PICKLEBALL COMES TO

GRAYSVILLE, ALABAMA

MAY 30, 2009

Laura Statum is working hard to bring pickleball to Graysville, Alabama. So we need to get the word out to all current and potential players in the area. Here's part of a message I received from Laura today.

"Wow! We'd love it if you could post the article on your website. You're right; we do need to get pickleball in Alabama on the map. Graysville is a very small city outside of Birmingham, so we're trying to spread the word about bringing pickleball to our city as best we can.......... Most importantly, we have great support from our city's Mayor, who has arranged for our local Fox station to come out and do a broadcast from the event. Your posting of our article will just widen our net of people reached........... Our goal is to make pickleball a success here in Graysville and the more people who know about it, the better.

Read more about this event, taking place May 30, 2009.

Pickleball Comes to Graysville, Al

News From Lady Lake FL.

From The OrlandoSentinel.com


LADY LAKE — The parks and recreation department hosted a ceremony this week to celebrate changes to town tennis courts.

The tennis courts now include alterations made to allow residents to play pickleball. The ceremony, held Wednesday, was co-hosted by Richard Greenfield, a representative for the USA Pickleball Association's Atlantic South region.

The courts are located at 239 W. Guava St.

PICKLEBALL - JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT

Since November Rich and I and our RV friends have travelled, it seems, to every corner of Central and South Central Florida to enjoy or participate in the various Pickleball events. There was the Tanglewood Invitational and the Heartland Senior Games in Sebring, The Wing Dings and Pickleball Scrambles in Sun City Center and Bowling Green, the Senior Games and State Games in Fort Myers, Tampa and Poincianna, and the Geezer Meister Tournament in Summerfield.




Many of our fellow RV’ers have left the south already, but with Bob and Kathy Hughes (N. Carolina) and Marcel LeMieux and Louise (Quebec, Canada) we headed to Kings Point in Sun City Center on Saturday April 18th for our last pickleball event together for this season.

Louann Dubendorf (left, with the gambling bucket!) and the Kings Point Pickleball League hosted a Pennies for Pickleball Mix and Mingle as a last HOO RAH and fare well to all the snowbirds. It was a fun day where everyone started with the same amount of pennies. If you lost your game, you paid your opponent a penny. You could gamble, make some bets and try to increase your stash of pennies, and then you could spend your pennies on a large array of cool prizes! Young and old alike enjoyed the day..


Here’s Louise and Marcel (front) planning their penny strategy against Kings Point’s Tony and Ann



Shirley and Robert try to return the ball to Connie and Ron. Connie (white shirt) broke her playing arm on the courts a few weeks back, so opponents agree to play left handed. What a hoot!!!


Ellen is really beaming with pride. She and her partner defeated Mickey and his 17 year old brother!! Mickey -paying off his penny!! So what if they only learned to play three days ago!



Bob Hughes and Rich - fighting hard for their penny!!

Another high stakes game with Jack, and Irv (front) playing Colin and Paul. Jack? Hey, that’s Jack Licata... from Michigan. Didn’t we see him in that hold your breath final match at the Heartland Senior Games?

And all of this for what? We all played hard for these coveted prizes!!! The low fat animal crackers were a favorite!

Whew!!!! Back to the RV and pack up to head home. See ya’ll next year!!

Read More about Kings Point Pickleball at http://www.gotpickleball.com/


Click here for More Pictures of Kings Point Penny Pickleball

MEET THE UPSTATE PICKLEBALL GROUP

This month we are featuring the Upstate Pickleball Group from Greenville, SC. Greenville is located in northwestern South Carolina, close to the mountains.

Some of the Upstate Group Pose for a Group Picture after an afternoon of pickleball. Back row from left to right, Joanie, Jan, Bing, Mike, Bob H., Bob T., Ken Corbett and Bob (visiting from Charlotte). Front Row from left to right is Ralph, Lynn Corbett, Sharon and Steve.

Ken and Lynn Corbett had never heard of pickleball until visiting at Highland Lakes in Leesburg, Florida in the Spring of 2007. Highland Lakes is a 55+ active retirement community on the south side of Leesburg. After learning from the residents, they purchased paddles and decided to take the game home to their community in Greenvilee, SC.

Like all pickleball groups, it started small. When the group got together to play it meant bringing the measuring tape and striking chalk lines on the tennis courts. Sharon, one of the members of the group contacted the local parks and recreation department and requested that lines be painted on the tennis courts. They were accommodating, painting lines at two of the city parks, McPherson Park and two courts at Timmons park were the Upstate Pickleball Group plays. They have taught or played with more than 40 people, and have about twenty-two regular players who have committed to investing in their own paddles and play at least twice a week. Pickleball in South Caroline is scheduled around the weather, so players remain flexible. This time of year the group plays in the afternoon from 1:00 to 4:00, but as summer approaches and the weather turns much warmer, pickleball playing will be in the mornings.

Above, Upstate Pickleball Players Mike and Ron enjoy a S. Carolina Pckleball day!!

The group works hard to improve their play, and they took to the road last September to an inter-state competition with neighboring players in Hendersonville, SC. They were hoping that players from Waynesville and Asheville would also attend, but it was quite a distance to travel. Maybe next time. But the Upstate Pickleball Group did very well, with Lynn and her partner (Lynne) taking Second Place in the ladies doubles. In the mixed doubles Upstate Pickleball player Bob T took first place, playing with a Henderson team member.

Lynn has set up a website for the group and posts to the site every time they play, along with great pictures of the group. She also keeps up-to-date on pickleball throughout the State and is excited to hear that pickleball is getting started in North Myrtle Beach, and is also being played at a Dell Web Community in Charleston, SC. She even makes sure that all these places are listed on the USAPA Website – Places to Play. Click Upstate Pickleball Group, and read more about this South Carolina Group.

This group may be small, but they are serious about their pickleball. Lynn will tell you that as much as they enjoy playing and as much as they want to increase the number of players the biggest "challenge to starting a pickleball group is how to promote it, because no one in the area has ever heard of pickleball.” Lynn welcomes any suggestion or ideas that our readers can share. I know that some of you have some great ideas………Send them to me, leave a comment here on the website……….or on the Upstate Pickelball Group’s site.



Your group could be featured next month!! Please share your pictures and your stories.

Torunamets, Senior Games and Geezer Meister!

It’s been a while since we’ve updated you on some of the area tournaments taking place. March and April are busy months for Picklballers in the Atlantic South.




The Collier County Senior Games

We are proud to announce that this was the very first year that pickleball was included in these Senior Games. The games were held on February 27th at the N. Collier County Regional Park.

This area is trying very hard to build interest in the game, so we are keeping in touch with Jim Thomas who coordinated the games there in Collier County. Our Ambassador Chuck Keller along with Tanglewood Pickleballer, Linda Kramer have also offered their training expertise.




Polk County Senior Games

This 17th Annual Event was held in Poincianna, Florida in the beautiful community of Solivita on March 9th and 10th..


The two day event included single elimination play in men’s and woman’s singles competition along with doubles and mixed doubles play. This event always pulls some of the best players in the area and we hope next year we can work with the organizers to get this USAPA Sanctioned .

Mens Singles 55-59 winners Jeff Blackburn (SilverMedal, Tanglewood player from Michigan) and Art Severn (Gold Medal, from The Villages) are pictured to the left

Wayne Schoeffel, organizer of the pickleball event was recognized as one of the Outstanding Event Managers.

Special Recognition to Claudette Braswell. In the 2008 Senior Games Claudette won 27 medals in 27 events. This year she was recognized again, receiving the award for the Outstanding Competitor 70-74, and for the Best of Age Group. She took the silver medal in Pickleball event for Women’s Singles 70-74 and the Bronze medal in the Woman’s doubles 65-69

Here is a link to Polk County Tournament Results

Here is a link to Polk County Senior Games Pictures




Good Life Games/Pinellas Senior Games




Dan McKeag, Recreation Leader II from the City of Seminole Recreation Center reports the following on the Pickleball event held on March 23, 2009.

“The GoodLife Pickleball competition was held at the Holland G. Mangum Complex in Seminole, Florida. The competition this year was held on indoor courts quite a change from many other years. We had some great competition in mixed doubles where any of 3 couples could have won. One of the most exciting matches was Mary and Jack Staun against Judy McNamee and Jerry Triplett. The match was fiercely competitive with Mary and Jack winning in a best 2 out of 3 in over 45 minutes.
We had 35 competitors with many playing in 2 or 3 events. We competed in Mixed Doubles, Doubles, both men and women as well as Singles in mens and womens.

I believe many of the competitors had a good time as well as made some new friends by the time they left the facility to go home.

The volunteers were fabulous with special props to Dick Greenfield for his officiating duties.”

And yes the competitors did have a great time. Here is a comment from Louann, one of the competitors from Kings Point, Sun City Center.

“He {Dan McKeag} ran the games and did a great job. He was so concerned about doing well. I would love to see him praised. I must say this was such a wonderful time. I went straight back to the courts and told all the players we are going to have to get a big group from Kings Point to play there next year. I think it is a wonderful atmosphere for the players as the refs, folks that signed us in and the snacks were just top notch. It was obvious how many thoughtful efforts went into the preparation and execution of these games. "








Geezer Meister Tournament – Atlantic South Second USAPA Sanctioned Tournament

Atlantic South Regional Ambassador, Dick “Greenie” Greenfield worked to get this tournament USAPA Tier 4 Sanctioned. Not as large as our first sanctioned tournament but definatley the ‘best of the best’ turned out to compete in this exciting event.

Jim Claypcomb did a great job coordinating this tournament which was held at the Del Webb, Spruce Creek Community in Summerfield, Fl from March 31st to April 5th. The tournament was double elimination, offering all participants at least two matches with the best two out of three games in the winner’s bracket and one game to 15 points in the loser’s bracket.



Tournament pairings were established by a random draw and featured both men’s and woman’s doubles play in all age groups. Qualifying tournaments were scheduled for March 31ST and April 2nd with the two top teams from each age group advancing to the Geezer Meister Winners Tournament, on April 4th and 5th.


The facilities at Spruce Creek are excellent with 12 lighted courts allowing play to begin later in the day. Spectators enjoyed the day as well as games progressed without delay.

Here is a link to all of the Geezer Meister Tournament Results

Here is a link to Pictures from the Games

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USAPA Rules on APIKE Paddle

The USAPA Board has reported that the new APIKE Paddle is not in compliance with USAPA Official Rule 2.E. What this means is:

• The Apike Paddle is not a USAPA approved paddle
• The Apike Paddle can not be used in a USAPA Sanctioned Tournament

USAPA has also taken the time to publish ALL the comments that they received from players, both competitive and recreational across the country. Weather or not you agree with this decision, I hope you at least take the time to read the article and the comments our players made concerning the paddle.

Read more about USAPA Decision on APIKE Paddle

Participants pick up packets for The Villages Florida Senior Games
By APRIL TOLER, DAILY SUN

The Senior Games kicked off last month with an archery event, and this month will feature pickleball, bowling, billiards, tennis, volleyball, horseshoes and other sports.More than 700 players are registered to participate in the upcoming games, according to Madeline Castro, recreation special events coordinator.“Senior Games is probably one of our largest events,” she said.When it comes to the popularity of the games, Castro attributes it to the active lifestyle most Villagers adopt and the variety of sports offered during the event.“It really gives an opportunity for anybody to participate,” she said.


Read April Toler's Article in The Villages Daily Sun

MEET MIKE HEINKE

MIKE HEINKE, USAPA AMBASSADOR

THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA



Mike is a native of Dayton, Ohio, and resided in the Buckeye Stateuntil his 2005 discovery of The Villages. Mike is a graduate of theUniversity of Dayton, where he earned a BS in Education in 1969 andfrom there he launched what would be a 35½ career in teaching at thehigh school level.

As an avid sports fan, he quickly immersed himself in high schoolsports, serving as a high school basketball, baseball, and footballcoach during his professional teaching tenure. Coaching was not acasual pastime for Mike… he is a Past President of the State of OhioHigh School Baseball Coaches Association (the second largest highschool baseball association in the country.) and Past President of theMiami Valley Baseball Coaches Association.

He was inducted into the Miami Valley Baseball Coaches AssociationHall of Fame during this time and was also recognized as the AAA(large school) baseball coach of the year. Also along the way, Mikecoached two years of Junior College baseball at Sinclair CommunityCollege in Dayton, Ohio; scouted for six years for the Toronto BlueJays professional baseball team; worked six summers at the Universityof Michigan summer baseball camp; played in the Over 40 Baseball WorldSeries in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1990; and officiated 7 years ofhigh school basketball.

When he moved to The Villages, Mike elected to continue his activeparticipation in sports, now playing pickleball five days a week andgolf twice a week. He's become a certified pickleball instructor, andteaches beginners' lessons at the Hibiscus Recreation Center.

Mike joined the USAPA in June of 2008 and was surprised to find thathe was only the ninth member of The Villages to join this nationalorganization. Upon becoming an Ambassador, Mike and his fellowAmbassadors made it their personal quest to try to become the numberone pickleball community in the world through membership in the USAPA."We are already recognized as a golfing community and we just want itknown how much pride we have in our pickleball as well." " Most of usliving in The Villages feel we live in the Pickleball capital of theworld with our 104 wind screened pickleball only courts and ourhundreds of players, but this is a subjective evaluation. The mostmembers in the USAPA would be a more objective evaluation."

At this time membership is at 209 and growing.