Pickleball league in full swing

Published January 28, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com

SEBRING — Last Wednesday, Lake Ashton met Riverbend of Labelle at Highlands Ridge to reduce the drive time for both teams. Lake Ashton earned their second win of the season by a score of 51-16 in South Central Florida Pickleball League action.

Tanglewood played at Sun ‘n Lake on Sunday and captured 62 of a possible 67 points on the strength of four wins by each of their top three teams; (A) Wayne Buck and Mike March, (B) Mark Telfer and Grant McLaughlin and (C) Randy Crawfis and Gary Sewell.

Tanglewood’s D team forfeited their first game to Barb Taylor and Linda Kramer of Sun ‘n Lake when Dennis Rowland injured his foot. His partner, Debi Yandell, then played with sub Neil Simpson, losing both games to the Sun ‘n Lake tandem of Ross Myles and John Prentice before defeating Gene Timmerberg and Tom Kryston and followed that up with a victory over Ellen Nesbitt and Dave Linderman.

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South Central Florida Pickleball League

Published January 26, 2015 - www.twrtimes.com

The South Central Florida Pickleball League was established 5 years ago to allow the better players to improve their game by having regular opportunities to compete at a higher level. This year, the league has expanded to six teams from five with the addition of Sun n Lake. The returning teams are: Lake Ashton, Del Webb/Orlando, Riverbend/Labelle, Highlands Ridge and Tanglewood.

Tanglewood, the defending League Champions, started the season with some very strong play, capturing 64 of a possible 67 points by winning 15 of the 16 matches played against Riverbend on January 15.

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Pickleball a fast-growing sport, especially for the 50 and older crowd

Published January 26, 2015 - www.jacksonville.com

“You’re playing what?”

The question comes up a lot in conversations about pickleball, said George Catalano of Jacksonville.

It seems there are two types of people in the world: those who know about pickleball, and those who don’t.

But the number who know about the sport — and are getting on the courts and playing — is quickly increasing. It’s been called the fastest-growing sport in America.

Pickleball is described as a combination of tennis, badminton and pingpong. The game is played with a solid paddle and a plastic, perforated ball resembling a Wiffle ball.

Because pickleball is low-impact but gets the heart rate going, it’s becoming especially popular with the 50-and-up crowd.

Catalano, who is 72, has been playing for five years. Until he picked up a paddle, he had never heard of pickleball either.

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Pickleball a quick-growing sport, specifically for the 50 and older crowd – Florida Occasions-Union

Published January 26, 2015 - http://news.list-online.com

There isn’t any formal pickleball put on. Gamers don’t always look for a pickleball outfit, for instance, how they would for tennis apparel. They’re urged to decorate practically and easily, and also to put on sports, tennis-style footwear.

Then he spoken concerning the time he performed against a 90-year-old lady inside a mixed doubles match this past year in a tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

“There aren’t lots of rules that bog lower the overall game,” Griffin stated. “You learn while you play should you have fun with us. We are able to perhaps you have playing within fifteen minutes.Inches

Catalano travels round the region to experience in competitions. In the Cuba Hunter center that morning, he was putting on an Aiken Pickledillys T-shirt from the competition last summer time in SC.

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Welcome New Ambassadors!

Ambassadors are volunteers who have pledged to promote the sport of pickleball and the USAPA in the local area they represent. Each Ambassador serves as a spokesperson and representative for the USAPA and supports and abides by all rules, policies, goals and the Code of Conduct as established by the USAPA.

Omar Ollis – Melbourne, FL

John Hall – Young Harris, GA

Tom Black – Concord, NC

Mark Siewers – Durham, NC

Debbie Spinazzola – Darlington, SC

Howard Jefferson – Summerville, SC

 

 

 The territories for the North Carolina District Ambassadors have been changed as shown below:

 

Pickleball picking up steam

Published January 22, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com

SEBRING — Clayton Farrar, chair of the Tanglewood Winter Classic Pickleball Tournament, announced recently that plans are well underway for the third edition of the event.

The age brackets have changed from previous years. They are now 19 to 49, 50 to 59, 60 to 69 and 70 and over. Doubles teams entering must play in the age grouping of the younger player.

In order to encourage new players to try the tournament experience, Clayton is urging beginners to sign up in the 2.5 skill level where they will meet up with other similarly skilled players. Partners must play in the skill level of the better player. There will be competition at each level: 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Those rated 5.0 are the highest-rated players.

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Pickleball seasons begins

Published January 17, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com

SEBRING — The South Central Florida Pickleball League was established five years ago to allow the better players to improve their game by having regular opportunities to compete at a higher level. This year, the league has expanded to six teams from five with the addition of Sun ‘n Lake. The returning teams are: Lake Ashton, Del Webb/Orlando, Riverbend/LaBelle, Highlands Ridge and Tanglewood.

On Thursday, Riverbend met Tanglewood in the first match of the season. The games were played at the eight-court Sun ‘n Lake facility. Each team consisted of four pairs ranked A, B, C and D.

In the round robin series, each team played a best two out of three sets against each other team. The complex scoring system awards more points for the games between evenly matched teams. The greatest number of points is earned in the clash between the top two teams.

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Pickleball a rising star at recreation centers

Published January 14, 2015 - www.tampabay.com

Those looking for a way to stay fit and have fun in the new year may want to try their hand at pickleball, a paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong.

To get you started, the city of Clearwater is offering free instruction Wednesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 to noon during January at the McMullen Tennis Complex.

Never heard of pickleball? Well, here's the juice. First off, no pickles are harmed in the sport.

It is thought by some that the game was named after Pickles, a dog that belonged to a former U.S. Rep. Joel Pritchard of Washington state who is one of the co-inventors of pickleball. Apparently the cocker spaniel would chase the balls and hide them in the bushes.

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Tallahassee pickleball players take game to state level

Published January 11, 2015 - www.tallahassee.com

Pickleball is alive and well in Florida’s Capital City and a group of local players ventured south to test their skills at the 2014 Florida International Senior Games & State Championships. A sport on the State Championships roster since 2003, only in the last couple of years has Pickleball become a favorite among Tallahassee’s senior athlete community.

“I play softball with folks from The Villages and they told me, ‘Once you play Pickleball, you’ll never want to play another sport.” said Zippy Wartenburg, one of the local athletes to take the court at the Estero Recreation Center, Dec. 12-14. “They just may be right because I love the game now.”

More than 33 hours of Pickleball was played at the 2014 State Championships on nine courts, in Singles, Men’s and Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles. It was an eye opening experience for the Tallahassee contingent who play the game on a recreational level at the Tallahassee Senior Center, Jack McLean Park, Lafayette Park’s Sue McCollum Center and Premier Fitness.

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Tanglewood Winter Classic III

Published January 10, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com

SEBRING — The Tanglewood Pickleball Club is holding the third annual Winter Classic Pickleball Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 21, and Sunday, Feb. 22. This tournament, sponsored by Edward Jones/Alan J. Holmes and the Alan Jay Automotive Network, has proven to be very popular the past two years. A large contingent of talented players has come from clubs throughout Central Florida.

On Saturday, there will be men’s and women’s doubles competition followed by mixed doubles on Sunday. Age groupings are 19+, 50+, 60+ and 70+. Skill levels range from 2.5/3.0 to 5.0. Registration forms may be found on the USAPA website. CLICK HERE to see more.

Pickleball Group Adds Saturday Play in Gulf Breeze, Florida

Published January 9, 2015 - www.snowbirdsgulfcoast.com

Snowbirds are invited to join a growing new Pickleball group that launched at Shoreline Park, 800 Shoreline Drive in Gulf Breeze, Fla.

The informal group plays from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. on Wednesday mornings and a recently added nighttime play opportunity at 7 p.m. on Saturdays. 

CLICK HERE to read more.

 

Pickle Ball Open To All In Boynton

Published January 8, 2015 - www.bocanewsnow.com

BOYNTON BEACH, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Media Advisory) — The Boynton Beach Recreation and Parks Department’s Ezell Hester Jr. Community Center, 1901 N. Seacrest Blvd., is offering the exciting and fast-paced sport of Pickle Ball on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. There is a cost of $5.00 per player, and the games are played indoors. Paddles and balls are furnished to those who need them but available equipment is limited.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Raleigh (NC) opens city’s first permanent pickleball courts

Published January 7, 2015 - www.midtownraleighnews.com

 

RALEIGH — Dudley Kay returned to Raleigh from an extended vacation at the start of the new year with the pickleball bug.

Kay, 68, couldn’t get enough of the game that’s similar to tennis but is played on a smaller court with a paddle and a Wiffle-style ball.

While in South Carolina, Kay and his girlfriend played pickleball nonstop. As soon as they got back, they immediately went online to find out where to play locally.

“We caught on,” he said. “It’s addictive, and everyone is so nice.”

 

CLICK HERE to read more.

Check given from North GA Pickleball Club to Sheriff Joe Arpaio MASH Unit

Submitted by Ann Earley, Ambassador, North Georgia

Dr. Tom and Ann Earley met with Sheriff Joe Arpaio to present a check for $1000 to the M*A*S*H unit in Maricopa County, Phoenix, Arizona. This check was half of the proceeds of the fall tournament for the North Georgia Pickleball Club (NGAPC). The other half of the proceeds went to the Cherokee humane society in Canton, Georgia. Each year the club has a fall tournament with 100% of the proceeds going to a charitable organization.

The old jail at first Avenue and Madison Street in downtown Phoenix was repaired in 1999 and put in air conditioning and had the cells fixed up to care for the Maricopa Animal Safe Hospice, a no-kill shelter intended to care for animals that have been neglected or abused by their owners and thankfully rescued by the animal cruelty investigative unit. These animals are in legal limbo until their owners' cruelty cases are decided in court. After that, hopefully, they will be adopted into decent, loving homes. M*A*S*H also houses, for up to 60 days, the pets of individuals who have been forced to take refuge in domestic violence shelters that do not accept pets.

While the M*A*S*H program is designed to care for the animals, it has a powerful effect on some of the inmates as well. Inmates are allowed the opportunity to care for the abused animals, to groom, feed, exercise, train, and nurse them. The point of this considerable effort is to create a bond between the inmates and the pets, to have the inmates not only take responsibility for the well-being of another living creature, but also feel compassion for something other than themselves.

It works, more often, than not. The M*A*S*H unit is part of the adult inmate program section that works in conjunction with community groups to give the prisoners a new lease on life. NGAPC is proud to be a part of this effort.

2015 ATLANTIC SOUTH REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

Thursday, March 19 - Sunday, March 22, 2015

 

USAPA Tier 3-Sanctioned Tournament

 

Hosted by: Carolina Courts (16 Indoor Courts) • 24 SW Spring St., Concord, NC 28025

www.carolinacourts.com

$55 Per Person (includes participation in up to 3 events) 

Registration: www.pickleballtournaments.com

November 1, 2014 - March 1, 2015

Tournament Director: Karen Parrish, USAPA Atlantic South Regional Director

Contact: 850-699-1692 or karenparrish@usapa.org 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Thursday, March 19

Practice (1:00-5:00 PM)

Social Meet/Dine (7:00 PM)

Friday, March 20

Men’s and Women’s Doubles (Age Groups)

Open Men’s and Women’s Doubles (Skill Level 4.5 and 5.0 only)

Saturday, March 21

Mixed Doubles (Age Groups)

Junior Doubles and Junior Mixed Doubles (Ages 12-18)

Open Mixed Doubles (Skill Level 4.5 and 5.0 only)

Sunday, March 22

Singles (Age Groups)

Age Groups: 12-18, 19-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+

FORMAT OF PLAY

 

Winners Bracket:  2 out of 3 games to 11 points (win by 2 points)

Survival Bracket: 1 - 15 point game (win by 2 points)

Medal Matches: 2 out of 3 games to 11 points (win by 2 points)

 

 

CLICK HERE for more info

Introduction to pickleball Jan. 8, Kedron Fieldhouse

Published December 30, 2014 - www/thecitizennews.com

City’s new program hosts free event for ‘hands-on experience’

A free demonstration of Peachtree City’s (GA) new pickleball program is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 8, at 10 a.m. at the Kedron Fieldhouse and Aquatic Center.

“[This event] will allow participants to get hands-on experience and learn just how great this game is for all ages,” a pickleball spokesperson said.

Members of the PTC Pickleball Club will provide the equipment and their expertise to get attendees quickly into the swing of the game.

CLICK HERE to read more.