ROUND ROBIN TOURNAMENT on Tues. Sept 7/10

Eight courts were full with about 30 players. We welcomed 3 new players Herman, Bonnie and Allan. Catherine and Ken taught Herman and Bonnie and they really appreciated the help. Grant, Brian, Danny, Gerry, Terry, Carol, Elaine joined us today. Everyone had many enjoyable games and it was a very happy friendly atmosphere. We thanked Catherine for bringing her delicious homemade carrot cake, cookies, grapes and watermelon.

At snack time about 23 players joined in a very lively discussion about the future of our group: lessons, one court can be set up for beginnners and practice, who should look after new players, etc....great input by so many players.

We will have eight courts available for play on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. A round robin tournament is set on next Tuesday Sept 7 with a maximum of 16 players (please arrive at 1:20pm to sign up) This will be good practice for the players who will be playing in the B.C. Senior Games in September. We will have great competition and a lot of fun !!!

TUESDAYS SNACKS SCHEDULE:
Sept 7 - Terry and Anne
Sept 14 - Pat
Sept 21 - Shirley
Sept 28 - Potluck Dinner
Oct 5 - Gerry
Oct 12 - Catherine
Oct 19 - Joyce
Oct 26 - Ken and Mandy

14 Regular Players in Survey for a Commitee

We would like to thank Ken for suggesting to form a committee to enhance our pickleball group. We welcome all suggestions.

The first question before forming a committee is "Do we need or want to form a committee at this time?" A survey of 14 regular players with this question, YES or NO:
11 players said "NO", 1 player "undecided", 2 players "Not interested".

There are pros and cons of a committee. Some comments were:
"We only have 30 regular players and eight courts will be available, so we don't need a committee".
"We are happy with the way things are, why change anything?".
"I'll rather not play. People retire so they don't have the stress of committee meetings".
"People only want to come to play pickleball".
"If there are more players in the future. ARC can add more time".
"If people want lessons, ARC can add lessons".

SAFETY RULES - PICKLE BALL

Some players had injuries due to falls from running backwards, running too fast to hit a ball, running into other courts, or not wearing the proper running shoes (sandals and hiking shoes are not for running and some mark the gym's wooden surface). Balls should be thrown at the back of the court, not across courts that interrupt play and a running ball may cause injuries. Some safety rules are:

Safety rules #3 NEVER swing your racquet if there is any chance of hitting someone. Simply call an interference and replay the point.

Safety rules #4 - Never leave the court to go after a ball. (New players tend to run into other courts to get the ball that can cause injuries and interrupts play)

Safety rules #8. Players may not volley in the non-volley zone.

Safety rules #9 - Do not smash nets and racquets on the ground.

Safety rules #10 - Do not jump over the nets.

Safety rules #11 - Report any accidents to the attendant immediately.

Read 12 Pickleball safety rules: http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/riverside/Academics/phyed/PE%20Grade%2011/pickelball%20safety.pdf

Thanks Shirley

When we had our discussion this past Tuesday at snack time, I think we were all amazed when the question was asked how many people read the Abby PB blog. Since we started it nearly a year ago it has evolved into a great source of information, ideas, great pictures and a consistent update of what is happening at ARC Pickleball and also links to PB info from around the globe.
A Big Thank You to Shirley Shepherd for doing an amazing job.
Our challenge is have the blog as THE central point of information for our group. So, what are the benefits of reading our Abby PB blog...

- coaching videos on how to play PB - 10 UTude videos by Coach Mo
- comments on routine court etiquette
- court safety tips
- update on current attendees
- pictures & videos of our facility and players
- snack list contributors for Tuesday after game social time
- links to happenings on the World court of Pickleball
- PB tournaments and BC Senior Games info
- anyone can comment on postings and club direction
- how to catagorize yourself as a player
the way I see it...

Players Asked for Advance Polls and Proxy Votes

All eight courts were full with about 32 players. We welcomed two new players today. So nice to see Joulene came back to play with us. Many regular players knew nothing about the upcoming votes for a committee and so we had to explain it to them. Some suggest not to rush to set it up, more discussion are needed, do we need a committee, give people time to decide who to vote for, advance polls and proxy votes for some players who will be away.

At night Michelle was playing with her grandson and a friend. Mike and I played with Barry, Edie and two new players Rhys and Chris who played very well after they played only four times. Young adults have more strength and stamina and they enjoyed it very much.

Upcoming Vote for a Pickleball Committee

In the absence of many of our players at our snack time yesterday, it was decided by some to form a committee to further enhance the Abbotsford pickleball experience. Since then, some suggestions have been made that all active players should be informed of these intentions before settling on elections. Some players have asked what the mandate of the elected committee would be.

Ken volunteered to email all players regarding the vote to take place next Tuesday. He has outlined in that email what some of those benefits to the group would be.

We must recognise that the pickleball program at ARC is a drop in program, essentially guaranteeing play to whoever drops in regardless of whether they wish to participate in any program or not. We are not a private club, we are strictly a group of avid pickleball players trying to enjoy as much pickleball as possible with friends we have made through this great sport.

Not everyone, for one reason or another, have the time or inclination to join in our snack time on Tuesday and it would be courteous to them to have their opinions heard. Possibly the majority of the absentees on Tuesday have made themselves aware of the intended benefits, and of the vote on Tuesday and are quite happy to participate in the process. In that case all players will be the beneficiaries of the outcome.

If, however, some of these active players do not feel the necessity for forming this committee at this time or do not feel that they were part of the process, now is the time to say so.

It is not always easy to obtain personal opinion in a public forum. That is not everyone's cup of tea.

Possibly, to satisfy all, there could be one question on the ballot in addition to the names of the candidates.

Question: Do we need and want to form a committee at this time? YES ____ NO_______

One person, one vote. Majority carries.

Just a suggestion. Happy Pickling !!!

Suggestions for a Committee, Potluck Dinner 09/28

About 30 players played on Tuesday afternoon on four court. We were so glad Grant came back to play with us because we enjoy playing with him and he made the atmosphere very friendly. People were actually happy today even though there were some waiting for games. The courts were set up with one 'A', two 'B' and one 'R', but nobody cared which courts they played in. Four "A" players even played in 'R' court, "R" players played in "A" court, all players took turns to play, everyone enjoyed many games and had friendly chats on the benches.

We thanked Rita for bringing the delicious watermelon and cookies which we all enjoyed. Ken suggested we set up a committee with four players in charge, he will send an email to ask all players to attend next Tuesday's snack time to decide on it. Many players had inputs into this discussion:
"We should have players of different levels to be on the committee so all level of players are represented."
"Players who will be away in the south should not be on the committee."
"I would like to be on the committee, I can appoint someone during my absence."
"We should vote on who will be on the committee."
"I suggest we put our names down on a board to play."
"The one lineup works well except players may play with the same players unless one or two players change places."
"I want to play with better players to improve"
"Do we play with our own kind (level) or is this a drop-in pickleball so players play with different people?"
"There should be no problem when we get 8 courts in the fall, but the number of players may increase."
A new attendant Joel said "I want to be on the committee."

We set up a new snack time schedule and a potluck dinner scheduled on Sept 28 before the snowbirds go down south. Please put a comment on what you would like to bring for potluck dinner or just let me know. See schedules on the right side of the blog.

PICKLEBALL AND FRIENDSHIP

PICKLEBALL AND FRIENDSHIP by Dave Shepherd

There have been many comments regarding the postings in the blog during the past year and a half from all corners of Canada and the United States and of course from our family of Pickleball friends at the ARC in Abbotsford. We have pickleball friends in Florida, Arizona, California, Ontario, Greater Vancouver including South Surrey who enjoy reading our news, both regarding play, our tournament, and also the social aspect of our group. We have had many great comments about our social get together on Tuesday after pickleball. They also enjoy seeing some of us in pictures and videos.

We see how many times our blog is accessed on a daily basis and it peaks twice a week after blog postings. One point that was always mentioned in our feedback was the friendly image others have about us. We always have had a very friendly group of players, but recently this aspect of our relationship has had a bit of a change.

Recently we have had a problem with too many players and not enough courts which of course needed some sort of system so that all players had access to the courts in a fair and orderly fashion. As you know, and has been discussed in other postings, Carol from Chilliwack took the initiative and brought some systems which have been used elsewhere and tried them here, unfortunately with limited success. Last Tuesday's play was the day that created the most adverse comments from players. The people who make these comments are your fellow players, and they don't always have the same opinion as you have. Some of these comments are quite pointed, but they do reflect your friends opinion. Many of them want their comments noted but don't have a platform to do it.

Part of the function of writing for a blog is the same as reporting for a newspaper, you are only reporting the facts and quoting comments from others. You don't always report only "NICE STUFF". occasionally things are not quite so nice.

Most of the postings to the blog are made by Shirley Shepherd. As Shirley's husband I am very much aware of how much time and effort Shirley spends in making sure the blog reflects what's happening in our group, and on a daily basis she is continually promoting the fantastic game of pickleball. In the absence of Grant, she has been able to obtain 8 courts for play for Tuesday and Thursday starting in September, with co-operation from Sarah Morris. She has also been instrumental in having an additional evening spot made available for Tuesday evening from 8:00pm - 9:30pm also starting in September. Shirley has a true love of the game, and is always happy to try to help a new player and to make them feel welcome.

I was disappointed to receive a call suggesting that Shirley should change the content of her posting in case it offended someone. If they had read the entire posting they would have seen that the posting was not being offensive, but rather appreciative of effort. Fortunately, Shirley receives enough compliments on the blog and the encouragement from others inspire her to continue promoting the game of Pickleball that we all love at ARC.

Hopefully with the availability of additional courts we will be able to resume our normal friendly way of arranging games. On Thursday we had 23 players and 4 courts with no system, I think everyone was able to play as many games as they wanted.

Pickleball and social camaraderie is what we all enjoy, and sometimes we all have to play our part to make sure it is fair and enjoyable to all.

Thursday Comments

GREAT TURNOUT ON THURSDAY AGAIN! by Dave Shepherd

23 players came to Pickleball on Thursday afternoon, another great turnout!
Although we only had 4 courts in use, everyone seemed to get plenty of opportunities to play.
Time on the bench gave lots of opportunities for people to vent their frustrations about play on Tuesday.
There were many unhappy comments from regular players, and its probably the result of our growth....(which is good!!!)
Growth means more players and that means our court requirements are greater and it becomes increasingly necessary to have cooperation from everyone.
All of us were new players at one time or another. We all benefited from other more experienced players playing with us , explaining the rules, and giving encouragement along the way. Most of our players are really good this way. The better players can really help to bring along the less experienced and it only requires a small amount of time.
Most players enjoy playing with other players of the same level or better, but playing occasionally with some less experienced players is helping the sport to grow and the general level of play to improve.
A big thank you to Carol for taking the initiative and trying to come up with a system for us to use that will work. We maybe have not yet found the right one. Carol is always willing to play with some of the less experienced players and sets a great example for other A and B players to follow.
We will continue to try and find a system that works well in Abbotsford.

A New System needed for Tuesday Afternoon

About 23 players showed up Thursday afternoon. Many players told me they disliked that new system "A","B","R" last Tuesday and asked to change it. One player said "I would rather play somewhere else if we use that system." Another player said "I knew it won't work before it started", another said "people were rude and hogging the courts", another said "it created divisions and made enemies"....etc.

So far we tried three systems: the first one was to put your name on the board after the game which some players refused to put their names down and played their own games. The second was the one long lineup seat system which worked the best (one player told me South Surrey uses this system and it works well). The third was the court A, B and 'recreational' which created divisions and a lot of unhappy players.

Tonight eight courts were open with a lot of kids having fun playing. I had so much fun playing many close games with Grant against Mike and Gene !!!

EIGHT PICKLEBALL COURTS IN THE FALL

We are so happy that Sarah Morris said "all 8 courts are booked for pickleball on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons in the fall."

When we get eight courts, it will solve all the problems of long lineups for players waiting to play.

30 Players Too Crowded on Four Courts Again

Today was a frustrating day with 30 players crowded into four courts. We should go back to the seat lineup system which worked well. The new system of court 1 and 2 for competitive A & B and court 3 & 4 for recreational players was a disaster: court 1 was crowded with about 10 players waiting, court 2 with a few players waiting, court 3 and 4 with nobody waiting at all and sometimes sat empty. Court 1 players refused to play with court 3 & 4 players and they tried to barge into court 2. One player who barged in front of the line before still did that again in court 1. Many players were upset. Only some good players were willing to play with players in court 3 & 4.

One player said he felt the animosity in players. Another player said the word 'recreational' is putting people down because they want to play with better players but court 1 & 2 players refused to play with them. Recreational players also want to be competitive. Players waiting in court 1 & 2 won't play in court 3 & 4 even when it was empty because they don't want to be called 'recreational'.

A new attendant tried his best to get people to play in order but it was not controllable because they won't listen to a young new attendant. Hopefully we can get a better system with co-operation from everyone !!!

We were glad to see Herb came back to play with us. Thanks to Tom for bringing two delicious cheesecakes and five lbs. of red grapes which made snack time so enjoyable !!!

ANOTHER NEW PICKLEBALL TIME IN SEPTEMBER

Yes, we will have another NEW Pickleball Time at Abbotsford Recreation Center: Tuesday nights 8:00 - 9:30 pm starting in September !!!

ARC will be adding a new pickleball time in the fall due to the popularity of Pickleball in Abbotsford and the Fraser Valley. We will have access to both gyms (8 pickleball courts). This will also be an age 12+ time slot, so bring your friends, neighbours and family to play Pickleball indoors at ARC when the weather gets cold and raining outside in the fall.

About 26 players played this afternoon. Eight courts were opened tonight, there were at least ten kids having a great time playing pickleball with their parents and grandparents. Pickleball is truly an intergeneration sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and promotes family relationships. Michelle was playing with her grandson and a friend. I had fun playing four close games with Grant against Mike and Gene.

So Nice to have Grant Back In Charge of Pickleball

What a relief to have Grant back in charge of pickleball after his absence as Summer Camps Co-ordinator for two months, we were all happy to see him back !!! He made the seat line worked very well with about 28 players in four courts and everyone is happy to get fair play time in an orderly fashion.

Five new players Brian, Danny, Gerry, Matt and Pat played for a second time. Terry brought his wife Anne who was playing for the first time. Nice to see Ganbat back from his trip to Mongolia. Carol and Dorothy came from Chilliwack to play with us.

We thanked Julie for bringing cake, cookies, cherries and grapes. So nice that Grant made the coffee for us so we could play longer. Carol made an announcement introducing a new system for court 1 for competitive A players, court 2 for competitive B players, court 3 and 4 for recreational players. When we get eight courts, one court will be for beginners. We hope it will work well.

I thanked Sarah Morris for booking all eight courts on Thursdays for the rest of the summer for us and she will let me know if we can get all eight courts to play in the fall. I told her that we are so glad to have Grant back in charge that everything went smoothly.

Eight Courts Available Thursday Afternoons

Sarah Morris said "We have been able to book all 8 courts for Thursday afternoon Pickleball for the remainder of the summer. Unfortunately, only 4 courts are available on Tuesdays - we have children's floor hockey classes scheduled in Gym #1 at the same time as Pickleball.

I am working on finding a staff member to take care of set-up and take-down and will hopefully have someone in place within the next week.

I will look at our schedule for the fall to see if we can accommodate all 8 courts on both Tuesday and Thursday afternoon."

It looks like we will have to use the seat lineups on Tuesdays so players will play in an orderly fashion (NO CHEATERS PLEASE)- players should sit at the back of the seat line after their game is finished, the players who waited the longest at the front of the seat line will play at the next available court. And please don't continue to play after your game is finished and need to be asked to leave the court to let others play. We also may have to play to 9 only so the games finish quickly so others can play. Your co-operation is needed to be fair to everyone !!!

South Surrey 50+ 4th Annual Pickleball Tournament, Saturday October 2, 2010

SOUTH SURREY 50+

4th Annual Pickleball Tournament

Saturday October 2, 2010

www.recreation.surrey.ca

South Surrey Recreation Centre, 14601 20th Avenue

For information or registration 604-592-6970

Doors open at 7:00am | Games begin at 8:00am | Day ends at 8:00pm

Registration #4223520 Registration deadline: Sept 15 (limit of 80 players)

Never Too Old to Start Playing Pickleball

It’s never too old to start playing pickleball as a health and fitness routine. Many studies show the benefits to seniors that were sedentary most of their lives and how, at an advanced age, they managed to improve on their health and fitness.

Al at age 79 started to play pickleball at ARC a year ago and he is now an excellent player. Bill started to play pickleball at age 80 four months ago and he is now a very good player. Jim is also 80 years old and he started to play pickleball last week and he is really enjoying it. He joked "Bill is a youngster, he is two days younger than me." Bill said “Exercise makes me feel great. It makes me feel young and energetic." Bill can jump up to hit a ball like a young man.

Research suggests that exercise and physical activity can help maintain or partly restore strength, flexibility, balance and endurance.

In fact, the benefits of physical activity - at any age - are so compelling that "Inactivity is life-limiting", it could be argued that a bigger threat to health and longevity is not exercising. I remember a friend and neighbour Mr. Blane who was 100 year old (unfortunately he passed away last year from a car accident), he was swimming 30 laps in ARC pool three times a week, he said "If you want to live a long time, keep exercising." At ARC's senior centre, a pool table's plaque is marked "In honor of Don Blane on his 100th birthday."

Requesting Eight Courts and Attendant

Thank you everyone for your feedback. Sarah Morris has received our request for eight courts on Tuesday and Thursday 1:30 - 3:30pm and also for an attendant to put up and take down the nets and to teach new players.

Sarah said "I will do my best to accommodate your concerns as promptly as possible".

We look forward to having eight courts available for play and someone to put up and take down the nets.

30 Players Thursday, Welcome 6 New Players

Four courts were filled with about 30 players Thursday afternoon so a dozen players were waiting to play. We finally opened up the other four courts after one young person who was practising basketball on the other gym refused to let us play even though we let her play for another half hour.

We welcomed six new players. Three new players who did not get to play on Tuesday (Brian and his dad Jim, Matt's wife Pat) because there were not sufficient courts available, they came back to play today and they really enjoyed it. Two more new players Denny and Gerry played extremely well because they play racquetball. It was nice to see Jane's daughter Robin from Calgary playing here again.

We will be requesting ARC to open all eight courts on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

At night all four courts were full of players. Michelle played with her grandson. I played a close game with Barry against Mike and Nathan which was fun.

3 Reasons Why Pickleball is the Perfect Sport

http://hubpages.com/hub/3-Reasons-Why-Pickleball-is-the-Perfect-Sport By RodneyGrubbs
Players in Florida, Arizona and Washington have known about it for years. But it seems the rest of the country is just beginning to find out about, what just might be...the perfect sport. I fell in love with it immediately, as has every single person I have introduced to the sport.

REASON NUMBER 1: When you learn about pickleball, one of the first things you realize is that it is a sport for almost any age. I have seen six-year old girls having a blast by keeping the ball going back and forth across the net. I have also seen some of the sport's legends who are well over 80 years old. I have to wonder who the oldest current player is. Anyhow, anyone, any age can play pickleball.

REASON NUMBER 2: When you learn about pickleball, you'll quickly find that you can get just about any level of cardio exercise that you want. Want a super cardio workout? Just find a good opponent and play a game or two of singles. Even though the court is significantly smaller than a tennis court (its the same size as a badminton court), the time it takes to cover the court is much shorter than tennis so you get your heart rate up in a hurry. Want a more leisurely pace? Then find three other players, grab your pickleball paddles and enjoy a game of doubles. Doubles can be played by almost anybody regardless of their age or athletic ability. The physical movement is much less, but the fun is just as rampant.

REASON NUMBER 3: And finally, playing this sport could not be more affordable. Grab a pair of tennis shoes, shorts and t-shirt and you are dressed and ready. High-tech clothing is certainly not needed. The only pickleball equipment needed is a pickleball paddle. Since the paddle has no strings to break, you essentially make a small one time purchase and, if you buy a decent one, you are set for life. So anyone, any age can play, get any level of exercise you desire and it costs next to nothing? Sounds Perfect!

Four Courts Too Crowded for 30 Players Tuesday

Today's weather was thunder, lightning and heavy rain. Four courts at ARC were full with about 30 players that a dozen people were waiting to play. Many players complained about the waiting because we usually could open four more courts but some kids were playing soccer there. Some players left early due to the waiting.

People complained that some players continue to play after finishing their game and not let other people play. We made a system to line up players in seats so that the players who finished their game must sit at the back of the seat line. Players who waited the longest at the front of the seat line will play at the next available court. Most players liked this system. We also played the game to 9 only so people can finish their games quickly.

Six players came from Chilliwack: Elaine, Dorothy, Kathy and her daughter, Carol and her 16 year old grand-daughter who is a new player.

There were at least six new players, two of them said they tried it at the pickleball demo before but they were intimidated by too many people waiting so they didn't play, I asked them to come back on Thursday. I taught a new player Matt who has a strong groundstroke because he plays racquetball and he learned the game quickly. He said "There is less running and quite an easy and fun game". His wife is a new player but she didn't play because so many people were waiting, she watched and said "I will come back to play on Thursday".

About 20 players gathered at our coffee and snacks time. We can hardly believe that Bill has 23 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Julie and I usually make the coffee, we have to make two pots of coffee for so many people. Thanks to Michelle who brought cookies and a large tray of fresh vegetables with dips (carrot, brocolli, peas, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes) that were so delicious and very healthy !!!

Ogden pal picks pickle(ball) to pepper parks

Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700043731/Ogden-pal-picks-pickleball-to-pepper-parks.html Published: Sunday, June 27, 2010
OGDEN — Retired businessman John Gullo is paying to have four pickleball courts built at city-owned Mount Ogden Park and is willing to donate money for training and other activities to see the sport become a smash hit.

"It's a good, physical game but not hard to learn," Gullo said. "It's a great sport, and I fell in love with it. I've been fortunate enough to have a few bucks, so I said, 'Let's do it.' 

Gullo learned about the game at a country club near his winter home in St. George. He began playing during his rehabilitation after nearly dying from a heart attack 17 months ago.

"On a given day, at 9 o'clock in the morning, people show up. Four people play, and then you switch, so you get to meet all your neighbors," Gullo said. "I like the way people welcome you like family. It's not a competitive thing. It's about getting everybody to play. Twenty to 24 people show up to play every day."

While in St. George, Gullo plays an hour-and-a-half before working with a personal trainer and doing up to 40 laps in a swimming pool.

"My stamina has improved," he said. "That's what the game has done for me."

Meanwhile, Gullo's weight has plummeted from 296 to 252 pounds, and his waistline is down six inches.

"I needed this for my health purposes, but since I can't put it in my (Ogden) backyard, I said I do this for the city, to get it going, and potentially, down the road, if it works, we could add more to it and maybe host some senior games up here," he said.

Uncommon Sport Gains Popularity in Rochester,N.Y. Rochester Ambassador Lost 80 Pounds Playing Pickleball

http://rochester.ynn.com/content/top_stories/512132/uncommon-sport-gains-popularity-in-rochester/?ap=1&MP By: Sheba Clarke
07/25/2010
It's a sport with a fun name that started in 1965. In the past year, Pickleball has become a big hit in the Rochester area.

It's not your typical tennis game, it's Pickelball. "People call it mini-tennis or maxi table tennis," said Dave Thomas, Rochester Ambassador of the USA Pickleball Association. "It's played on a court that 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. It's played exactly like tennis except the serving is underhand and you have to let the ball bounce twice," said Thomas.

Thomas promotes the sport as a Pickleball ambassador. As a bonus, he has lost 80 pounds playing.

The sport has become popular amongst Rochesterians in the past year. "A year an a half a go there were no courts in Rochester,” said Thomas. Now there are about 30 Pickleball courts in the area. "We've got courts now in the town of Henrietta, town of Webster, Parma, Riga and it's just growing everyday," said Thomas.

The game is easy to learn and players say it's a sport for everyone, young, old, and in between. "I find it's still an equal playing field when you come out here because I can lose to people that are 70," said Sheryl Rimore, who has been playing for two months. (Our two 80 years old Abbotsford players can also beat younger players :)

Nancy Lindquist started out by answering an ad in the paper. "I'm 54 years old and wanted to be out doing something. And I saw an ad in the Irondequoit Parks and Rec. that said, ‘Want to learn a new and exciting game?’ said Lindquist. "I mostly do it for the social and recreation and I try to stay fit."

The local Pickleball roster has gone from 10 to more than 80 players in the past year. With its first tournament this year, dubbed "Picklefest", players hope the sport keeps growing. "I think it has a corny name, but I think anybody should come out here and try it," said Rimore.

Hey, Grant, Abbotsford has also gone from 10 to more than 80 players in the past year. Let's have a "Picklefest" too !!!

Top Ten Pickleball Communities in N. America

Best Places to Live: Pickleball
By Dan Rabin, Read more: http://www.masters-athlete.com/public/464.cfm

Masters Athlete magazine has ranked the top ten pickleball communities in North America. The towns were judged on facilities, both in terms of quality and quantity; the number and quality of players; and the weather. In the end, only one community could be called Pickleball Paradise. The Villages, Fl. is Pickleball Paradise.

1 The Villages, Fla.
The Villages, the mammoth active adult community in central Florida, boasts 150 outdoor courts and 2,000 players. The weather, the leagues and tournaments run by the Villages' famed recreation department and the sheer number of residents looking for a game on a daily basis make this community Pickleball Paradise.

2 Seattle
If pickleball is your passion, and you're willing to sacrifice year-round sunshine for lush green landscapes, there are few better places to raise a racquet than in Seattle.

3 Surprise, Ariz.
In recent decades, the desert southwest has seen its population soar as seniors have flocked to the region's numerous active adult communities. Perhaps it's no surprise then, that Surprise, Ariz., has emerged as one the country's premier pickleball hotspots.

4 St. George, Utah
Pickleball arrived in St. George, Utah, in 2002. The first participants transformed tennis courts at SunRiver, St. George's active adult retirement community.

5 Schenectady, N.Y.
Pickleball was introduced to upstate New York about four years ago when a player who had learned the game in Florida taught it to several acquaintances in the Schenectady area. .

6 British Columbia, Canada
Pickleball's ongoing crusade knows no borders, as Canada is being besieged by scores of racquet-swinging seniors. British Columbia is the game's most active province.
(hooray, we are on the top ten list)

7 Houston
Pockets of pickleball are sprouting up like wildflowers across the Texas landscape. Houston currently claims the greatest concentration of pickleball activity.

8 Lafayette and Baton Rouge, La.
Pickleball has had a presence in Louisiana since at least 1980, when the game was first taught to students in the middle schools of Baton Rouge and Lafayette,

9 Bella Vista, Ark.
A local couple got turned on to pickleball while visiting friends in central Florida. They brought their enthusiasm for the game back to the Ozarks, and the Bella Vista Pickleball Club was born.

10 Southern California
From San Diego to Sacramento, Palm Desert to Silicon Valley, the options for pickleball enthusiasts are expanding at an accelerating pace.