Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Raleigh to Open First Outdoor Pickleball Courts on April 11

Published March 30, 2015 - www.raleighnc.gov

The sport of pickleball has been around for 50 years but only in recent years has it grown in popularity in the United States and Canada. As the number of pickleball players has increased, so has the need for additional facilities. The City of Raleigh (NC) is helping to address this need.

The City’s first ever outdoor pickleball courts will be dedicated on Saturday, April 11, with a ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. The six pickleball courts are located at Method Road Park, 514 Method Road, behind the community center. At 10:30 a.m. following the dedication ceremony, there will be pickleball demonstrations and teaching sessions for all ages. The pickleball courts will open for play beginning at 11:30 a.m.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Heartland Games going strong

Published March 29, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com


On Friday, 22 men and 18 women competed in the Heartland Games for Active Adults Pickleball Tournament. The men’s teams came from Reflections on Silver Lake, Tanglewood, Highlands Ridge, Sebring Village, Sun ‘n Lake, Valencia Lakes and Sun City Center. The women represented Tanglewood, Highlands Ridge, Crystal Lake, Solivita, Valencia Lakes and Sun n Fun-Sarasota.

As there weren’t a lot of competitors, players were grouped in the following age categories to provide ample competition: men 50 to 69 and 70 to 79, women 55 to 64 and 65 to 74. Medals were awarded in age brackets spanning only five years.

For the men, the Highlands Ridge tandem of Mickey Dorman and Chris Donaghy captured the gold medal in the 50 to 54 age bracket.

In the 65 to 69 age category, the Valencia Lakes duo of Mike Kates and Gary Nicolay took home the top honors, with the Tangelwood tandem of Neil Simpson and Dan Pillitteri grabbing the silver medal. The Sebring Village team of Ross Myles and John Prenctice earned bronze medals.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Floyd County (GA) welcomes new sport called pickleball

Published March 22, 2015 - www.q102rome.com

Serves up! Pickleball is a newcomer in the Floyd County sporting community.

Pickleball is described as a combination of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton that uses oversized wooden paddles and wiffle ball. While the court is a similar setup to tennis, the court is smaller and the net is slightly lower.

The game is typically played in doubles, decreasing the amount of court that has to be covered per player as well.

Bob Hood, pickleball coordinator of the Parks and Recreation Authority, discusses the global nature of this unique sport,

“Pickleball is the most fun game you can play. It has been played since 1965, but has exploded over the past 20 to 30 years. It is also the fastest growing game in the United States at this time, and around the world there are over 400,000 pickleball players.”

CLICK HERE to read more.

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Sun City's Lowcountry Pickleball Classic returns in April

Published March 17, 2015 - www.blufftontoday.com

The second annual Low Country Pickleball Classic will be held again in Sun City April 17 through April 19.

The women's doubles match will kick off the tournament at noon Friday, April 17 and a Lowcountry boil will be held that day at 7 p.m. at a cost of $15 per person.

Mixed doubles will take place at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, April 18 followed by men's and women's singles at 6 p.m. Men's doubles will take place at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, April 19.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Friday, March 13, 2015

Pickleball picking up steam with women

Published March 13, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com


It’s true, most of the “girls” playing pickleball enjoy the social aspect of the game and head out to the courts for fun. Improving their skills and having a little friendly competition is great but it has to be fun.

Fun is just what they had when the Highlands Ridge Pickle Pals invited Tanglewood’s Sweet Pickles to meet at the Sun ‘n Lake courts recently. They switched partners and opponents after each 10-minute game to give the ladies a chance to meet one another on the courts before the social time that followed play.

Sue Schinderle started the Pickle Pals this year and planned the meeting with Tanglewood. Susan Price coordinated the Highlands Ridge team and was joined by Sandi Cisler, Karen Dorman, Candy Gilles, Donna Landers, Judy Majick, Deborah Morgan, Beth Morishige, Pat Olesek, Cheryl Racicot, Phyllis Reeves, Susan Shaner, Deb Stewart and Joan White.

Price explained that Pickle Pals has allowed more ladies to feel comfortable about coming onto the courts where experienced ladies and beginners play without having to compete with men. Pickle Pals has expanded beyond the courts with social events hosted in players’ homes.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Most Improved

 Posted March 11, 2015 - www.cantondailyledger.com


Celia Babcock (third from right in bottom row) was presented the Most Improved Pickle Ball Player award of 2015 at the Canton (GA) Family YMCA on Friday, March 6.

CLICK HERE to read full article.

Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources’ Fourth Annual Pickleball Slam

Published March 12, 2015 - www.don411.com

Registration deadline nears for county’s fourth annual Pickleball Slam tournament

SARASOTA COUNTY – If you are one of the millions caught up in the pickleball craze, there is still time to enter Sarasota County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources’ Fourth Annual Pickleball Slam.

This year’s tournament takes place over three days at two locations to accommodate more players and skill levels. Competition will be held on the indoor and outdoor courts at the Englewood Sports Complex, 1300 S. River Road, and the indoor courts at Arlington Park, 2650 Waldemere St., Sarasota, Wednesday-Friday, March 25-27. The registration deadline is Friday, March 13.

The Slam is an open-play tournament, double elimination, USAPA rules. Players may compete in up to two events; Men’s (March 25), Women’s (March 26) or the Mixed Doubles (March 27) Divisions. The cost is $10 for first event, $5 for second event.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Highlands Ridge takes league championship

Published March 4, 2015 - www.highlandstoday.com


SEBRING — On Sunday the top five teams in the South Central Florida Pickleball League met at the Sun ‘n Lake courts to determine this year’s league champions.

Unlike regular season play, where the A, B, C and D partners on each squad play against all of the pairs from the opposing team, “shootout” play matched only pairings at the same level. Points were awarded for each win, but varied according to the rankings. Ten points were up for grabs in meetings between ‘A’ rated teams, with seven points on the line for ‘B’ team matchups. The ‘C’ rated matches were worth five points and three points were up for grabs in the ‘D’ matches.

In round one, teams played the best two of three games to 11 points. Tanglewood, who finished second in regular season play, met fifth place Sun ‘n Lake. Tanglewood’s A team of Wayne Buck and Debi Yandell defeated Barb Taylor and Linda Kramer 11-9, 11-5. In the B flight, the Sun ‘n Lake duo of Ross Myles and John Prentice took Tanglewood’s Mark Telfer and Grant McLaughlin in three games, 11-3, 7-11, 11-4.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Pickleball makes debut Thursday in Rome

Published March 2, 2015 - www.northwestgeorgianews.com

A sport with an unusual name may lure Rome’s active adult community into even more activity as pickleball starts up Thursday at the Thornton Recreation Center.

Pickleball is a game similar to tennis, according to Tammy Bryant, special populations coordinator for the Rome-Floyd Parks and Recreation Authority,

“It is sort of a combination of tennis and ping pong,” she explained. “It can be played indoors or outdoors. The net is lower and the paddles are bigger.”

Bryant said the game is a great alternative for seniors who are worried about the stress a full game of tennis could put on their bodies.

CLICK HERE to read more.

Pickleball comes to Golden Isles

Published March 2, 2015 - www.thebrunswicknews.com

Charlie Crawley figured his love of tennis would keep him fit and healthy throughout his retirement years.

But then his knees began to make the boundaries of that court appear more and more expansive, and that little yellow ball all the more elusive.

“My knees just wouldn’t let me do it,” the St. Simons Island resident said. “It just became too much.”

Fortunately, Charlie and wife Susan Crawley have discovered pickleball.

Pickleball?

“I usually get a smile when I mention it,” Crawley said. “Then I explain what it is.”

CLICK HERE to read more.

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Pickleball offers aerobic fun for all

Published March 1, 2015 - www.jdnews.com



Pickleball is a game played both indoors and outdoors combining the elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. The game can be played by two, three or four players and all that’s needed is a perforated polymer ball, similar to a whiffle ball, solid wood paddles and a net.

The game has been around since the 1960s and is similar to tennis. The rules are easy to learn. A point begins by putting the ball into play with an underhand serve, as opposed to the overhand serve in tennis, diagonally into the opponent’s court. The receiver must return the ball after the first bounce after which the ball can then be returned after or before the bounce. The first side to score 11 points with a lead of two points wins the game. Tournament games however may be played to 15 or 21 points. During tournament play teams rotate sides at 8 or 11 points respectively.

Pickleball is free to play and is offered at the Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center in Jacksonville from 8 to 11 a.m., Monday through Friday. CLICK HERE to read more.