Meet Mary Crusius - New Ambassador in NC

Please extend a warm welcome to Mary Crusius, our newest ambassador representing Pinehurst, NC. Mary will replace Steve and Jeanne Mager who will be relocating to Florida and will be reassigned to that area.

I feel so strongly about the many advantages and possibilities that Pickleball has to offer all ages that I try to spread the word wherever I go. I am a retired Dental Hygienist. I play tennis three times a week, play table tennis – won gold medals in both last year at the state level - tap dance, do volunteer reading for the blind (20 years). I only mention some of my activities to let you know that even though I will be 85, I am still alive and clicking (name of our tap group).

Pickleball was introduced to our area last summer and after hitting a couple of balls, I immediately fell in love with the sport and started spreading the word. I was so delighted when I was asked to replace the Magers as the ambassador in our area.
 

Last Fall, I started a Pickleball program at our Senior Enrichment Center in Carthage, NC. I conduct a two hour session weekly and am pleased to report that it continues to grow; new comers come every week to enjoy the sport.  

When I learned that Pickleball was not one of the events in our Senior State Games, I recommended and urged our board to list it on the local level hoping to be a part of our State Games next year. I am pleased to report that they took the suggestion and we hope to have a good group from Pinehurst at the upcoming games in Sand Hill this Spring. I have been trying to also introduce pickleball into our Southern Pines Recreation and Parks Program but am awaiting a grant to come through before I can go forward with this project. I want to convert a couple of our tennis courts into pickleball courts which would be free to the public. If successful, I will then try for a couple of indoor courts.

Ryan Gordon, Ambassador, Hope Mills has come over several time playing pickleball with us and thought it would be a great idea getting his players in Fayetteville together with our players, and Rick Laskey, Ambassador, Jacksonville has offered to come over and do a clinic for us.

In the meantime, I am forwarding some from our St Patrick’s Parade…



As you can see, some of the members decorated a clever pickleball golf cart and demonstrated some play along the parade route.

The parade was followed by an afternoon of pickleball play at our Pinehurst site.