are prepared and the tournament is
set up for success.
• Get the word out. There are several
websites, Facebook pages and other
social media outlets that will help
you get the word out about your
tournament.
• Lastly, have fun. A lot of work
goes into putting on a successful
tournament, so don’t forget to have
fun along the way! Your hard work
will give back to you in ways you never
imagined!
Please understand these tips just
scratch the surface in tournament
planning, so if you need more
information please send an email to:
info@pickleballtournaments.com. •
Melissa is an experienced
tournament operations
manager, with 2 years of
experience running large
pickleball tournaments
and consulting with
Tournament Directors all
over the world. She has
20 years of Information
Technology experience
working for large
corporations such as EDS
and Hewlett Packard and is a veteran of the United
States Navy. Melissa is currently a consultant for
American Express.
The Cure
to the
Ratings
Headache?
“…And I’m listening to one of our local
pickleball club members, a retired math
professor, talk about his idea for an improved
ratings system, and I realize, ‘I think I know
somebody who can create this.’”
That is how Kevin Richards, one of three
founders of PickleballRatings.com, describes
the moment last summer that his vision for
a new ratings system platform was born.
He called his friend Brian Hendrickson that
night and explained the concept. They pulled
in Anne Braghero, another trusted friend
with website design experience, and over the
course of the next few months the trio created
PickleballRatings.com, which contains a very
robust player ratings platform. They launched
the site in conjunction with their trip to
Nationals in Casa Grande, AZ, in November.
This is where we caught up with them.
How is the ratings system you created
different than the one the USAPA
currently uses?
Because the system currently being used
by USAPA is based on human evaluation, it
is subjective. Our ratings system is entirely
objective, derived from a mathematical
algorithm and a player’s past results. Ratings
systems like it are commonly used in other
professional and amateur sports as a predictor
of the outcome of a match, or game. The
larger the discrepancy in the rating between
two opponents, the more the lower rated
opponent’s rating will increase should he/
she defeat the higher rated opponent. If the
difference in their ratings is negligible, neither
opponent’s rating will go up or down much at
all from a victory or defeat.
streamline the world of pickleball tournament
management. Additionally, we are working
on a solution for pickleball clubs to use since
we’ve heard how challenging it can be for
clubs to rate their members and seed their
own round-robin tournaments.
If your ratings system is not being used
by the USAPA, what is the usefulness of it?
What is your vision for how
pickleballratings.com will fit into the
growing world of pickleball?
We have been very proactive in
communicating with the USAPA regarding
our work. In fact, we gave a demo to Chris
Thomas, USAPA Ratings Chair, recently
at Nationals. We answered a lot of great
questions from Chris about how our system
works and he opened our eyes to a few things
as well. They are doing their due diligence in
creating a new system but have a process that
they need to follow. It is our hope that our
solution will dovetail perfectly with the needs
of the USAPA and its members. We’ll see
what happens.
Regarding the usefulness of our system,
tournament organizers can easily and quickly
put together balanced and logical brackets
using the ratings of the players/teams
that have registered for their event. We’ll
be able to share more info soon about the
collaboration underway with the hardworking
Melissa McCurley and Greg Thompson at
PickleballTournaments.com, but suffice it to
say that this partnership is going to really
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.PICKLEBALLRATINGS.COM
Well, our mission is to render accurate,
objective, and timely ratings for as many
pickleballers globally as possible. The beauty
of this system is that the more crosspollination there is between players from
different regions and countries, the more
universally accurate the system itself becomes.
Because this system solves such a real and
widespread problem, we believe it will be quite
popular and well-used. We have a lot of other
ideas about features to add to our site, but our
bread-and-butter will always be the pursuit
of rendering objective ratings for as many
pickleballers as possible. •
The founders of
pickleballratings.com,
all from Portland,
Oregon, are Kevin
Richards (Community
Relations), Brian
Hendrickson (Ratings
Scientist), and Anne Braghero (Site Design/User
Experience). On cold rainy days, Kevin dreams
of premier indoor pickleball courts. Brian is a 4.5
tennis player and teaches table tennis at Rose City
Hall, his Portland venue. While maintaining her
lifelong passion for soccer, Anne has embraced
pickleball as her go-to activity.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
47
How Should
You Hold Your
PICKLEBALL PADDLE?
Most pickleball instructors only teach
their students one way to hold the pickleball
paddle. I have a different philosophy.
I strongly believe that there isn’t just one
grip that is best for all players. I have come
to this conclusion by noticing that today’s
top players are using a variety of grips. In
this instructional article I will point out the
various grips that current top players are
using (all National Champions) and also point
out the strengths and weaknesses of each grip.
I will also give you important information
that may help you decide on which grip might
be the best for you. By understanding these
grips it will also be easier for you to scout
out the strengths and weaknesses that your
opponents might have.
CONTINENTAL TENNIS GRIP
The most common grip taught and used by
players is the continental tennis grip. This
is a grip that is halfway between a forehand
and backhand grip. In this grip, the hand is
only holding the handle of the paddle and
players get their sense of where the paddle
is pointing by using the bevels of the paddle.
The advantages of this grip is that it is a good
grip for every shot and you can play without
switching your grip. This is probably the most
popular grip among top tennis players who
are now playing pickleball. Good examples
of top players using this grip would be Wes
Gabrielsen and Sarah Ansboury.
STRENGTHS OF THIS GRIP:
1. No big weaknesses.
2. Good grip for power.
48
3. A good grip for reach.
4. Never need to switch grips.
WEAKNESSES OF THIS GRIP:
1. No glaring weakness, but might not have
the touch of players who have their index
finger touching the paddle face.
WHO WOULD MOST LIKELY BENEFIT
FROM THIS GRIP?
1. Tennis, paddle tennis or racquetball players
who have already been successful using
this grip in their other sport.
2. Players who depend on power and reach to
win points.
EASTERN TENNIS GRIP
Another grip that is also being used by
several top players is really an eastern tennis
grip with the index finger touching the face of
the paddle.
When I say eastern grip, I mean a grip
where the hand is more behind the paddle and
the heel of the hand is on the back side of the
handle. This grip is often used by players with
very strong forehands. With the index finger
touching the face of the paddle it can also
be a good grip for dinkers. A good example
of top players using this grip would be Mark
Friedenberg, Dan Gabenek and Enrique Ruiz.
1. Good grip for players who predominantly
use their forehand for ground strokes.
2. Players get the feeling that the paddle is an
extension of their hand.
3. Good grip for dinking.
1. You will lose a little power.
2. You will lose a little reach.
3. In order to use this grip for backhand
volleys, you must have your elbow out in
front and pivot from the elbow. This will
put you in a stronger wrist position.
WHO WOULD MOST LIKELY BENEFIT
FROM THIS GRIP?
1. Possibly former table tennis players, but
this is not exactly how top table tennis
players hold their paddle.
2. Players who like to dominate the game
using the forehands.
3. Players who want the paddle to feel like an
extension of their hand.
TABLE TENNIS V GRIP
Another grip that is becoming very popular
with successful players is really just a table
tennis V grip. This is the most popular grip
among top table tennis players and now many
pickleball players are choosing this grip.
With this grip, you hold the paddle face or
blade between your thumb and index finger.
It is really a continental grip, but you are
gripping the paddle down lower and using the
feel of your index finger and thumb to give
you feedback of where your paddle is pointed.
Top players currently using this grip are Scott
Moore, Glen Peterson and Mike Gates.
1. Lots of control and touch.
2. Great grip for dinking.
3. You can use this grip for every shot.
HOLDING YOUR PADDLE
1. You will lose a little power.
2. You will lose a little bit of reach.
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM USING
THIS GRIP?
1. Control players and dinkers.
2. Senior players who are playing against
young players and want to keep the young
players from using their power, strength
and reflexes.
3. Former table tennis players.
SWITCHING GRIPS
There are also a few top players who are able
to actually switch grips as they play depending
upon the shot that they are hitting. You may
have seen players able to hit high volleys using
only one side of their paddle. This does allow
these players to appear to have very quick
hands but actually by only using one side of
their paddle, they have earlier preparation.
Sometimes these players will have a blocking
motion at the net that makes their paddle
look like a windshield wiper.
Most of the players who can do this are
switching to a grip that is either a very strong
backhand grip or a western forehand grip.
Now these are extreme grip changes and it
can be very difficult to quickly change to this
A PLAYER SWITCHING TO A STRONG
FOREHAND GRIP IN ORDER TO
USE THE FOREHAND SIDE OF
PADDLE TO HIT A BACKHAND
grip at the right time. Usually when a player
is using an extreme grip like this they have
extreme strengths and extreme weaknesses.
This would be a bad grip to use for reaching
to either side or for dinking. It is a great grip
for hitting the slightly higher balls that are
between your shoulders. The great players
who do this are able to switch grips quickly
at just the right time. Top players who can
switch their grip quickly are Pat Kane, Gigi
LeMaster, and Mona Burnett.
I have noticed that all of these great
switch‑grip players look like they are holding
the paddle very loosely in their hand during
their ready position. I think this may help
them to switch grips more quickly.
STRENGTHS OF SWITCHING GRIPS AS
YOU PLAY:
1. Can give you some very strong shots.
2. Can help you reach farther into the kitchen
to hit the volley.
WEAKNESSES OF SWITCHING GRIPS AS
YOU PLAY:
1. Many players are unable to switch their
grip quickly enough.
2. Can cause simple mistakes just because of
not switching to the proper grip.
TABLE TENNIS GRIP
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM
SWITCHING GRIPS?
1. Players who have the skills of switching
grips quickly.
2. Players who like to pop the ball as early as
possible during a rally.
3. Players who want to take advantage of
their long reach.
I suggest that all players experiment with
different grips. By trying these different grips
you might find one that better fits your game
than the current grip you are using. You will
also have a better understanding of strengths
and weaknesses of various grips, which could
help you come up with better game plans
against your opponents. •
Steve Paranto has been
playing tournament
pickleball since 1974. He
was involved with paddle
development with his
father in the early ‘80s.
He is a 3-time National
Champion in Men’s
Senior Doubles and a
4-time Huntsman World
Senior Games Singles
Champion. He has a
master’s degree in Physical Education and tennis
teaching endorsement through Vic Braden’s Tennis
Academy. He has been involved in teaching all ages
the sport of pickleball for over 35 years.
CONTINENTAL
EASTERN GRIP WITH FINGER
KEEPING THE ELBOW OUT IN ORDER
TO HIT A BACKHAND VOLLEY WITH
THE EASTERN FINGER GRIP
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
49
HOW DO WE GET
MORE
AND
BETTER
Qualified Referees?
Refereeing in USA Pickleball
Association (USAPA) sanctioned
tournaments is big fun for many of us.
But do we always have enough referees –
or, better said, well-qualified referees who
can keep the games running smoothly?
That has been a problem at many
tournaments around the country.
Officiating is a necessary function for
sanctioned tournaments in virtually
every sport, including ours. But how
people become referees has varied all over
the map.
And the tools officials use to referee
have been pretty fundamental (e.g., the
advent of the clothespin to signify first
or second server was a big improvement
over holding one or two fingers behind
your clipboard, now, wasn’t it?). So what’s
in store for referee evolution?
We heard about a couple of potential
changes recently at the 2015 USAPA
Nationals Pickleball Tournament VII in
Arizona. The first is the USAPA plan that
will standardize training and lead (when
fully implemented) to USAPA Referee
Certification, and the second is a first
step into the digital age with a fascinating
software/hardware tool, ScoreIt Remote,
that’s in development to assist referees.
How well do you think each of these
undertakings will move us toward the
goal of smooth‑running tournaments
with quality officiating? Let’s take a look
at each in a little more detail.
50
1. USAPA Referee
Certification: A New Process
Lynn and Linda Laymon, USAPA
Board members in charge of
Training, described the plans for
Referee Certification in one of the
open seminars at the 2015 USAPA
National Tournament. Here’s Linda’s
description of the program.
To achieve USAPA referee
certification, a person will need to
complete the following steps:
1 - Be a USAPA member in good
standing.
2 - Pass the current Referee Test on
the usapa.org web page.
3 - Download and study the USAPA
Referee Handbook, which contains
USAPA officiating standards and
procedures.
4 - Complete ref training delivered
by an instructor using the USAPA
Referee Trainer Guide.
5 - As specified in USAPA standards
and procedures, referee at least
30 matches, 15 of which must
occur in sanctioned tournaments.
6 - Request your trainer (#4
above) to recommend you for
certification by completing the
Recommending Trainer section
of Certification application
(under development). Based on
your refereeing performance,
trainer decides whether or not
to recommend you for on‑court
evaluation.
7 - Complete Applicant section of
application and send it and the
required application fee to USAPA
Training Department. While the
fee has not yet been set, at this
point, the Training Department is
estimating that it most likely will
be around $100.
8 - Be evaluated by a USAPA
evaluator, who will observe
your performance during three
tournament matches and record
your adherence to USAPA
standards and procedures. The
evaluator will provide feedback
after the on-court observations
and confirm whether or not
you have met the standards for
certification. Application fee
allows for two opportunities to
successfully pass the evaluation
process.
9 - Evaluator reports results to the
USAPA and successful candidate
will be sent USAPA Certified
Referee credentials package
(under development).
The referee fee paid in step 7
is meant to cover the cost of the
certification materials and the cost of
evaluators going to a central location
where the evaluation takes place.
As you can see, this will not be an
“overnight” process, to say the least.
And, while there is some stuff left to
be done before the full process can be
delivered, I asked a few questions:
Q: Who must go through the
process in order to be considered
“certified”?
A: All refs, regardless of experience level.
Q: Who will be the evaluators, since
no one has yet been certified?
A: Not yet determined, but the
development group is well aware of
this issue.
Q: Will the evaluators come to
your club location to do their
evaluation?
A: At this point it’s envisioned that the
certification and the evaluators will be
at some “central” location where the
greatest number of applicants can be
present at one time.
Q: What’s the benefit of being
certified?
A: The goal is quality assurance for
tournaments, so that refs are
consistent and knowledgeable. The
expectation is that, in time, certified
refs will be preferred at tournaments
and at least used first. The plan is that
eventually all refs will be certified as
the game of pickleball continues to
evolve toward a professional sport and
money purses continue to grow.
2. ScoreIt: A New Tool for Referees
We attended a demo on a whim, and
in this case we’re glad we did – it turned
out to be a really interesting introduction
to a new tool being developed that would
support referees, assist audiences in
knowing scores, and help reduce errors.
The product is called ScoreIt. It’s a
remote and mostly automated referee
scoring tool. It has been developed
by Brent Haws, who has done similar
things for other sports including soccer,
badminton and more. The offering
consists of both software and hardware.
Instead of the current paper
scoresheet, the referee uses a small
tablet, smartphone or other Windows
device on which the names of the teams
appear on the left and right of the screen.
The software does the coin toss and
shows it on the screen for choice of serve,
side, receive. Also on the screen are
areas for the ref to touch to enter a point
made. The software produces a voice that
announces the score, “point,” “side out,”
etc. via a small wireless speaker that you
place under the net in the middle of the
court. The automated announcements
from the speaker would potentially
eliminate players being unable to hear the
score being called by referees with soft
voices. Is it loud enough for spectators to
hear as well? We’d like to see a test to get
that answer.
The software only allows the referee to
indicate the point for the team serving
and shows which player should be serving
and from which court. Say goodbye
to the clips, clothespins and whatever
other reminders we use to keep track of
first or second scorer. Since the system
automatically switches the serving
team display after calling a side out, it
seems that it would eliminate the error
of forgetting to manually turn over the
score sheet that results in entering points
for the wrong team.
There’s more functionality to
this potential product, and you can
check it out on the Facebook page
(www.facebook.com/ScoreitHawsit). You
can see a rudimentary demo of ScoreIt
Remote – Pickleball Edition there as
well. Brent promises a more robust web
presence soon, but this does the job for
now.
What’s still missing to make this
a complete package? Brent has to
work the interface with Pickleball
Tournaments.com so that the
tournament software will download
each match remotely and wirelessly to
the ScoreIt system. Then the ScoreIt
system needs to be able to upload the
results of the match wirelessly back to
the Pickleball Tournaments system. No
more running scoresheets back to the
scorer’s table for manual input of match
results. If we can eliminate one occasion
where a referee accidentally indicates the
winning scores against the wrong team,
we can save hours in system downtime
while trying to recover in a tournament.
Sounds good to us, since we’ve seen
that happen at a couple of different
tournaments, causing much hair pulling
on the part of tournament officials.
And what’s the benefit for our referees?
If we reduce the attention that must be
paid to managing the paper scoresheet
with its clips and strokes for scores at
side outs, the referee should have more
time for the real work – keeping an
eye out for foot faults and other rules
infractions, managing the pace of the
game, arbitrating disputes and all the
rest, which keep tournament matches
running smoothly.
We’re excited to see how this product,
or any others like it, can improve the
tournament experience for players,
referees, spectators and tournament
staff. The projected price for hardware
and software doesn’t seem to be
outlandish to us....maybe $150-250 per
court at the high end, and, as Brent said
to us, it may be less.
A thorough standardized process and
a new, interesting automated product –
what do you think about each of these
approaches? •
Irene Fraties is Director
of Training for the Bend
Pickleball Club and a
Central Oregon USAPA
District Ambassador. A
former USAPA Board
member and editor of
the USAPA e-newsletter,
she conducts referee
training, manages
referee resources at
tournaments, and
participates in player rating, skills training and
youth outreach. She’s a principal in Pickleball.biz,
an information resource for pickleball clubs and
players.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
51
i
Pickleball 411
The
THIRD
SHOT
DROP DRILL
BY RUSTY HOWES | WWW.PICKLEBALLCHANNEL.COM
Welcome to the first print episode of Pickleball 411. I’m
Rusty Howes, the creator of Pickleball Channel and this article
is dedicated to providing helpful information about the sport.
To watch the complete video version of this Pickleball 411, go
to www.pickleballchannel.com/third-shot-drop… and consider
becoming a subscriber for free to receive weekly videos just like
this one by going to www.pickleballchannel.com/subscribe.
RUSTY: This week, we’re going to give you some tips to help
improve your third shot drop. Today on Pickleball 411, I’m really
excited to be here with Wes Gabrielsen. He’s a top 5.0 pickleball
player and tennis coach.
WES: Well, as you know, in pickleball, hitting a third shot
drop is a very important part of the game. And oftentimes
some of the better players have a hard time keeping the ball low
on this shot. I’m going to give you some tips today on how to
improve that third ball drop.
The third shot drop is when a player is at the baseline trying
to hit the ball from deep in the court into the kitchen. One
challenge that people face when they hit this shot is they often
hit it too far. Today, I’m going to give you some tips to help you
make sure that you hit a good third shot.
A DIFFERENT STROKE It’s important to know that when
you’re hitting this third shot drop, you’re not hitting a soft
forehand. You’re actually hitting a different stroke. The
challenge of hitting a soft forehand is that it’s difficult to
actually drop the ball in the kitchen. The trajectory of the shot
is a flatter shot, and it’s more difficult to control. What often
happens is that people hit their forehand too hard, because
they’re trying to hit it over the net. What happens as a result is
it usually goes right to their opponent (to volley).
STAY LOW AND LIFT When you’re hitting a third shot drop,
it’s important to follow a few key steps in order to be successful.
First of all, when you hit the shot, you want to make sure that
you get low to the ground. Stay low through contact. You do not
want to pop your body up too early. This is going to allow you to
hit the ball up and drop it effectively in the kitchen.
52
THIRD SHOT DROP DRILL
Next, you want to make sure that your paddle face is open.
As you’re hitting this shot, it’s important that the ball goes up
– giving you the arc you want to hit a good shot. The motion of
the shot is going to be a lot like a serve in pickleball or a softball
toss as you’re coming through in an upward motion.
then actually hit the third shot drop with your paddle. As a
result, the trajectory of your shot should be very similar to the
toss you just had.
Remember, when you are tossing or hitting the ball in this
drill, the trajectory of your shot should be an arching motion. To
quote Brian Staub, “The apex of your shot should be on your side
of the net.”
THE 3RD SHOT DRILL
WES: Here’s a very simple drill to help you work through the
key elements of hitting this shot. What you’re going to do first is
you’re going to go back to the baseline. You’re going to put your
paddle down. You’re going to grab a ball, put it in your paddle
hand, get low, and go through the motions of trying to toss the
third shot drop into the kitchen.
After you do that 10 or 20 times and you feel comfortable
lifting the ball and staying low, you’re going to pick up your
paddle again. You’re going to drop the ball, let it bounce, and
RUSTY: So, that’s your Pickleball 411 for today. Everybody,
we really hope this has been helpful. And now there’s only one
thing left to do, and that’s go play!
Special Thanks to: Wes Gabrielsen, Steve Paranto, Brian Staub,
Matt Staub and The Villages.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
53
FITNESS & NUTRITION
Eat,
Stretch,
ove
L
BY BARBARA WINTROUB
Whether you play tournament
pickleball or just go to the court to
practice, your diet and stretching are
extremely important to your success
on the court. Time and again, I have
watched players who do not eat or stretch
before or during competition. They get
weaker as the day goes on until they can
hardly raise their arms or move their
feet. Here is some advice to get you
through your next tournament.
So, what do the tournament players
eat? Many of us come equipped with
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
or chicken sandwiches sectioned into
bite‑sized pieces. Every 45 minutes we
eat a section of those sandwiches.
What do tournament players eat? They
eat foods that keep their blood sugar even
and energy high enough to stay in the
competition. Some amateurs try burgers
or candy bars to fill their stomachs.
Hamburgers or hot dogs will ultimately
make them lethargic. Candy bars and
other high‑sugar foods make their blood
sugar peak – only to crash soon after.
Sometimes afternoon play is difficult for
those who have eaten poorly or not at all.
Eating small bites continuously all day
54
helps you to finish strong at the end of
play.
Stretching. Stretching before and after
you play is very important. It’s easy to
pull muscles when you don’t warm up
and easy for muscles to tighten when
you don’t stretch during your cool‑down
phase.
Doing simple stretches like marching
in place and side stepping down and
back on the baseline while you swing the
paddle forehand and backhand helps to
warm your muscles up before you play.
After you have played, doing your slow
hamstring and hip muscle stretches are
key to your flexibility and mobility for
future play.
Let’s face it, many players just do
not stretch because it’s not fun and it’s
painful. No one likes to stretch until it
becomes too late. Pain becomes a factor
after years of not stretching. All of a
sudden body parts begin to ache and then
they don’t work right. Then they hurt all
the time. Eventually, dealing with those
issues is inevitable. I highly suggest
safety in numbers. Find a beginning yoga
class, a stretch class, or find a stretch
specialist to help out. Pickleball is rough
on the body, so you need to incorporate
stretching into your repertoire.
For the love of pickleball, you need to
focus on your health. Walking onto the
court without proper diet and stretching
will only lead to long-term problems.
The body can only take so much before
issues get in the way of playing well. Eat
and stretch like the pickleball athlete you
want to become, not like the one you are
now. Take your health seriously or you
might be plagued with injuries or lack of
energy on the pickleball court.
Striving to be better or the best
requires work on your part so don’t let
yourself down. Keep up the good work
and thrive. •
Playing pickleball for
nine years, Barbara
Wintroub is a ranked
player, winning medals in
Huntsman, the National
Senior Games, the State
Games and The National
Championships. She
organized and runs a
3.0/3.5/4.0 intra-club
event in Palm Desert,
CA, every winter where
13 pickleball facilities compete against each
other. Barbara is a USAPA Ambassador helping to
start pickleball at 10 desert facilities.
GROWING
YOUR
CLUB
BY AJ FRATIES
This short (but regular) column may help
you grow your pickleball club. Here we share
what we’ve learned from participating in the
ground-up development of successful clubs
like the Bend Pickleball Club in Oregon and
from having helped other clubs, like Palm
Creek, featured in this issue, to grow to what
they are today.
We start with asking whether we really
need a club. There are pros and cons, with
some of the positives including:
• Helping to increase your community’s
pickleball players.
• Arranging places to play.
• Collecting dues for balls, misc. other needs.
• Raising money to build courts.
• Buying liability insurance (to obtain a
certificate of liability).
• Organizing play and rating players.
• Delegation of responsibilities.
• Easy way to interface with USAPA
Ambassadors.
We’ll talk more about those separate issues
at other times. For now, first question –
how are clubs designed? Traditionally (not
always), sports clubs are hierarchical, with
one person “in charge” and being the formal
club “voice” and with others “below” her.
Think President and Board of Directors.
Well-organized clubs give each “board
member” a specific and defined job to do, not
just a title. Even a “Director at Large” can
still be assigned a specific role – intra-club
communications, court utilization, medical
team, or even tournament director.
Does a pickleball club need a legal
structure, too? Certainly there are options,
but in the U.S., if money is collected, you
should file a tax report, and a good structure
is the “Not-for-Profit Social Club” aka a
501(c)(7) club. This can keep taxes down
(but not always out, LOL!). Very occasionally
clubs go with a 501(c)(3) structure instead,
generally to assure donors they can
make tax‑deductible contributions. State
requirements exist and vary.
Whew...want to say lots more but can’t.
In our next column we’ll begin to talk about
funding your new courts! Game on! •
WWW.PICKLEBALL.BIZ
HELPING PICKLEBALL CLUBS AND PLAYERS
EVERYWHERE TO GROW THE SPORT!
Around
THEPost
We just love it when we can view in person the awesome play of another new
wave of athletic, talented players who have entered the pickleball arena. And with
so many tournaments throughout the world to choose from, fantastic players of
all ages are taking pickleball to a new level. Junior players traveled to the recent
2015 Nationals from Florida, California and Tennessee, to name a few. Even the
age 80+ events had a couple dozen entrants. Fantastic!
Tournaments are always such a whirlwind of fun action-packed days. We
personally were going for our 5th year in a row winning Gold in Women’s Open
Doubles at Nationals – but it was not our day and we finished the tournament
in 4th place. Several lessons, both mental and physical, were learned at
that tournament which will be shared in future columns. But to experience
competition, either as a player or spectator, is something we recommend to
everyone – try it, do it, conquer it – all are priceless. The beauty of competition
is that once you have done it, no one can ever take away the memories of your
personal accomplishments which stay forever in your heart (and maybe hang in
your home!).
View pickleball only in person, you say? Well, no! For the first time ever in
pickleball history, Nationals VII offered live streaming, with multiple camera
angles and live commentating, taking pickleball again to a new level. On just the
first day of live streaming there were 60+ countries tuned in and over 350,000
viewers. What awesome numbers!
Another exciting first for our sport
Jennifer Lucore and
is this inaugural issue of Pickleball
Alex Hamner started
Magazine. Congratulations to USAPA
playing pickleball in 2010,
and have competed in
and Dollard Publishing for making it
numerous tournaments
happen. We look forward to the next
in the USA as well as
50 years of tremendous pickleball
Jennifer competing
internationally. Between
growth and future issues of Pickleball
them they have 21
Magazine.
National titles, but they
are perhaps best known
Thanks for reading, and now –
for winning the Gold
GO PLAY!
Medal in Women’s Doubles at Nationals for four
With fun and laughter,
consecutive years (2011-2014). They live with their
respective families in North San Diego County.
Jennifer and Alex
Smart Pickleball: The Pickleball Guru’s
Guide was released in November 2014 by
internationally renowned pickleball coach
Prem Carnot. Available in paperback, ebook,
and audiobook formats through Amazon.
com, thousands of players of all ages and
abilities are already applying the practical
strategies contained in this book to play
better and win more.
“The beauty of pickleball is that a player
new to the game can usually become the
best on the court in a matter of weeks if you
have a basic physical ability and the right
strategies. I wrote this book for players who
are serious about getting better quickly by
playing smarter instead of working harder.”
With diagrams, drills, and a captivating
allegorical style, The Pickleball Guru uses case
studies and personal examples to teach you the difference between just “getting
the ball over the net” and playing Smart Pickleball™. •
Get your copy at: http://bit.ly/smartpickleballbook
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
55
FACILITY OF THE MONTH
PALM CREEK
PICKLEBALL CLUB
John’s first reaction to seeing Palm
Creek Pickleball Club’s pickleball facilities is
understandable. This morning he’s looking out
over an ocean of 32 blue- and green-painted
pickleball courts, each individually fenced and
gated, all framed by mountains – probably
the largest single-location pickleball facility
in the world. John only arrived last night and
is already playing in his first 3.5-level rated
Round-Robin this morning, so we take him
over and introduce him to Charles, the RR
Captain for the Noon 3.5 event. As we walk
away, John’s already warming up in a dinking
drill with three new friends.
Irene and I aren’t new to Palm Creek; this is
our eighth year. But as we prepare for writing
this article, today we’re part of a walking
group tour led by Donna Christiansen, Palm
Creek Pickleball Club’s current President. Our
group also includes Tom Gearhart, past Club
President, and Chuck McDonald, Director of
The Palm Creek Pickleball Club Academy (the
club’s training arm). We walk by volunteers
washing courts and others filling training
buckets with practice balls, while still others
are bringing the ball machines out of their
56
BY AJ FRATIES
shed in preparation for a drill session. “Pretty
nice, huh?” Donna smiles widely, watching
the organized chaos. “Thankfully we have 120
volunteers! We need every one of them!” All
day every day and even at night under the
lights, this well-oiled pickleball machine runs
almost completely on volunteer fuel.
But, as we walk, our conversations bring
out that what also makes this pickleball club
truly world-class are the other things that you
can’t see, the stuff behind the curtain. “Right
now we’re testing an online sign-up program
for our training classes, and if that goes well
we intend to move to it for our Round-Robins,
shootouts, and maybe our social events,
too,” Donna notes, and counts off a few
other initiatives. “We’re participating in the
development of an automated rating service.
We’re continuously reworking the organized
play schedules to better meet our members’
needs. Bob VanderLinden, our Tournament
Director, has an amazing team and they run
great tournaments. And we think Tom and
Jeanne Gearhart have a terrific certification
process for referees...but we’re also a USAPA
club, so we are watching what the USAPA is
doing very closely with all this stuff so we
don’t duplicate efforts.”
Donna has been here since 2001 and
part of the club since its beginning in 2003.
“Originally we had maybe 30 members and
we were playing on four courts the park built
over one old tennis court. Tony Calandrillo
and Ferd Sobato were our first instructors.
But they didn’t know too much more than
us; we all learned together!” Like Donna,
Tom Gearhart has been here since before the
club was formed. “When we started,” he says
now, “we were a bunch of baseline slammers.
After a few years Wayne Muglli and Spike
Christenson came down and gave us a clinic
and taught us this new thing. They called it
‘dinking’! It changed how we thought about
playing pickleball!”
Lots of folks are thinking about how they
play and are working on it today. And that’s
perfect....it’s a bluebird day, near 70 degrees,
no wind, ideal for feeding their pickleball
addictions. In fact, between two different
round robins, the open play and the formal
and informal training, nearly every court is
in use.
“A
t Palm Creek RV Resort, you
will never find a more vibrant,
energetic and inspiring group of people
than our pickleball club members, and
we are proud of our partnership with
them. Our members truly embody
one of my favorite quotes from
Muhammed Ali, “Champions are made
from something they have deep inside
them- a desire, a dream, a vision.” The
strength of that vision is evident every
day here in the resort, and the level and
quality of club play is unsurpassed.
sunken viewing courts
It’s different to see
and two 24-foot long,
several training venues
eight-foot high “Blue
going simultaneously,
Boards.” Big Blue and
we mention. “Training
Blue Two contain
and development have
sign-up information
always been part of
for 45 weekly skill
our club’s culture,”
round-robins and
Chuck adds. “People
shootouts, info about
say they come here
21 different training
just because of that,
classes, notifications
and we believe it!” Neal
of upcoming clinics
and Mary Whitfield
We are quite excited to be completing
and tournaments
and others spent
our 2015 expansion of our sports
– everything a
countless hours on
complex, which featured the addition of
pickleball player
the first development
8 new courts, increasing our facility to
could want down to
of the many lesson
32 courts, and a permanent restroom
advertisements for
plans now shared
facility. We know together with the
used paddles for sale.
with clubs throughout
dedication of these Palm Creek club
Electronic readerthe U.S. And training
members and the commitment of Sun
boards tell you what’s
and development is
RV Resorts, we will continue to take
new, and where and
available for every
pickleball to the next level.”
when the next General
level. During the
Meeting, upcoming
season, free beginner
Lisa Harold, General Manager,
social events, future
training occurs several
Sun Communities
clinics and the
times a week. After
pickleball dance are
that, mentored skill
being held.
training puts the new picklers on courts with
Today, with well over 800 members,
better players to guide and assist them. Going
this club was the co-location for the 2015
further, the many free training classes and
USAPA Nationals and remains home of
seasonal “Pro” clinics, paddle-demo days and
the Duel in the Desert, a 13-year-old Tier
other events continue the focus on learning
Two tournament now grown to over 475
and skills. Open challenge sessions each
participants. The club’s expansion, of course,
morning let folks test themselves against
has also stressed the capacity of basics like
the higher rated. Self-rated and USAPA-rated
parking and restrooms. Sun Communities,
Round-Robins go on daily for every skill level
owner of Palm Creek Golf and RV Resorts
from 2.0 to 4.5+. Shootouts and USAPAand a partner with the club in the design and
rated skill-training sessions help people hone
expansion of supporting facilities, is out
their craft. Intra-community play groups
working today on striping new parking for
like-skilled players at nearby Mission Royale
cars and golf carts; and two streets over, the
(Casa Grande) and at Robson Ranch (Eloy),
new bathroom and shower facility, a prea popular invitational venue that draws
built building the size of a house, is staged,
consistent interest from the competitive
waiting for the plumbing hookups to be
players as far away as Surprise to the north
completed. The planning for the expansion of
and Tucson to the south. There’s something
the snack‑shack is near finished, and the new
around here for everybody, to be sure.
eatery will be well-located to serve the courts
Our group walks through the dozens of
as well as the adjacent re-done ball field, the
picklers down a middle pathway between four
large covered social area and the
additional swimming pool. One
very noticeable improvement
next door is the safety system
designed to keep softballs from
landing on pickleball courts or,
worse, the players – it consists
of permanent netting structures
nearly 25 feet high.
WWW.PICKLEBALL.BIZ
HELPING PICKLEBALL CLUBS AND PLAYERS EVERYWHERE TO GROW THE SPORT!
The club has long been a leader in
developing and adopting new ideas. Under
LeRoy Schmidt, Noel White, Irene, myself
and others, the club built an in-club rating
system that has now been adopted in many
clubs throughout the U.S. Through the
Gearharts the club has expanded referee
training to a level that amounts to a standard.
A coordinator for the large volunteer database
is working on automating the process, with
the goal that people can choose to assign
themselves to the volunteer opportunities
they consider interesting.
But this doesn’t happen accidentally. Future
plans are thought through in advance by
a very active board and are then discussed
with membership. “Our board is functionally
described,” Donna says now. “That means that
each person on the board has a specific job
to do, not just a title. And the reason that’s
important is that we can change the jobs that
need doing as members’ needs grow.”
We’re interested in communication within
this large of a club and ask about it. “It’s an
issue for us,” Donna admits. “Today we rely on
email blasters to all members, on the stuff on
the boards out here, the readerboards and our
blog site. But we need more communication,
both up and down and throughout the
membership.”
What does that mean specifically, we ask.
“Our next step will be to add the position of
Director of Communication,” she replies. “This
position will be responsible for evolution of
the online sign-up capabilities, continuing
the work Kate Perrie and others have begun
to improve accuracy in our membership list,
maybe develop a more useful web presence
and expand our use of social media!”
For a big, well-organized and efficiently run
club like this one, even better communications
at all levels does seem like a logical next focal
point. Based on how well they seem to be
doing everything else, we expect that we will
see them succeed at that. •
AJ Fraties is the current
President of Oregon’s
Bend Pickleball Club,
and organized funding
for its 16 courts. As past
President of the Palm
Creek Pickleball Club, the
world’s largest pickleball
facility, he helped develop
player rating systems
and training programs.
He’s a District USAPA
Ambassador and co-founded Pickleball.biz, an
information resource for pickleball clubs and
players.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
57
Find us on Facebook Badge
CMYK / .ai
WHO’S
ON
FIRST?
Do you remember your first date? Your first kiss? Your first…well, you know, whatever?
Then this first is most definitely for you! The first-ever US OPEN Pickleball Championships
event is happening in Naples, Florida in April of 2016. Over 1,000 athletes will compete for
top prize money in America’s fastest-growing sport, while thousands of spectators fill the
rockin’ hospitality village. Whether you like to play or watch, this is a first you can’t miss.
It promises to be even more memorable than your first…well, you know, whatever.
© 2015 US Open Pickleball Championships
usopenpickleballchampionship.com
MAKING
PICKLEBALL
EASIER…
ON THE BODY
AT LEAST
Today, we are seeing an evolutionary
movement toward professional designed
and constructed facilities. And while the
sport is attracting more and more players
from the generations x and y, it is the
baby boomers who are flocking to the
courts in droves, and driving the fastest
growing sport in America.
The days of pickleball players being
satisfied with temporary lines taped on
a gym floor at the local recreation center
or lines hand-drawn or spray-painted
on a tennis court or playground in the
local park are fading fast. More and
more, communities are looking to build
stand-alone pickleball facilities for their
residents.
When choosing a proper surface for
pickleball there are a number of factors
to consider. Player comfort, traction,
color, safety, and ball bounce are a few
that come to mind. To me, first and
foremost is ball bounce. Unlike other
paddle and racquet sports, the weight and
rebound-effect of a pickleball is less than
others. In fact, a pickleball weighs less
than half of what a tennis ball weighs and
the rebound-effect of the plastic ball is
much less than rubber balls used in other
sports. For the success of the sport, it
is imperative that court owners install
surfacing systems that allow for the ball
bounce heights needed to enjoy the game
Cushioned acrylic courts are formed
at a high level.
by mixing finely ground rubber granules
With more than 75% of the total
with flexible binders and layering these
players being over 55 years of age, the
mixtures onto the asphalt or concrete
need for “softer” hard courts will be the
below. They are then topped with a wide
next positive movement for the sport.
variety of colors and line paint to form
Since its invention in 1968 by California
the surfacing system. Cushion systems
Sports Surfaces, cushioned acrylic courts
can range in thickness from 1/8" to 1/2"
have become the desired surface in
depending on the type and amount of
sports such as tennis, badminton, and
force reduction desired. Independent
basketball. In fact, both the U.S. Open
testing has shown that these systems
and Australian Open play their national
provide a nearly identical ball bounce to
tennis championships on cushioned
courts without the cushioning systems.
acrylic courts.
In fact, a few of the courts used at the
The real advantage of cushioned acrylic
2015 USAPA National Championships in
courts is felt by
Casa Grande,
the players, and
AZ, were
in particular,
cushioned
Line Paint
their lower
acrylic courts.
Finish Color Layer
back and legs
The next time
Textured Color Layers
after playing
you are ready to
Fine Cushion Layers
a few hours.
resurface your
Coarse Cushion Layers
Depending
existing courts,
Filler Coat Layers
on the system
or if you are
Asphalt/Concrete Base
you chose,
looking to build
cushioned
a new facility,
acrylic systems
the inclusion
can reduce the impact forces on a player’s
of cushion should be considered…
body by 5 - 25% ... and having played 3 or
and trust me, your players will thank
4 hours straight with pickleball players
you for investing in their comfort and
throughout the country, that added
longevity. •
comfort is a blessing when you roll out of
bed the next morning!
To learn more about pickleball courts and the use of cushioned acrylic surfaces, please contact Randy Futty at r.futty@cssurfaces.com.
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
59
TOURNAMENT RESULTS
9TH ANNUAL VOYAGER HOLIDAY SKILLS TOURNAMENT 12/3 - 12/6
BRACKET
MEN’S DOUBLES
Men’s Doubles 3.0
Men’s Doubles 3.5
Men’s Doubles 4.0
Men’s Doubles 5.0,4.5 - USAPA 5.0 Final
Men’s Doubles 5.0,4.5 - 5.0 Only
Men’s Doubles 5.0,4.5 - 4.5 Only
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
Keith Washington - Bob King Keith Sturdivant - Craig Mchugh Joe Pojman - Burt Bothell Dan Jmaeff-Maurice Parobec Dan Jmaeff-Maurice Parobec
Ross Perkin-Kerry Hawthorne Randy Olson - Kenneth Powers Rob Wagner - Ray Kuhn Rich Kinkade - Tony Longbrake Ross Perkin-Kerry Hawthorne Tim McCauley - Bruce Deverman
Paul Frederickson - Raymond Howard
Les Franke - James Duran
Ken Holman-Rich Pokorski
Ken Holman-Rich Pokorski Brent Carlson-Dennis Hackney
Susie Arnold - Randy Olson Olivia Yacukowicz - Chuck Metzger Claudia McLean - Ken Holman Dee Rochel-Craig Palermo Dee Rochel-Craig Palermo
Suzanne Nordhagen-Lee Nordhagen Loverne Hall - Michael Hall Roxanne Wagner - Rob Wagner Allyson Stroeder - Joe Hubbell Suzanne Nordhagen-Lee Nordhagen Kedith Wickware - David Amm
Kathy Palese - Bruce Palese
Dee Dee Jackson - Dave Wong
Cynthia Tietze-Carl Tietze
Cynthia Tietze-Carl Tietze Linda Pejchar-Rick Benkoski
Kathy Gately - Lisa Burns Claudia McLean - Glenda Sharpe Cindy Meekin - Tammie Brown Susan Phillips - Pat Pennington
Olivia Yacukowicz - Shaarla Blackwell
Allyson Stroeder - Val Vollmin
MIXED DOUBLES
Mixed Doubles 3.0
Mixed Doubles 3.5
Mixed Doubles 4.0
Mixed Doubles 5.0,4.5 - USAPA 5.0 Final
Mixed Doubles 5.0,4.5 - 5.0 Only
Mixed Doubles 5.0,4.5 - 4.5 Only
WOMEN’S DOUBLES
Women’s Doubles 3.0
Cathy Ciferri - Katie Peterson Women’s Doubles 3.5
Teresa Johnson - Martha Scott Women’s Doubles 4.0
Suzanne Nordhagen - Nancy Steffy www.pickleballtournaments.com 12/17/15
NORTHERN UTAH INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 12/5
BRACKET
GOLD
MEN’S DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Men’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.0, 2.5
Men’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.5
Mike Johnson - Richard Johnson Randy Darrohn - Jason Edgington Rick Roberts - Jason Cook David Wilcox - Wes Jacobs Tyler Wren - Larry Moon SILVER
BRONZE
Jevan Weeks - James Allen Kerry Walker - Mike Hollingsworth Paul Targosz - Joshua Pedersen Curtis Wahlen - Micky Knapton Peter Hudachko - Jay Juergens Guy Costley - Ron Papworth
Daniel Hansen - Tyler Anderson
Jordan Tilley - Ken Wanlass
Phill Brown - Ron Fiedel
Kyle Klein - Scott Clayson
Eva Ross - George Ross Sidney Walker - Kerry Walker Deborah Knopp - Ken Kehrer Linda Weeks - Matt Dimock Allison Christensen - Marc Christensen
Bobbi Jeppsen - Bradley Jeppsen
Wendy Jacobs - Wes Jacobs
Trudee Klein - Kyle Klein
LaRee Olson - Cherie Darrohn Kathy Schroeder - Emily Mesnier Molli Holmes - Lori Salvo Jenny Walker - Dawn Hollingsworth
Lisa Smith - Nan Dantz
Jan Kapp - Shannon Wright
MIXED DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Mixed Doubles Skill Groups 3.0, 2.5
Mixed Doubles Skill Groups 3.5
Mixed Doubles Skill Groups 5.0,4.5
Jessica Braegger - Neil Arzani Shauna Timothy - Nolan Harper Jan Simonsen - Oscar Garcia Suzee Anderson - Erik Gertler WOMEN’S DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.0,2.5
Rachel Thompson - Kim Searle Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.0,3.5
Deborah Knopp - Wendy Bjelland Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 5.0,4.5
Suzee Anderson - Linda Weeks www.pickleballtournaments.com 12/17/15
4TH ANNUAL STEVE JUDY MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT 12/7 - 12/9
BRACKET
GOLD
Hugh Fisher - Nick Klein Craig Mchugh - Keith Sturdivant Don Cantrill - Steve Speight Jim Pelletier - David Morgan SILVER
BRONZE
Alan Thomson - Paul Raths Rob Wagner - David Walts Steve Owens - Tony Longbrake Dennis Hackney - David Zapatka Frank Mizner - Barry Frankel
Ron Wall - James Bronson
Bill Reynolds - David Killen
Steve Powell - Curtis Martin
Patti Tourand - Mark Eggleston Leanne Smith - Bill Freydberg Debbie Fackrell - Wayne Fackrell Jeni James - John Friesner Marsha Freso-Dan Jmaeff Gina Gillies - Frank Mizner
Tammy Kelly - Greg Kelly
Sheila Parkinson - Steve Smitham
Marian Pasela - Jim Pelletier
Dee Rochel-Lance Thiede
Colleen Wolkosky - Katie Wowryk Bernie Bruner - Carol Armstrong Leanne Smith - Joyce Helgesen Debi Glogower - Carolyn Stevens Kathy Thomson - Wendy Raths
Sue Sherwood - Brenda Amans
Donna Chimino - Robin Wyrick
Diana Brown - Missy Myers
MIXED DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Kathy Thomson - Alan Thomson Mary Eggleston - Randy Cook Patti Ivanich - John Allevi Dianne Zimmerman - David Zapatka Karen Iggulden-Del Iggulden WOMEN’S DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.0
Susan Manolis - Gina Gillies Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.5
Vicky Joens - Kim Dennis Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.0
Sheila Parkinson - Jeannine McKinna Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.5
Dianne Zimmerman - Jeni James www.pickleballtournaments.com 12/17/15
60
SHADOW MOUNTAIN PICKLEBALL CHALLENGE 12/11 - 12/13
BRACKET
GOLD
MEN’S DOUBLES AGE GROUPS
Men’s Doubles Age Groups
Ed Krick - Bill Burger SILVER
BRONZE
Magic Mike Thornock - Allen Newberry Bobby Price - Neil Stern
Rod Smith - Steven Granik Rolf Kloss - Gary Kautz Ricki Terrian - Mike Grant Yann De Graeve - Jake Pierattoni David Paquette - Dean Mangione
Hank Huisman - Wade Sampson
Buzz Summers - Brent Murphy
Dennis Devlin - Gregory Strozinsky
Nancy Corkrum - Kent Shain Sheri Motyl - Kevin Kersey Mary Barsaleau - Gregg Whitfield Julie House - George Brenner Lori Rose - Gary Kautz Traci Castle - John Petrash Dina Crump - Chuck Crump
Linda Dane - Gordon Bolton
Dewi Schreefel - Andy Banachowski
John Petrash - Gregg Whitfield Ricki Terrian - Mike Grant Ed Newman - David Sabens
Steve Hosohama Buzz Summers Steven Kowalsky
Lydia Rodriguez - Sheri Motyl Cheryl Thoresen - Tammy Peltzer
Kim Davis - Karen Owings-Yoder Lis Andrade-Doreen Poggi Pauline Owen - Charlene Bender
Denise Wolfe-Linda Dane
Steve Gasaway - Kent Shain Ken Zimmermann - Tom Hester Ed Krick - Bill Burger John Petrash - Gregg Whitfield MIXED DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Mixed Doubles Skill Groups 4.5,4.0
SENIOR MEN’S DOUBLES 50+
Senior Men’s Doubles 50+ 50-69
SENIOR MEN’S SINGLES 50+
Senior Men’s Singles 50+ 50-89
WOMEN’S DOUBLES AGE COMBINED
Women’s Doubles Age Combined
Mary Barsaleau - Traci Castle WOMEN’S DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.5,3.0
Cindy Wilson - Lori Rose Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.0
Sheri Motyl-Traci Castle www.pickleballtournaments.com 12/17/15
TIMBERHILL WINTER BLAST 12/3 - 12/6
BRACKET
MEN’S DOUBLES OPEN
Men’s Doubles Open
GOLD
Wesley Gabrielsen - Brian Ashworth SILVER
BRONZE
El Condor Ruiz - Kurtis Campbell Patrick Williams - Tony Tollenaar
Howard Nakano - Yogi Blodgett Mike Schwartz - David Pearce Jon Hussey - Joe Bates Mark Dmyterko - Chris Powell Kurtis Campbell - Randal Bither Rich Ridge - Clay Donne
Mike Sell - Rex Pringle
Grahm Trask - Silas Baffa
Scott McDonald - John Bartlett
Patrick Williams - Tony Tollenaar
Diane Lane - Yogi Blodgett Val Patterson - Jon-Jon Rice Casey Rose - Corey Rose Minami Dmyterko - Mark Dmyterko Sarah Ansboury - Wesley Gabrielsen Joanne Fitzgerald - John Potts Cindy Scott - Al Kitzman Kim Daley - Chris Jensen Julie Farrenkopf - Tony Meyer Lynn Syler - El Condor Ruiz Kimberly Strong - Garrett Campbell
Libby Bogard - Jon Miller
Kelsey Stulbarg - Eric Sundstrom
Richelle Kulju - Leon Gordon
Joy Leising - Kurtis Campbell
Joy Leising - Christine Barksdale Emy Williams - Sarah Ansboury Miok Lee - Cami Schermerhorn
Diane Lane - Debi Johnson Laurie Roy - Wendy Meeuwsen Julie Miller - Renne Newton Cat Grant - Ruth Hunt Sally Kennel - Linda Neal
Judy Cave - Lee Chavez
Vivian Weston - Christy Hunter
Keri Blue - Kim Tollenaar
Anne Britt-Ching-chia Ko Miok Lee-Shonda Schallenberger
Al Kitzman - John Potts William Gardner - Kurt Wyscaver Dave Taylor - Mike Hoxie Roger Schaljo - Edwin Jaffarian Wesley Gabrielsen - Brian Ashworth MIXED DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
WOMEN’S DOUBLES OPEN
Women’s Doubles Open
WOMEN’S DOUBLES SKILL GROUPS
Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.0
Raejean Carter - Joanne Fitzgerald Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 3.5
Val Patterson - Kelsey Stulbarg Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.0
Kim Daley - Jan Albrecht Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 4.5
Michelle Annett - Julie Farrenkopf Women’s Doubles Skill Groups 5.0
Winsome Wong-Kathy Rambousek Women’s 5.0 Doubles
www.pickleballtournaments.com 12/17/15
JOIN THE USAPA TODAY!
STAY informed. STAY connected.
Be a part of the exciting future of pickleball! The USAPA’s
membership is comprised of people who, just like you,
share a passion for our great game! When you join the
USAPA, you receive exclusive benefits for your membership.
In addition, your membership supports
USAPA initiatives such as:
• Maintaining rules and equipment standards
• Introductory and developmental programs
for all ages
• Provide competitive play through USAPA
sanctioned events and tournaments
• Provide and maintain a Places to Play
database (by country and state)
Go to usapa.org
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
61
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
CANADA
WEST
GREAT
PLAINS
QUEBEC CITY
GREAT
LAKES
ONTARIO
PACIFIC
NORTHWEST
ATLANTIC
WEST
SOUTHWEST
ATLANTIC
SOUTH
MEXICO
January 8-10, 2016
419.320.3655
Riverbend Motor Coach Resort Classic
Riverbend Motor Coach Resort
Labelle, FL, 33935
MID-SOUTH
February 4-7, 2016
USAPA Sanctioned (Tier 4)
760.558.9419
Palm Desert Resort Picklebowl
Palm Desert Resort Country Club
Palm Desert, CA, 92211
January 8-10, 2016
Tommy Wong Memorial Pickleball Tournament
Surprise Pickleball Courts
219.688.3022
Surprise, AZ, 85374
February 10-14, 2016
Reno/Tahoe Winter Senior Games
Boys and Girls Club Truckee Meadows & Neil Road Red Center
970.640.9406
Reno, NV, 89509
January 14-17, 2016
623.398.8937
623.398.7563
USAPA Southwest Regional
Sun City Marinette
Sun City, AZ, 85373
January 16-17, 2016
813.298.2022
Battle of the Bray Pickleball Classic
G.T. Bray Park
Bradenton, FL, 34209
January 16-18, 2016
Tustin Winter Classic
Tustin School Service Center
Tustin, CA, 92780
January 18-22, 2016
316.644.7675
Happy Trails Classic – 2016
Happy Trails RV Resort
Surprise, AZ, 85374
January 22-24, 2016
330.812.4500
Punta Gorda Harbor by Peace River Picklers
Gilchrist Park
Punta Gorda, FL, 33950
January 27-30, 2016
520.709.7593
January 29-31, 2016
419.320.3655
Atlantic South Championships
East Naples Community Park
Naples, FL, 34112
February 12-13, 2016 Daytona Beach 4th Annual Pickleball Tournament
Pelican Bay Tennis/Pickleball Club
386.304.5394
Daytona Beach, FL, 32119
804.641.6816
Virginia 3rd Annual PBT (Center of the Universe)
Randolph Macon College Brock Center
Ashland, VA, 23005
1st Annual Leisure World Pickleball Tournament
Leisure World
602.291.9348
Mesa, AZ, 85206
Fifth Annual Mission Royale (50+)
Mission Royale
Casa Grande, AZ, 85194
760.295.0432
ISF Palm Desert Senior Games
Palm Desert Community Center
Palm Desert, CA, 92660
Silver Palms RV Resort Big Lake Pickleball Classic
Silver Palms RV Resort
Okeechobee, FL, 34974
541.968.8499
Grand Canyon State Games
Pueblo El Mirage RV & Golf Resort
El Mirage, AZ, 85335
248.229.9047
Southern Tropics Naples Skill/Age Combo
Naples, FL, 34112
January 29-31, 2016
405.206.3909
State Games of Oklahoma
Greens Tennis Center
Oklahoma City, OK, 73013
February 2-4, 2016
360.921.9875
2016 Venture Out All City Tournament
Venture Out at Mesa RV Resort
Mesa, AZ, 85205
February 4-7, 2016
USAPA Sanctioned (Tier 4) Pending
512.585.0663
62
419.320.3655
1st Annual PebbleCreek Pickleball Club
PebbleCreek
Goodyear, AZ, 85395
The Real Dill
Houston Badminton Center
Houston, TX, 77477
419.320.3655
Tanglewood Winter Classic IV
Tanglewood Pickleball Courts
Sebring, FL, 33333
March 3-6, 2016
13th Annual Duel in the Desert at Palm Creek
Palm Creek Golf & RV Resort
541.974.1631
Casa Grande, AZ, 85122
March 4-6, 2016
910.938.5868
6th Annual Jacksonville Pickleball Tournament
Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center
Jacksonville, NC, 28546
April 8-10, 2016
623.824.9469
LeMaster-Davison Classic
Sun City Marinette Recreation Center
Sun City, AZ, 85373
March 7-11, 2016
541.993.1134
International Invitational Pickleball Tournament
El Dorado Ranch Pickleball Club
San Felipe Baja, MX, 21850
April 14-16, 2016
USAPA West Regional Tournament
Little Valley
408.448.4555
St. George, UT, 84790
March 9-11, 2016
520.686.0382
Green Valley Senior Games
Quail Creek
Green Valley, AZ, 85622
April 15-17, 2016
2nd Annual Willamette Valley Spring Rally
Albany Tennis Club
541.619.3327
Albany, OR, 97321
March 11-13, 2016
813.298.2022
City of Pompano Beach Pickleball Classic
Pompano Community Park
Pompano Beach, FL, 33060
April 15-16, 2016
843.281.3800
Paddle at the Beach
J Bryan Floyd Community Center
North Myrtle Beach, SC, 29582
March 11-13, 2016
808.634.4049
2016 Hawaii Senior Olympics Pickleball
Kalaheo Neighborhood Center
Kalaheo, HI, 96741
April 15-17, 2016
513.886.0260
Low Country Pickleball Classic
Sun City Hilton Head
Bluffton, SC, 29909
March 11-13, 2016
769.609.6954
Spring Slam @ Sun City AZ
Marinette Recreation Center
Sun City, AZ, 85373
March 14-16, 2016
630.272.0219
Fun in the Sun Tournament
Liberty Courts - Pickleball Center
Sun City West, AZ, 85375
March 16-19, 2016
419.619.1122
Robson Ranch 4th Annual Pickleball
Robson Ranch
Eloy, AZ, 85131
March 18-21, 2016
619.997.6247
April 26 – May 1, 2016
May 6-8, 2016
302.598.7910
US Open Pickleball Championships
East Naples Park
Naples, FL, 34112
4th Annual Garnet Valley Gherkins Spring Tournament
O’Donoghue Field House
Glen Mills, PA, 19342
May 11-15, 2016
International Indoor Pickleball Championships 2016
Northwest Sports Hub
253.670.0965
Centralia, WA, 98531
March Madness at Melba
Melba Bishop Pickleball Courts
Oceanside, CA, 92057
May 12-14, 2016
919.462.3970
Cary Doubles Tournament
Bond Park Community Center
Cary, NC, 27513
March 24-25, 2016
2016 Super Pickleball Challenge
Western Branch and Deep Creek Community Centers
757.382.6411
Chesapeake, VA, 23320
May 14-15, 2016
510.786.8723
Paso Robles Pickleball Club 805 Tournament
Centennial Park
Paso Robles, CA, 93446
April 1-3, 2016
Spring Paddle on the Strip at Bally’s Las Vegas
Bally’s Racquet Club
Las Vegas, NV, 89109
May 21-22, 2016
717.626.5096
3rd Annual Lititz Rec Center Pickleball
Lititz Rec Center
Lititz, PA, 17543
April 7-10, 2016
USAPA Atlantic South Regional Tournament
The Mobile Tennis Center
850.699.1692
Mobile, AL, 36608
May 27-30, 2016
225.752.5905
USAPA Mid-South Regional
Activity Building, ULM
Monroe, LA, 70109
JANUARY 2016 |
MAGAZINE
63
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
June 2-5, 2016
Pickleball Fever in the Zoo – Bob Northrop Memorial
Wings Event Center
269.330.0209
Kalamazoo, MI, 49001
August 6-7, 2016
715.462.3176
June 3-5, 2016
The Pennsylvania State Pickleball Championships
David L Lawrence
Convention Center
412.833.8805
Pittsburgh, PA, 15222
August 12-14, 2016
260.255.6006
USAPA Great Lakes Regional
Spiece Fieldhouse
Fort Wayne, IN, 46825
August 13-15, 2016
803.270.6300
Palmetto Doubles Invitational
Odell Weeks Recreation Center
Aiken, SC, 29803
June 10-12, 2016
541.382.8048
Oregon Senior Games 2016
Pine Nursery Park
Bend, OR, 97701
June 10-12, 2016
707.525.0143
Sonoma Wine Country Games
Finley Center
Santa Rosa, CA, 95401
June 23-26, 2016
207.775.1140
June 24-26, 2016
314.960.1787
USAPA Atlantic Regional
The Racket and Fitness Center
Portland, ME, 04102
Twin City Firecracker Festival
Jokerst Memorial Park
Festus, MO, 63028
July 8-10, 2016
Southwest Michigan Pickleball Tournament
South Bend Racquet Club
269.362.5086
Mishawaka, IN, 46545
Chippewa Flowage Pickleball Classic
Treeland Resorts
Hayward, WI, 54843
August 18-21, 2016
Jim Ringler Memorial Pickleball Tournament
Corvallis Outdoor Pickleball Courts
541.829.9564
Corvallis, OR, 97333
August 25-28, 2016
208.614.1446
2016 Coeur d’Alene Classic
Cherry Hill Park
Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814
September 7-11, 2016
719.448.0850
419.320.3655
USAPA Great Plains Regional
Monument Valley Park
Colorado Springs, CO, 80903
Myrtle Beach Seaside Classic
Myrtle Beach Sports Center
Myrtle Beach, SC, 29577
July 29-30, 2016
541.619.3327
Willamette Valley Summer Rally
Albany Tennis Club
Albany, OR, 97321
Georgia Mountain Pickleball Fall Classic
Towns County Pickleball
Complex and Courts
828.557.6355
Hiawassee, GA, 30546
August 5-7, 2016
714.315.0922
Surf City Pickleball Tournament
Murdy Park
Huntington Beach, CA, 92649
October 10-14, 2016
435.674.0550
August 5-7, 2016
503.871.8053
August 5-6, 2016
513.290.4174
64
5th Annual Rally In The Valley
South Albany
High School Tennis Courts
Albany, OR, 97321
Middletown’s 9th Annual Pickleball Tournament
Lefferson Park
Middletown, OH, 45044
November 19, 2016
757.685.5909
December 9-11, 2016
239.784.2242
Huntsman World Senior Games
Little Valley Pickleball Complex
St. George, UT, 84770
North Carolina Holiday Smash
Carolina Courts
Concord, NC, 28031
Florida State Pickleball Championship
Naples, FL, 34112
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