Iowa City and North Liberty Picklers spotlight Johnson County PICKLEBALL via You Tube.
For more information, email the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) Ambassador for Iowa City - Ron Stiers at ron.stiers@yahoo.com . Iowa, a vital part of the exciting growth of PICKLEBALL in the USAPA Great Lakes Region, now has 9 USAPA Members! CLICK HERE to learn more about how you can BELONG!
February 4, 2010
January 31, 2010
Women's Pickleball League at Gurnee, IL
NEW Place to Play Pickleball
Advocate Condell Centre Club - Gurnee
1405 Hunt Club Rd.
Gurnee, IL 60031
"Registration is underway for our Women's PICKLEBALL league which will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 12:3-3:30pm beginning February 10, 2010. Fee members $25.00 non-members $100.00"
If you want more details, please email: USA Pickleball Ambassador Rick Tandecki at tennisrat@hotmail.com
Advocate Condell Centre Club - Gurnee
1405 Hunt Club Rd.
Gurnee, IL 60031
"Registration is underway for our Women's PICKLEBALL league which will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 12:3-3:30pm beginning February 10, 2010. Fee members $25.00 non-members $100.00"
If you want more details, please email: USA Pickleball Ambassador Rick Tandecki at tennisrat@hotmail.com
Thursday Night Pickleball at Lincolnshire, IL
NEW Place To Play Pickleball
Adlai E Stevenson High School
One Stevenson Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
"PICKLEBALL INDOORS at NIGHT !! Thursdays April 8th - May 13th, 6 sessions listed as an adult continuing education course 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, $42 per person, multiple registrations receive 10% discount. I have paddles for 8 courts please bring your own paddle if you have one, balls will be provided. CODE ASR38 (NO SENIOR FEE) Online Registration Available: www.d125.org/prep FAMILIES WELCOME! Any Questions Contact Joe Balagot (630)336-9944 or email: balagotjoe@yahoo.com "
Adlai E Stevenson High School
One Stevenson Drive
Lincolnshire, IL 60069
"PICKLEBALL INDOORS at NIGHT !! Thursdays April 8th - May 13th, 6 sessions listed as an adult continuing education course 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM, $42 per person, multiple registrations receive 10% discount. I have paddles for 8 courts please bring your own paddle if you have one, balls will be provided. CODE ASR38 (NO SENIOR FEE) Online Registration Available: www.d125.org/prep FAMILIES WELCOME! Any Questions Contact Joe Balagot (630)336-9944 or email: balagotjoe@yahoo.com "
January 24, 2010
MSO 2010 Winter Pickleball Games
LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Michigan Senior Olympics
2010 Winter Pickleball
Great Lakes Pickleball
Showcase Event
January 17, 2010
USAPA Training Funds @ Work Mainsteaming Pickleball
USA Pickleball Association Ambassador Report
By Ron Walker, Ambassador At Large from Cincinnati, Ohio
The promotional literature that I recently received is great.
Pickleball is now a public activity here in McAllen, Texas. We are
starting with a Recreation Center offering at 721 N Bryan on Tuesday
and Thursday from 1-4pm. We have three indoor courts. The great
banner that you sent me is now flying at the center and the portable
net system will be in play when it arrives on Wednesday.
The Parks and Rec Director for the city will be over to check out what
we are doing on Tuesday. He has shown a great interest in the sport.
I am still in contact with another rec center for adding it to their
activities. I haven't been able to play a real game (I've been
teaching and playing on a court I set up outside of Alpena last
Summer) since I played in Florida last Winter.
I'm looking forward to getting over to the set up program (as of last
week) soon. I'm the Activity Director (although Pickleball
Ambassador) for an RV Park here in the McAllen, Texas area so my time
is limited.
Kind regards,
Ronald Walker
Read More:
Mainstreaming Pickleball - A See How Guide
Here are the links to the handouts that will be used for the Pickleball presentation and demo scheduled for the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association in February
The Guide is a step-by-step process for developing a successful recreation department pickleball program in partnership with USAPA Ambassadors.
This material includes the new information about the USAPA Official Portable Net System and the enhanced Training Grant program. The Guide can be useful when meeting with individual recreation center managers too.
The Guide is posted as a word document (rather than a pdf) so that pickleball promoters and program coordinators may personalize the information for use in their locations.
January 13, 2010
Tam-O-Shanter Rec Center Pickleball! Toledo, OH
Hello Pickleball Players!
Good news!
Starting January 18, Pickleball can be played three (3!) times a week at the Tam-O-Shanter Recreation Center, 7060 Sylvania Ave. (adjoining the Sylvania Senior Center, between McCord and King roads).
Days and times of play:
- Mondays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Thursdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Saturday evenings 6-9 p.m.
Tam-O-Shanter invites players to drop in during those times to play on newly taped indoor courts. Cost: $3 per player.
After the JCC/YMCA became unavailable, we approached Tam-O-Shanter and Kyle Schaetzke there was very enthusiastic and open to making courts and times. Thanks to that rec center, the sport can grow as fast as we use it.
Please drop in to play, and invite others to play "America's Fastest-Growing Sport." Your participation is important to keeping the courts open and available. And if you see Kyle, introduce yourself and say Thanks!
See you on the courts, starting Monday, January 18th .
Mike & JoAnne Tressler, USAPA Ambassadors Toledo, OH
Contact: tressler67@hotmail.com
January 12, 2010
MN Frozen Pickle FUN Tournament
Pickle Popsicle
By USAPA Ambassador Tracey Thompson
24 degrees below zero? Cabin fever? Definitely time for a ROAD TRIP.
On January 3rd, a group of pickleballers from south and central Minnesota loaded their drinks into a cooler to keep them from freezing, piled into a van, and headed north for a little PB action. Destination? Virginia, MN (not far from the Canadian border), home of the first ever Frozen Pickle Fun Tournament. Between critiquing the job performance of the local USAPA Ambassador and trying to keep the windows defrosted, the drive passed quickly.
Organized by Virginia USAPA Ambassador Jim Magee, the hospitality could not have been warmer. In deference to their southern visitors, the Virginia PB'ers reluctantly agreed to hold the tournament indoors and a lively afternoon of pickleball ensued. Men's, women's, and mixed doubles were played in the beautiful indoor tennis/PB facility. As the action wound down and the mercury climbed close to zero, photos were taken and fond farewells between new friends exchanged, with promises of future gatherings.
I'm sure you are all asking the obvious question: Why would anyone leave Minnesota for Florida or Arizona and miss all this fun? We have absolutely no idea.
Almost forgot. The winners? Everybody, of course!
January 6, 2010
MN Pickleball News Video
Snowbirds Game On with PickleballMyFox9.com Published : 1-6-2010
EDEN PRAIRIE, MN
It's sort of a cross between badminton and ping-pong, and it's been around since the 1960s. We're talking about pickleball, a sport that's really gaining popularity lately – especially with snowbirds. M.A. Rosko hits the courts.
Click HERE to watch a MyFox9.com PICKLEBALL video.
It's sort of a cross between badminton and ping-pong, and it's been around since the 1960s. We're talking about pickleball, a sport that's really gaining popularity lately – especially with snowbirds. M.A. Rosko hits the courts.
Click HERE to watch a MyFox9.com PICKLEBALL video.
January 5, 2010
MO Pickleball Demo Scheduled
City to offer demonstration; game would be new to city programs
By Debby Woodin
January 5, 2010
Would you relish a chance to learn a new sport? If so, you might be sweet on a game called pickle-ball.
The Joplin Parks and Recreation Department is planning a demonstration Thursday to introduce residents to the sport, a cross between pingpong, badminton and tennis. The event, weather permitting, will be held at 6 p.m. at Memorial Hall, 212 W. Eighth St.
“It’s a paddle sport that was started in the state of Washington,” said Doug Joyce, the city’s parks director. “It’s played on a court about the size of volleyball. You use a hard wooden paddle and a whiffle ball.”
Where does the pickle come in?
Joyce said he hopes it doesn’t sour prospective players to know that there’s no actual pickle involved in the game.
“The name actually came from the family that invented it,” he said. “Pickles was the name of their dog, and when they started playing it, they used Pickles’ ball.”
Some physical education students from Missouri Southern State University are to show how the sport is played during the demonstration.
A pickle-ball class is offered at MSSU. Pat Lipira, with the university’s kinesiology department, teaches the game.
“Basically, what it is is another racket game,” Lipira said. “It’s kind of a combination of tennis and badminton. You can play it indoors or outdoors. You can play it on a tennis court or you can play it on a badminton court. It’s kind of a slowed-down version of tennis. You can learn it as a kind of introduction to tennis. Tennis is hard.”
Lipira said the wooden paddles are similar to pingpong paddles but larger. The ball is about the size of a baseball. The game uses a net with a 34-inch center height, the same as tennis.
“It’s a good game,” Lipira said. “It has a couple of rules. You cannot stand at the net and mash the ball. You have to be behind the volley line to hit the ball so that big people can’t stand at the net and dominate the game. And there’s a double bounce rule. It has to bounce on both sides before it can be hit.”
She and Joyce said the game is growing in popularity because people of all ages, from children to senior citizens, can play it.
It’s not as fast-paced as tennis, Lipira said.
“It’s a fun game,” she said. “Where it’s gotten real popular is with adults.”
She said she recently visited a fitness center in Rogers, Ark., with indoor pickle-ball courts, and all the courts were full.
“It’s good exercise,” she said. “It’s fun. You can play singles. You can play doubles. We play teams with six (players) on a side. Any time you can get a variation on a game, it’s kind of novel and unique, and that makes it fun.”
Joyce said he wants to get residents acquainted with the game because he intends to convert a couple of rarely used tennis courts at Schifferdecker Park into pickle-ball courts in the spring.
By Debby Woodin
January 5, 2010
Would you relish a chance to learn a new sport? If so, you might be sweet on a game called pickle-ball.
The Joplin Parks and Recreation Department is planning a demonstration Thursday to introduce residents to the sport, a cross between pingpong, badminton and tennis. The event, weather permitting, will be held at 6 p.m. at Memorial Hall, 212 W. Eighth St.
“It’s a paddle sport that was started in the state of Washington,” said Doug Joyce, the city’s parks director. “It’s played on a court about the size of volleyball. You use a hard wooden paddle and a whiffle ball.”
Where does the pickle come in?
Joyce said he hopes it doesn’t sour prospective players to know that there’s no actual pickle involved in the game.
“The name actually came from the family that invented it,” he said. “Pickles was the name of their dog, and when they started playing it, they used Pickles’ ball.”
Some physical education students from Missouri Southern State University are to show how the sport is played during the demonstration.
A pickle-ball class is offered at MSSU. Pat Lipira, with the university’s kinesiology department, teaches the game.
“Basically, what it is is another racket game,” Lipira said. “It’s kind of a combination of tennis and badminton. You can play it indoors or outdoors. You can play it on a tennis court or you can play it on a badminton court. It’s kind of a slowed-down version of tennis. You can learn it as a kind of introduction to tennis. Tennis is hard.”
Lipira said the wooden paddles are similar to pingpong paddles but larger. The ball is about the size of a baseball. The game uses a net with a 34-inch center height, the same as tennis.
“It’s a good game,” Lipira said. “It has a couple of rules. You cannot stand at the net and mash the ball. You have to be behind the volley line to hit the ball so that big people can’t stand at the net and dominate the game. And there’s a double bounce rule. It has to bounce on both sides before it can be hit.”
She and Joyce said the game is growing in popularity because people of all ages, from children to senior citizens, can play it.
It’s not as fast-paced as tennis, Lipira said.
“It’s a fun game,” she said. “Where it’s gotten real popular is with adults.”
She said she recently visited a fitness center in Rogers, Ark., with indoor pickle-ball courts, and all the courts were full.
“It’s good exercise,” she said. “It’s fun. You can play singles. You can play doubles. We play teams with six (players) on a side. Any time you can get a variation on a game, it’s kind of novel and unique, and that makes it fun.”
Joyce said he wants to get residents acquainted with the game because he intends to convert a couple of rarely used tennis courts at Schifferdecker Park into pickle-ball courts in the spring.
January 2, 2010
USAPA Ambassador Program
News and Notes from the USAPA Ambassador Program
Submitted by Dick Manasseri
The USAPA Ambassador Program consists of volunteers that love to promote pickleball right where they live. The USAPA supports these efforts with funds, derived from your membership fees, that are put to work at the grassroots level in terms of finding new places to play, conducting clinics, forming ladders, hosting tournaments, etc.
Growth: There are now 325 Ambassadors around the country reporting to 8 Regional Ambassadors. That's a 10+% increase in the number of Ambassadors since the beginning of 2009. In December we were thrilled to receive a request to be an Ambassador in the Atlantic South Region from an 86 year old woman who loves the game! That's the spirit we love!
Newest Regional Ambassador: Juanita and Carl Vincent have volunteered to serve together as the Southwest Regional Ambassadors. Welcome to the team and thanks for your willingness to mentor and coordinate the Local Ambassadors in Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
On-line 'How To' Group: Although this communication venue was only begun 3 months ago, there are now 83 members - including Ambassadors and Board Members - communicating via this Google Group on several active discussion topics. Looks like this vehicle for sharing questions, answers and ideas is just the kind of interactive communication that many of the Ambassadors have been seeking.
Mini-Plans: To sharpen our focus on 2010 goals for growth and service to our USAPA members, Ambassadors are beginning to develop what are referred to as Mini-Plans that outline objectives and activities for the new year in categories such as Recreation, Competition, Membership, Communication and Publicity. These Mini-Plans form the basis for the resources and funds that the USAPA awards to help Ambassadors achieve their goals within the local areas they serve.
January 1, 2010
New Year Gift from USAPA Ambassador Chris Thomas
USAPA California Ambassador Chris Thomas
adds a healthy sparkle to the New Year
by sharing his
May your 2010 sparkle
with great health, great happiness
and great games of PICKLEBALL!
December 25, 2009
Legendary Christmas Pickle
Merry Christmas to ALL and to ALL a good game!
"The popular legend says the Christmas Pickle ornament is the last ornament hung on the Holiday tree. The first child to find it will receive an extra gift from beloved Santa Claus. As there are other versions to the Pickle Legend, the true goal of tradition is to foster family values, create cherished memories, to bridge generations, and allow ourselves to connect to our past. Our hand blown Christmas Pickle was created to support the rich family traditions reflective of our programs at Greenfield Village." The Henry Ford Museum Catalog
December 15, 2009
PickleballCoach.com Christmas Contest
.jpg)
| PickleballCoach.com | ||
| ||
December 14, 2009
Singing Pickleball Pete - 12 Days of Christmas
!Ho!Ho!Ho
Merry Christmas!
The 12 Pickleball Days of Christmas!
Lyrics by Singing Pickleball Pete
Vocals by Singing Pickleball Pete and Santa
Click the arrow to play.
Sure to make your season bright!
