KaZoo Spicy Pickle-ball Tournament "Happy Tooting"!

The Spicy Pickle-ball Kalamazoo Doubles Tournament, a USAPA Great Lakes Region 2009 Showcase Event, is packed and overflowing with success!

Players across the Great Lakes Region extend their deep appreciation and respect to USAPA Ambassadors Melissa Muha and Bob Northrop for investing their time and talent to grow SW Michigan Pickleball and give the Region a model of success! The Kalamazoo and Portage website "Where 2 Pickle" gives all pickleball players, promoters, tournament directors and event hosts a window into Melissa and Bob's world of masterful creativity and organization!

Enjoy the KaZoo Spicy Pickle-ball Tournament "Happy Tooting"!

http://where2pickle.org/index.php

"Tentative Tournament Match Schedule"

http://where2pickle.org/assets/tournament/f01.pdf

"Tournament Schedule and Player Check In"

Greetings Picklers! We are looking forward to seeing you this weekend for the Spicy Pickle-ball Kalamazoo Doubles Tournament. Here are some things you'll need to know before arriving.

Player Check-In/Registration: Begins Friday at 5:30 pm in the lobby of the Maple St YMCA. When you check in you'll receive a bag of information including your lunch ticket for Saturday and your Spicy Pickle T-shirt. Hang on to that lunch ticket! Check-In will close at 7 pm for the clinic and re-open at 9pm. Late arrivals may also check in Saturday morning between 7 and 7:30 am.

Player meeting: Saturday morning at 7:30 am. You must attend if you are playing in this event.

Tentative Friday Schedule:

• 5:30 pm Registration
• 6 pm Open Play
• 7 pm Clinic
• 8 pm Open Play resumes
• 9:45 Clear gym
• 10:00 YMCA closes
  

Tentative Saturday Schedule:

• 7 am Late Registration
• 7:30 am Player Meeting in Gym
• 7:45 Referee Meeting
• 8 am Women's Doubles
• 9:30 am Mixed Doubles
• 2:30 pm Men's Doubles
• 6 pm Awards
  
  

Round Robin format: Each flight in each of the 3 Senior Divisions will play round robin single games to 11, win by 2. The winners of each flight will advance to a round robin final of single games to 11, win by 2. The Women's 21+ Open Division has only one team, so that team will play round robin matches with the Senior Women's division, however the scores will not count against the Senior Women's teams for medaling. For both Men's and Mixed 21+ Open Divisions the play goes straight to a Round Robin Final with each team playing 2 of 3 games to 11, win by 2. In case of a tie, the total actual points will be tallied to determine final placement.

Awards: have been donated by Recognition Inc. The plaques will be Gold, Silver and Bronze for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. We plan to present awards at the conclusion of each of the 6 divisions.

Lunch: The Spicy Pickle will have box lunches for players from 11:30 - 1pm on Saturday. Lunch must be eaten in the lobby and may not be brought into the gymnasium.

Refreshments: Meijer, Inc is providing fresh fruit and healthy snacks for players. Gordon Water is providing filtered water to players. Many volunteers are providing additional snacks.

Drawing: A number of items will be given away including a Pro-Lite Magnum Pickleball Paddle, an official Pickleball Rule Book, 3 monogrammed Pickleball Totes, 3 YMCA grab-bags and a Kalamazoo water bottle. Tickets for the drawing will be available all evening Friday and all day Saturday. The drawing will take place Saturday afternoon.

Seating: The YMCA is providing seating for 75. If you have special seating needs, you are welcome to bring your own chair as long as it does not damage the gymnasium floor. The gym is on the second floor and there is an elevator for wheelchair access.

Locker rooms: are accessible from the back hallway of the gymnasium of from the lobby. There are also separate restrooms in the lobby.

Travel advisory for I-94: West-bound I-94 is now open near Battle Creek, but East-bound still has a detour due to an unsafe bridge at mile marker 97. Read more in this May 17th article: http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/index.ssf?/base/news-33/124253401976140.xml&coll=7

And we saved the best for last. Every player and volunteer receives a gift from the City of Kalamazoo: an official Kalamazoo Kazoo! Happy tooting!

Best regards,
Melissa Muha
Tournament Director

MO Pickleball 'News to Use'!

USA Pickleball Association Ambassadors Skip and Jerri Deming (Columbia) together with USA Pickleball Association Ambassadors Gary and Sherri Davis (Kansas City) are growing Missouri Pickleball! The Great Lakes Pickleball community is watching with excitement as Missouri participates in "America's fastest growing sport" - PICKLEBALL!

The Missouri Pickleball 'news to use' is reported on a FANTASTIC new website hosted by Gary and Sherri Davis, Kansas City Pickleball . For easy future access, the Kansas City Pickleball link has been added to the sidebar of Great Lakes Pickleball. Gary and Sherri also have a page set up for Picklers to register and receive KC Pickleball announcements via email.

Here's a sampling --

Missouri Show-Me State Games

Pickleball Tournament, Columbia, MO

July 31 - August 2, 2009

"The decision regarding how the tournament will be bracketed depends on how many sign up. They will be having men's, women's, singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Brackets may be by age or skill level. The plan is to play outside weather permitting, inside if there is rain. For More Information email: skipandjerri@mac.com . Remember - all skill levels are welcome at tournaments and YOU WILL HAVE A BLAST!! Go and Enjoy!!"

Join the largest community of Pickleball Players in the world! Join USA Pickleball Association and help Skip, Jerri, Gary, and Sherri put Missouri Pickleball on the USAPA Places to Play Map

USA Pickleball Association Membership page: http://usapa.org/memberships/index.php

Terre Haute, IN Pickleball Tournament Rescheduled

"A' and 'B' Skill Level Pickleball Players of All Ages,

The Terre Haute, Indiana Regional Skill Level Pickleball Tournament has been rescheduled and registration is reopened. This is your opportunity to compete in an USAPA Sanctioned Tournament, right here in the Great Lakes Region.

May 30-May 31 2009

All Ages Welcome

Skill Level Tournament

USAPA Sanctioned (Tier 4)

Rescheduled

Registration Is Reopened

Terre Haute Indiana Regional

Pickleball Tournament Player Lists: Terre Haute IN and Northville MI

This weekend the Great Lakes Region has two USAPA Sanctioned Tournaments, a Skill Level Tournament in Indiana and a 50+ Age Division Tournament in Michigan.

Take a gander at the grandeur!

Player List: Terre Haute IN Skill Level Pickleball Tournament

Player List: Northville MI 50+ Doubles Pickleball Tournament

Great Lakes Ambassador News by Dick Manasseri

So you think you know the USAPA Rules!
The Official Rules which are maintained by the USAPA can be found at
http://usapa.org/officialrules/

Don Ritter, SE Michigan Referee Corps Manager, has developed a quiz that is sure to test your knowledge of the Rules. Bob Northrop, Ambassador for Kalamazoo, has placed Don’s quiz online. So now you can try this fun quiz on the Kalamazoo Pickleball website (http://www.where2pickle.org/ ) by clicking on Try this fun quiz.

Thank you Don and thank you Bob for this outstanding example of creativity and collaboration.

Please let you players know about this fun Rules Knowledge Challenge.

New Ambassador
Welcome Wayne LaPointe, our new USAPA Ambassador from Muskegon, MI.
There will be a Muskegon “presence” at the Michigan Senior Olympics this July due to Wayne’s leadership and enthusiasm. Muskegon players will be traveling as a group to the USAPA sanctioned (Tier 4) event July 7th-10th in Rochester and Auburn Hills, MI.

MSO
You are all invited to attend and bring a few players with you. Registration ends on June 1st, but you can see an impressive Players List consisting of the 85+ teams already registered.
http://usapa.org/tourney/player_list.php?tname=mso709&admin=
Registration information can be found at http://usapa.org/file/mi/MSO%20S09.doc

Congratulations to Paul Barksdale
Paul is the tournament director for the Terre Haute Indiana Skills Level Tournament which will be held next Saturday and Sunday. This is a USAPA Sanctioned event (Tier 4) and a Showcase event meaning that USAPA Rules will be enforced by trained referees and that USAPA Members receive discounted registration fees. The event has
40+ players registered by skill level rather than by age. The Players List at
http://usapa.org/tourney/player_list.php?tname=terrehaute509&admin=

2009 Great Lakes Regional Tournament
The 2009 Great Lakes Regional Tournament, August 26-30th will be held in SE Michigan and likely be USAPA Sanctioned at Tier3 or higher. The Regional will feature an Open Division for all ages as well as a Junior Division and two Senior Divisions based on age groups within skill levels. This is our first Regional tournament for USAPA Members; please save the date and invite your players to consider it in their summer travel plans.
http://usapa.org/file/mi/Great_Lakes_Regional_Tournament_Save_the_Date.doc
Watch for more details June 1st.

Great Lakes Presence at the 2009 USAPA National Tournament
http://usapa.org/nationals/index.php
Now is the time to start planning to be at the National Tournament with a group of players from your area as part of a “Great Lakes Presence”. We’ve got lots of enthusiastic players some of whom will likely respond to organizing efforts that you lead over the next few months. I have several dozen Registration Booklets ready to be mailed out to you. Please respond to this email letting me know how many booklets you need including your mailing address. I look forward to seeing you there and celebrating the good times with players from across the Great Lakes.

Want Ads
Great Lakes Regional Ambassador – This is an opportunity to collaborate with the 42 Ambassadors that are volunteering their time and enthusiasm to make the Great Lakes Region the fastest growing Region in the USAPA. As 1 of 9 Regional Ambassadors, you will be able to exchange ideas and experiences to further enhance the fun and fitness of our players.

USAPA Board Positions
Newsletter Chair - responsible for publishing the monthly USAPA e-newsletter.

Ratings Chair. The Ratings Committee establishes ratings for players that can be used to help place players into the proper skill division for tournaments and leagues and to assist in tournament seeding. Click here for more information about the USAPA rating system.

Rankings Chair. The Rankings Committee assigns national rankings points to tournament medal winners based on an established formula for the current year.
Click here for more information about the USAPA ranking system.

Ranking Points Data Entry - A volunteer is needed to update tournament rankings points for USAPA sanctioned tournaments in the Great Lakes Region and beyond. Basic computer skills and attention to detail are needed. Training will be provided. This could be as little as 10 hours of volunteered time.

Newsletter Editor and Writers – Do you like to collect information and write? Here is a chance to contribute your talents and energy to all of your Pickleball friends. Please contact me if you are interested in getting involved in producing this Great Lakes Region Newsletter.


Dick Manasseri
USAPA Director
Ambassador Program
National/International Relations

Great Lakes Regional Ambassador (Acting)

Upcoming Great Lakes Region Showcase Pickleball Tournaments

Upcoming Great Lakes Region Showcase Tournaments

Terre Haute Indiana Regional, May 16-17, 2009

• USA Pickleball Association Sanctioned (Tier 4)
• All Ages, Skill Level Tournament
• Women's and Men's Doubles
• Women's and Men's Singles
• Mixed Doubles
• Terre Haute Indiana Regional Player List
• Terre Haute IN Pickleball Tournament Details/Online Registration
• Sign-up today...just for the FUN of it!

Northville Michigan, May 16,2009

• USA Pickleball Association Sanctioned (Tier4)
• 50+ Age Division Tournament
• Women's and Men's Doubles
• Northville MI Tournament Player List
• Northville MI Pickleball Tournament Registration Flyer
• Registration Deadline Extended!
• Sign-up today...just for the FUN of it!
  

"Transitions" USAPA E-Newsletter May 2009

Transitions—Thank You Earl—Welcome Dick

USA Pickleball Association E-Newsletter May 2009

Earl Hill has decided to step-down from his USAPA Board role as Director of International/National Relations & Head of the Ambassadors Program. Earl will continue to support the USAPA in several ways including serving on the National Tournament Committee and continuing to recruit new Ambassadors. Earl created the Ambassador Program as you might expect from one of the true pioneers of the USAPA. We all owe Earl a debt of gratitude for his many contributions to Pickleball as a leader, a mentor, and as a player.


One of Earl’s recruits, Dick Manasseri, Great Lakes Regional Ambassador, has been appointed to head the Ambassadors Program and to serve on the USAPA Board as the Director of International/National Relations. Dick will work with the Regional Ambassadors to facilitate the rapid growth of Pickleball in North America; he will also coordinate collaborative efforts among the emerging Pickleball programs on other continents.