Hush Paddle Does Not Meet USAPA Specifications

http://www.usapa.org/ Hush Paddle (Dec 26, 2010) Does not comply. Note: Samples with a hard fiberglass surface were provided for testing. The production version tested Dec.26, 2010 has a softer, flexible surface similar to the Apike. See the Paddle Material Specifications for test results.

The production version of the Hush paddle is much different than the samples that were provided for testing. The production version can be identified by an image of balloons or a ship. The sample has an image of a cherub and a hard fiberglass face.

New Year's Resolution Ideas for 2011

New Year's Resolution Ideas for 2011
Make more time for family and friends
giving up smoking/drinking
Start exercising
Go back to school / take a class
Get out of debt
Advance in your career, make more money
Lose weight
Set aside some personal time for yourself each week
Get out and be more sociable - make new friends
Learn something new - learn French, learn to play Pickleball etc.
eating a more healthy diet
saving more money
smile and be more positive and outgoing
Do some volunteer work
Accept yourself and be happy with what you've got.
Get regular doctors visits, exams, and physicals
Visit a new destination
Drive safer
Watch less television

The years just keep flying by - we must enjoy every day ....
We wish you and your families all the very best in 2011.
Dave, Shirley and Mike

Muscle Cramps maybe due to Tight Muscles

Eight courts were full with about 30 players, many new players today due to the holidays. I played with one new player Hermann. Glad to see Nathan and Matt. It was a nice surprise to see Allan and Julie back for Christmas. They told us about Happy Trails in Surprise, Arizona with 2,000 members and many pickleball clubs. Thanks to Dennis for bringing Christmas cake and chocolate treats. George's wife had a long leg cramp that an ARC Medic came quickly to give her medical assistance and she left in a wheelchair. (not exercising for a week may be the cause of muscle cramps from overstretching of unconditioned, tight muscles, warmup & stretching helps)

Many players are unhappy about the pickleball cancellation last week because the gyms floor did not get resurfaced. They said there is no notice posted at ARC so some players came and wanted to put the nets up to play but they were not allowed to do so but they let a few people played basketball and badminton there.

Massive Winter Storm Hits Atlantic Canada & U.S.

A few weeks ago Europe was being hammered by unusually cold weather and heavy snow, severely disrupting public transportation. Today a massive winter storm hits Atlantic Canada and northeast USA with 50 cm. of snow and high winds of 90-150 mph. Airports are closed with 2,000 flights cancelled, disrupting air, rail, and road traffics. Stranded passengers were given cots and blankets overnight in airports. Thousands of people are without power.

In Florida, our pickleball friends play pickleball with jackets and warm sweatshirts on outdoor courts at temperature 30-50 F. On the west coast, we are enjoying mild weather of 7C.(45F) that Dave even played golf yesterday (without winter golf hand warmers). After one week without pickleball (pickleball is additive, we need the exercise and to see our friends), we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Cross Border Shopping in USA Saves Money

Thousands of Canadians wait in line to cross the US border each day to go shopping to save money (we waited half an hour at the border last week but it was a fun trip). Many people told me they saved money shopping in Bellingham regularly to save money on groceries, gas, clothes, electronics etc. Filling a tank full of gas saves about $5 -10. Milk and cheeses are half price, a gallon of milk saves $2, a block of cheese saves $4. The same TV at Walmart in Canada costs $999, but at Walmart in US costs $599. People were excited to tell me they saved so much money on big ticket items like furnitures and tires & car parts that are half price. As the Canadian dollar is almost at par with US dollars and it only takes about 25 minutes to drive to Bellingham, no wonder so many Canadians are cross border shopping to save money.

No Pickleball at ARC on Dec 20 - 26, 2010

All eight courts were full with 28 players today. We welcomed new players Casey and Margaret. Ken and Mandy brought the Korean couple back to play again. I taught Margaret the non-volley zone and how to score, Joel taught another new player. I enjoyed winning a challenging game with Andre against George and Casey.

There will be no Tuesday and Thursday pickleball on the week of December 20 - 26 due to gym closure for floor resurfacing at Abbotsford Recreation Centre.

Pickleball Christmas Potluck Dinner Party

At this second table - Right to left: Al, Richard, Tom, John, Annette, Mike, Joan, Henrietta, Catherine, Herb, Pat, Shirley
28 players played on Tuesday afternoon. Nice to see Carol back for Christmas. Marilyn played a second time. I taught one new player. After pickleball, 25 players and friends attended our Christmas Potluck Dinner held in the Seniors Activity Centre: Henry, Rita, Joyce, Bill, Herb, Tom, Al, Richard, Annette, John, Pat, Matt, Joan, Ganbat, Henrietta, Catherine, Michelle, her husband and grandson, Harvey, Kenneth, Dave, Mike, Sara and me.

We had a wonderful variety of Christmas foods: Fresh roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, sprouts, pork quiche, two kinds of savory meatballs, rice, baked beans, two delicious salads, appetizers with ham, salami, cheeses, tomatoes, pepperoni, fantastic desserts include Christmas cake, pumpkin pie, assorted dessert size cakes and cookies. We also enjoyed a glass of apple cider and apple cranberry non-alcoholic sparkling wine. (bring more bottles next year !!:)

Sara Wood kindly helped me draw the door prize winners. The lucky ones were Matt, Al, Richard, Herb and Michelle who won chocolates, candies, tea and a Christmas plate. Sara also took some pictures of our group for us. Thanks, Sara! It was great to share this special time with our pickleball friends with lots of laughter and fun !!!

Schedule for Christmas Potluck Dinner

Pickleball Christmas Potluck Dinner Dec 14, we will meet at ARC's Seniors Activity Centre at 4:30pm and dinner at 5:00pm. Bring a dish or just come to join us for fun, prizes and dinner !!!
CHRISTMAS POTLUCK DINNER Tues Dec 14 at 5pm
Shirley - turkey
Mike - pork pie
Dave - meatballs
Pat - appetizer
Michelle - appetizer
Rita - salad
Joyce - salad
Henrietta - dessert
Annette - dessert
Catherine - dessert

Patron Potluck Lunch at ARC

The sun came out after heavy rain on our way to pickleball on Thursday afternoon. 20 players enjoyed many games together. Ken and Mandy introduced pickleball to a couple who are newcomers from Korea. Gary is a new player to Abbotsford who came from Chilliwack today with Andre. I played with Henry, Rita, Mandy, George, Gary, Joyce, Catherine, Vern, Bill, Mike and Dave. Henry and Ken were having a competitive match with Andre and George. People who attended ARC's Patron Potluck lunch today said they enjoyed the lunch and carol singing. Many prizes were given out, Harvey won a poinsettia prize.

ARC Patron Potluck Lunch. Thurs. Dec 9th 12.30pm

Eight courts were filled with about 28 players Tuesday afternoon. Three new players today: Marilyn, Trevor and Tom, they play tennis so they all played very well for the first time. Dave, Mike and Grant played with Trevor who can hit an overhead volley hard like Andre. Dave and Trevor enjoyed games with Michelle and Marilyn. Trevor is a young Starbucks employee and youth leader in Mission. I played with Tom and he already knows how to score. We were glad to see Andrew came back to play again. We all enjoyed the snack Al brought - cookies and Mandarin oranges - so refreshing after playing pickleball, 20 players enjoyed coffee, snacks, chat and laughter together.

ARC want to celebrate the Season with all patrons ! Join the annual Patron Potluck Lunch at ARC Dec 9, 12:30pm - 2:30pm in the Multi-purpose room 2/3. This year's event will include: Prizes, Activities, Carols with 'Happy Gang', Potluck Lunch. We invite everyone to bring a dish to share!
Potluck lunch @ 12.30 Pickleball @ 1.30
What an afternoon!!!!

28 Players Tuesday, Welcome 6 New Players

The snow is all gone with temperature above zero, replaced with continuous rain. 28 players enjoyed many games on Tuesday. We welcomed 6 new players: Garnet and Jordon played the second time, they brought two other younger strong players who enjoyed playing the first time. George is a new player who played a few times, he will introduce this new game to his wife. Another new player Claire will joined us next time.

Our players ages range from 20's to 80's. Bill at 81 years old can hit the ball very hard and plays very well. He said "I hope I can play till I am 90". We thanked Pat for bringing her delicious homemade muffins and apples. Matt and Pat will be away to Mexico for two weeks.

I will do another mixed round robin tournament at the second Tuesday in January. Matt will do two person teams round robin league at the last Tuesday in January. This way we will have a variety of round robins for fun and competition.

ARC Meeting with Sara Wood, Input, Discussion

Twelve dedicated players played on a snowy day, freezing -4 C., even though the roads were a bit slippery and icy. We shoveled our driveway and tried to avoid driving down very steep slopes. Snow on rooftops of houses look like icing on a cake and coniferous trees look like Christmas trees on a card, very pretty.

It was a good meeting with Sara Wood with nine players in attendance with input, comments and questions to explore solutions to enhance our pickleball group. Sara has finished the 'new to pickleball' booklet for new players. The 'Pickleball Etiquette' poster is too long for printing so some players helped her to shorten it.

Sara has found an instructor who will be teaching ARC pickleball staff. The cost for group lessons are too high so she will be using volunteers to teach 'new to pickleball' beginners on Wednesdays 1:30-3:30pm starting in January. Joel will be communicating with new players and encouraging them to come back again. Sara is planning to have a second annual Open Tournament at ARC next year.

Sara may contact the local newspaper to print an article on our pickleball group in order to attract some new players. Please contact Sara if you have any further comments and inputs.

Reminder: ARC Meeting on Nov 25

Only 20 players showed up on a freezing cold day with temperature at -8 C. and windchill about -25C. It is nice and warm to play pickleball indoors even if it rains, snows, too hot or too cold outdoors. Dave could not play golf for a week due to the frigid cold weather that he gained 2 lbs. from not walking on the golf course. Maybe playing pickleball and putting Christmas lights outside will help him burn calories and lose that extra two pounds. Exercising to Burn Calories ... Golf/carrying clubs, 244 calories/ 30 minutes, advanced pickleball players 350-400 calories/hour.

Ken and Mandy are back from a family wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and they enjoyed their trip. We thanked Bill for bringing a large cake, cookies, pepperoni, cheese and grapes which we all enjoyed with our friendly chats at snack time.

A reminder that there is a meeting at ARC with Sarah Wood on Thursday after pickleball. All pickleball players are welcome to attend.

26 Players Thursday, Welcome 4 New Players

Eight courts were open with about 26 players on a cold rainy day. It has been raining heavily and even snowed that there is snow on rooftops of houses on Glenn Mountain at the 600ft. level. Some snow is in the weather forecast for the next day or two.

We welcomed new players George, Bill and two younger players (one is called Craig) who have played a few times. Bill's wife said "I came to see what is pickleball. It looks like mini-tennis". Linda is also a new player who has played a few times and she really enjoys it. It is nice to see Catherine back from her ankle injury after two weeks.

I am glad that Grant got me a new paddle that I ordered. Like a new toy, it is fun to play with a new paddle that feels comfortable and play well with it. It helped me to win some games which was a lot of fun.

25 Players Tuesday, Coffee and Snacks

Eight courts were open with about 25 players Tuesday afternoon. I played with one new player but I forgot his name. Ken's neighbour Linda enjoyed playing with us again, she is getting to know how to score and played really well. Gord is back after many months away in the east coast. I played with Grant, Andre, Rita, Linda, Henrietta, Joyce, Michelle, Mike and Dave. Andre is an excellent player from Chilliwack. Other players include Rhys, Brian, Mel, Jean, Al, Richard, Henry, Jane, Ganbat, Terry and Anne. Annette is back from her trip to Hawaii and she has a lovely tan. She enjoyed snorkeling in Maui. We thanked her for bringing the delicious cookies and oranges.

Welcome 4 New Players, 25 Players Tuesday

About 25 players showed up on a rainy Tuesday afternoon on eight courts. Four new strong young players joined us today and they want to buy new paddles. Dave and Matt played with new players Rob and George, both can hit the ball very hard and reach the high balls because they are tall. They played extremely well because they play tennis. Henrietta and I played with the other two new young energetic players Jordon and Garnet who also play tennis so they played very well and have very good ground strokes. We welcomed Vern and Linda from Fort Langley. Ken's neighbour another Linda enjoyed to play with us again.

We signed up for snacks and Christmas potluck dinner on Tuesday Dec 14 at 5pm (see schedules on right side of blog). We thanked Richard for bringing cookies and watermelon which is so refreshing.
TUESDAYS SNACKS SCHEDULE:

Nov 16 - Annette
Nov 23 - Bill
Nov 30 - Pat and Matt
Dec 7 - Al
Dec 14 - Christmas Potluck Dinner
Dec 21 - No pickleball
Dec 28 - Dennis
Jan 4 - Shirley

No Pickleball on Nov11 Remembrance Day

About 24 players showed up on Thursday afternoon. We welcomed a new player Linda, Ken's neighbour who learned quickly because she plays tennis. I was teaching her first, then Ken arrived so I let him take over. Another new player Jerry played for the second time.

Mandy came with her sister and a friend. Her sister is visiting Mandy from Montreal and I guess there is no pickleball there, so they were watching how we play pickleball. They were very impressed with ARC's modern facility and bright lightings.

We are glad to see Al back from his back injury after three weeks. He hurt his back from using a 60 lbs. post pounder machine to make a fence on his farm. Tom came down just to buy his farm eggs, many people also like to buy his free range eggs. Tom, Al, Richard, Herb, Dave, Mike and I enjoyed coffee and chat afterwards.

A reminder that there will be no pickleball next Thursday Nov 11, Remembrance Day.

“Pickleball Etiquette and Court Manners” Poster

“Pickleball Etiquette and Court Manners” poster by Sara Woods:
This is your last chance to give feedback prior to this going to the printers so please let Sara know your thoughts!

Pickleball Etiquette and Court Manners

1. If there is disagreement whether the ball was clearly in or out, play the point over. The people on the side of where the ball lands are supposed to call the ball in or out. If they are uncertain, then the ball is in.

2. Never walk behind, beside or enter a court while a rally is in progress. Do not walk down the ends of the courts to get to the other gym; please walk around through the halls and enter through the other door.

3. When a point is over, return the ball to your opponent, not merely in his/her general direction. Take it as an opportunity to practice a return.

4. If the opponent claims there was a major distraction while hitting a shot (such as a ball bouncing, or someone entering onto the court), don't hesitate to replay the point. Call stop to the play and then reserve.

5. Verbal outbursts are distracting to your opponent and to players on other courts.

6. Throwing equipment in anger is unsportsmanlike and dangerous. Control your temper on the court at all times. Control your temper on the court at all times. Conduct yourselves in a respectful manner and show others the same courtesies you would like to have given to you.

7. Give your opponent time to get into position to return the ball before you serve.

8. It is the server's responsibility to clearly announce the score before serving each point.

9. Return stray balls to other courts, but not while a point is being played. If a ball comes across your court, call “ball on court” and stop play. Pick up the ball and go to the back of the court behind the back court lines to return it. Do not kick or hit balls back across other courts while the games are in progress!

10. Know the rules of the game and observe them.

Sara Wood
Community Recreation Programmer
Abbotsford Recreation Centre
Phone#: 604.851.4196
email: swood@abbotsford.ca

Reminder: Meeting at ARC on Nov 25

Eight courts were open with about 24 players. Joel was teaching two new players. We welcomed a new tall Joel who played for the second time. Nice to see Henrietta back from her ankle injury. I played with Grant, Mel, Jean, Michelle, Joyce, Janet, Catherine, Bill and Richard. Annette is away in Hawaii and Bill will be away to Ontario. Our thanks to Michelle for bringing yummy sweet grapes, pineapples and cookies. Joel told us that there will be a ARC meeting with Sara Woods on Thursday Nov. 25 after pickleball.

26 Players Thursday, Welcome 3 New Players

About 26 players showed up on a cold rainy Thursday afternoon. We welcomed 3 new players, Andy, Jerry and Bill. Andy comes from Cloverdale and he plays at South Surrey. Jerry and Bill are new to this game but they played very well because they play tennis and badminton. Glad to see Rita played with us again. I played with Grant, Terry, Annette, Rita, Andy, Jerry, Bill, Michelle, Catherine, Richard, Dave and Mike. Other players include Rhys, Ken, Barry, Matt and Pat. Everyone enjoyed many games.

History of Pickleball

A couple of snowbirds told me that they have played pickleball in Arizona for 12 years. I googled the internet to discover that pickleball is not a new game and has been around for a few decades:

Pickleball was created during the summer of 1965 on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, WA. The original purpose of the game was to provide a sport for the entire family, co-inventors U.S. Congressman Joel Pritchard, William Bell, and Barney McCallum.

Pickles was the family dog that would chase after the errant balls and then hide in the bushes, Pickle's ball was later shortened to the namesake of Pickleball. Initially, families played Pickleball in their backyards on a hard surface, driveways, and residential dead-end streets. Since the mid-1970's, Pickleball has grown and expanded from a family activity game to a paddle court sport with formalized rules.

Pickleball is a sport described as "a combination of ping-pong, tennis, and badminton", played in schools, parks and recreation centers, correctional facilities, camps, and retirement communities mostly in North America. It uses a simplified combination of tennis rules and strategies.

Mandy's Soft Pumpkin Cookie is So Delicious

About 30 players played happily on eight courts. We welcomed 3 new players today. Joel introduced a new staff Alex who will be helping out with pickleball and to set up tables and make coffee for snack time.

Our thanks to Mandy for bringing cantaloupe, pineapple and her homemade very delicious soft Pumpkin cookies - so good that Dave ate at least six of them. Her secret recipe contains nutritious ingredients: half whole wheat flour, half butter and half olive oil. Her last pot luck dinner's caesar salad secret ingredient is lemon juice instead of vinegar. It is so nice of Mandy to share her secret recipes. If I were a food judge for a cookie contest based on taste, texture, appearance and nutrition, Mandy won the first prize !!

Setting up 'Court Etiquette' Poster

Eight courts were open with about 24 players Tuesday afternoon. Nice to see Vern and Linda playing with us again. Danny and Gerry will be leaving for Arizona tomorrow for six months. I played some games with Jerry, Gerry, Danny, Bill, Dave, Joyce, Jean, another Dave and Annette. Our thanks to Joyce for bringing cookies, grapes, yellow and red peppers (high in vitamin A and C). Ken, Jane, Dave and I were helping Sara Woods preparing a 'Court Etiquette' poster and a booklet explaining about basic rules and etiquette to new beginners.

How to Make Pickleball Go International?

Eight courts were filled with about 26 players. I played some competitive games with Henry, Ganbat, Jerry, Annette, Mike, Pat, Vern, Linda, Jane and Danny. Terry and Anne are on vacation in Scotland. Anne came from a small town called Kirriemuir in Scotland and so did my husband Dave. Dave and I have been back to Scotland many times. I like to visit all the old castles. Kirriemuir is a nice small town with red stone buildings (large stone walls 3' wide so window ledges 3' wide) and narrow cobblestone streets where there used to be horses hundreds of years ago instead of cars. British people never heard of 'pickleball', someone should introduce pickleball to Britain and make an international pickleball tournament.

Dave said Britain does not have the facilities for pickleball. Neither does China but China has a lot of badminton clubs. A few young people tried pickleball in China. When there are more people learned pickleball and enjoy it, they will create new facilities for the sport they love, just like people in USA turning tennis courts and badminton courts, even parking lots into pickleball courts.

Henry and Barry played with two new young men who played very well. Young players can pick up this game easily. Two other new players Vern and Linda are from Langley and they came to play three times. Linda told me they found our pickleball site on Google (the power of the internet) and it looked like we are a friendly group so they decided to come to play in Abbotsford. They joined us at our last snack time and at the meeting. She said it proved right that we are a friendly group of people (great to hear that!!). They played very well because they played pickleball in 'The Villages' in Florida (pickleball paradise with 108 pickleball courts).

ARC Pickleball Meeting, Volunteers Needed

After playing pickleball, about 25 players attended ARC's meeting with Sara Wood, Sara Morris and Joel. A new younger player Joel played and attended the meeting, he's about 6' 4", he said "call me tall Joel". Coffee and snacks were provided. Many players joined in the discussion with lots of input, questions and feedback.

Sara Woods and Sara Morris outlined the pickleball schedule, rules, gym code of conduct, lessons and asked for volunteers to teach one court of "new pickleballers" at drop-in times (starting in January), to teach/demo at local schools, instructors for skill improvement, promote pickleball and recruit new players, social time/snacks. Lessons will be offered on Wed at 1:30 - 3:30pm for beginners in the Winter program guide and a volunteer is needed to teach. Volunteers are also required for the evening times to teach beginners. There will be some perks offered by ARC for volunteers.

All ARC's attendants have training in first aid, CPR and a defibrillator is available at the arena side. ARC will organize the 2nd annual pickleball tournament next year.

28 Players Tuesday, Snacks, Coffee

Paddle thanks at end of game - Gerry, Michelle, Catherine, Joyce


Eight courts were filled with about 28 players. Jane was playing with three new younger players. Chuck Lefaive from South Surrey was visiting us and Tom bought a Champion paddle from him. About 20 players at snack time, we thanked Gerry for bringing the delicious cookies and red grapes.

There will be a pickleball meeting at ARC at 3:30pm on Thursday. Sara Wood has done a lot of legwork in understanding Pickleball and its phenomenal growth, Sara Wood, Sarah Morris and Joel will be leading the discussion. All players are welcome to attend.

25 Players Attended Our Pot Luck Dinner

About 25 players joined us at our Pot Luck dinner. It was so nice to try new cuisine made by our friends. Michelle made a large Mediterranean pie with spinach, ham, cheese in a puff pastry which looked so fantastic. Pat baked Thai spicy fillings in a wonton wrapper. Gerry made three kinds of cheese baked on a half roll appetizers. Joyce made a tasty spinach salad. Mandy's Caesar salad with her homemade dressing was so good that I got her recipe. I made sausages, meatballs, carrots and pototoes. Mike brought sliced tomatoes and cheese french bread. Other players brought some delicious dishes. There were two desserts: Julie made a lovely homemade rhubarb pie with ice cream, and we also enjoyed Tom's lemon cake. Everyone enjoyed the food and had a great time !!!

I gave a big hug to Julie and Allan because they will be going to Arizona in a couple of weeks and we will miss them for six months. We also will miss other snowbirds including Gerry and Danny who became our new good friends. I forgot to take a photo of the group, then we took some photos after many players had already left.

At night eight courts were open with about 12 players. We were so glad to see Nomi that Mike and I played two games with her and Nathan, she played very well. Matt, Mike K.and Chris played with Mike while Nomi and I chatted about life in general.

Reminder: Pot Luck Dinner Sept 28, 2010

We will be having a pot luck dinner next Tuesday Sept 28 after pickleball. Come join us to celebrate our friendship before the snowbirds go down south. Bring a dish or just come to join us.
Lots of homemade healthy food !!!

Michelle - Mediterranean Pie
Joyce - spinach salad
Shirley - sausages, meatballs, potatoes
Mike - Tomotoes and cheese bread
Gerry - three cheese bread roll
Pat - baked meat wonton appetizer
Mandy - Caesar Salad
Julie - homemade pie and ice cream

We will meet at ARC's senior room at 4:30pm and dinner will be served at 5:00pm.

28 Players Thursday, Welcome 3 New Players

Eight courts were full with about 28 players on a rainy Thursday afternoon. Three new players: two young men rallied very well, one is called Craig, I forgot the other's name. I asked them to come back and I will teach them. Jim is another new player who played very well, he moved very fast and fell (he's ok) and we just laughed about it. He wants to buy a new paddle. He played it many years ago as a school teacher. I played two games with him and he learned how to score very quickly (he still has to learn dings and not to volley in the kitchen). Dave, Mike and I had coffee and chat with Jim, Ken and Al after pickleball. It seems like we have a very friendly group of enthusiastic pickleball players.

At night there were about 10 players. Ken was teaching three kids who played very well for the first time, they could even do vollies. He also taught two young adults. Dave, Mike, Ken and I played many enjoyable games.

35 Players Tuesday, Snack, 17 Players At Night

All eight courts were full with 35 players with a few players waiting to play. Nice to see Martin, and Mel and Jean from Calgary. Two new players were Allan H's wife Lisa and Bill's son Jim. Grant put new grips on Jane's and my paddle. At snack time there were 25 people, I brought a strawberry cake, homemade apple pies and watermelon.

We congratulated Ken, Mandy, Jane, Henry and Carol for winning seven gold and one silver medals at the B.C.Seniors Games. What a fun time they had for $50 that included the tournament, two lunches, a dinner with a live band and Elvis as the entertainer (hotel and ferry cost more). It was good that they taught some new players in a training clinic so that they will teach other new players in Campbell River since pickleball is a new game just started there.

At night there were 17 players on eight courts. One family of five enjoyed rallying and two young women rallied very well because they play tennis and racquet balls. Mike and I enjoyed playing with Jerry and Grant. Other strong younger players include Nathan, Matt, Mike and Chris who enjoyed hitting hard shots at each other, lots of fun !!!

BC Seniors Games & Pickleball report

What an exciting time we had in Campbell River on Vanc.Island at the Senior Games. There were 5 of us (Mandy, Jane, Carol, Henry & Ken) who participated in either competitive or recreational play. We were then divided into age categories of 5yr increments, plus doubles, mixed double or singles. We all came top / gold in our respective categories, so, sweet success and lots of fun games with healthy and keen competition from all competitors. We played 7 games on Thursday and 10 games on Friday. Some of use participated in a 3 hr. training clinic to leave a Pickleball legacy with about 12 Campbell River keener s for on Sat. morning so PB can grow and be a force in future BC Senior games.
About 3500 seniors turned out to take part in all types of sports activities in the Comox, Courtney and Campbell River communities. It was a grand time with amazing Opening Ceremonies, banquets, dances and general all round fun times, even Elvis appeared to wow the ladies with his old favorites.. Pics to follow....

Congratulations to B.C.Seniors Games Winners

Congratulations to Carol Haworth, Jane Squires, Ken and Mandy Witt, Henry Meerkerk on winning seven gold and one silver medals in 2010 B.C.Seniors Games:

Ehlers/Haworth Gold Women 65 - 69 Competitive Doubles
Haworth/Mezei Gold Men and Women 65 - 69 Competitive Mixed Doubles
Witt/Sayer Gold Men 60 - 64 Recreational Doubles
Juliusson/Witt Gold Women 60 - 64 Recreational Doubles
Witt/Witt Gold Men and Women 60 - 64 Recreational Mixed Doubles
Yeo/Squires Gold Men and Women 65 - 69 Recreational Mixed Doubles
Hubbick/Squires Gold Women 65 - 69 Recreational Doubles
Meerkerk/Touchet Silver Men 55 - 59 Competitive Doubles

20 Players Thursday Afternoon, 10 Players At Night

Only 20 regular players came to play pickleball on a rainy afternoon. Mel is back from Calgary. I played some games with Annette, Gerry, Henrietta, Michelle, Frank, Dave, Matt and Joel. Other players: Barry, Al, Danny, Pat, Bill, Rod, Terry, Mike, Allan and Julie.

On a rainy night, there were about 10 players, mostly younger players rallying with each other. Mike and I played doubles with Annette and Chris. Annette and I also had an enjoyable game of singles.

Some of our players are competing in the B.C.Seniors Games in Campbell River, B.C. The 2010 BC Seniors Games is hosted by Comox Valley and Campbell River from September 15 to 18. About 1,200 seniors are participating in B.C.Seniors Games that includes pickleball, badminton, table tennis, bridge, square dancing, swimming, lawn bowling, darts etc. Read more: http://www.bcseniorsgames.org/bcsgs/

How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally

Only about 20 regular players showed up on a beautiful sunny day. Some players are already on their way to play in the B.C. Seniors Games in Campbell River, Vancouver Island. They will be competing on Thursday and Friday.

Joel explained to a couple of new players how to play this game. I enjoyed some close games with Annette, Jane and Pat. We thanked Pat for bringing the cookies and fruit which we all enjoyed. At snack time, we talked about health, diet, hobbies, sports and the world's news. Some good suggestions about good diet and exercises can help to prevent cancer and diabetes, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol.

How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally http://commonsensehealth.com/Health-Conditions/How_to_Lower_Cholesterol_Naturally_in_7_Steps.shtml

These are the 7 steps you can take to lower cholesterol naturally. And if you follow all of them, you can count on a very high success ratio.

1.Eat a healthy cholesterol lowering diet. Some fats help lower cholesterol, while others can raise it. So get your fats right. Reduce overall fat intake, avoid trans fats, limit saturated fats and replace "bad" fats with "good" fats, such as olive oil and those found in whole grains and omega 3 fish. High fiber foods also help lower cholesterol naturally. They decrease "bad" LDL and increase "good" HDL cholesterol.

2.Do regular healthy physical activity. At least 30 minutes of exercise a day has been shown to decrease total cholesterol and improve "good" HDL cholesterol levels,

3.Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight can decrease "good" HDL levels and increase "bad" LDL and total cholesterol levels.

4.Eliminate sweets and refined foods. Few realize that eating sweets and other high glycemic foods increase triglycerides and cholesterol production.

5.Cut out caffeine and alcohol – drink water. Both caffeine and alcohol have been shown to elevate cholesterol.

6.Don't smoke or use tobacco in any form.

7.Practice good healthy stress management.

The new Tuesday night time 8:00 - 9:30 has started. Eight courts were open with about 15 players playing. Mike and I were very glad to see Nathan and Matt and we played four close games with them. They won the bronze medals at our tournament last June. They are excellent net players, hitting a lot of fast vollies, they can hit very hard, move very fast, definitely strong A players.

Wishes Good Luck to B.C. Seniors Games Players

Another beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon, about 25 regular players showed up to play pickleball with eight courts open. One new player Andre from Chilliwack joined us today. Matt and Pat are back from Calgary. Denny and Gerry are also back from their trip to Florida. Nice to see Cathy, Dorothy and Carol. Everyone enjoyed many games and had a great time. Our wishes of good luck to those players who will be competing in the B.C. Seniors Games in Campbell River next week !!!

Results of 16 Players Round Robin Tournament

16 players played 7 games in a Round Robin Tournament in 2 hours: Allan T, Bill, Mike, Frank, Herb, Terry, Rita, Elaine, Joan, Ken, Mandy, Annette, Barry, Catherine, Allan H, Henrietta. Barry scored 11 in every game, his total score was 77. Congratulations to Barry on winning the first prize - a jar of pickles marked "Pickleball Champion".
The scores of the top 8 players:
#1 Barry - 77
#2 Frank - 68
#3 Herb - 66
#4 Mike - 59
#5 Annette - 58
#6 Allan T - 57
#7 Terry - 56
#8 Elaine - 54

Everyone enjoyed the competition and had a great time !!!
I was the scorekeeper, Bill added most of the scores very quickly for me to determine the winner. We all enjoyed it so much that we will do another round robin tournament again soon !!! There were six players who did not play in the tournament but they were able to enjoy many games on the other courts. We thanked Terry for bringing the delicious muffins and red grapes which we all enjoyed !!!

USAPA Rating Guidelines and Descriptions

Rating Guidelines

You may look at the currently proposed descriptions for the different rating groups to help determine your rating. You may also use the following statements in helping to select your self-rating.

•The top senior players between 50 & 64 should normally be rated 4.5 with only a very few rated as 5.0.
•The top senior players 65 & over will have some 4.5 players and more 4.0 players at the top.
•Senior Players 70 years of age or older will not be rated higher than 4.0 except on rare occasions. If you are 70 or over and rated higher than 4.0, send us an email with your birth date!
•The best younger adult players are currently rated as 5.0 or not rated and play strictly in Open tournaments where ratings are not required.

Rating Descriptions
1.0
These players need to work most on developing their hand/eye coordination. They frequently miss the ball entirely, but can hit some of the slower balls with their forehand. They have a hard time playing games because they can't keep a rally going.

1.5
These players keep some short rallies going with their forehand, but still fail to return easy balls frequently and occasionally still miss the ball entirely. They have played a few games and know the basic rules of the game.

2.0
These players are learning to judge where the ball is going, but can sustain a short rally with players of equal ability. They have obvious weaknesses in most of their strokes.

2.5
These players are able to keep quite a few balls going with their forehands, make most easy volleys, and are beginning to make some backhands but need to work more on developing their strokes. They are thinking more about coming up to the non-volley zone to hit volleys and are making an effort to be more aggressive.

3.0
These players are fairly consistent when hitting medium-paced shots, but are not comfortable with all strokes and lack control when trying for direction, depth, or power on their shots. They are beginning to attempt lobs and dinks but don't fully understand when and why they should use them and don't have a lot of success with them.

3.5
These players have achieved improved stroke dependability with directional control on most medium speed balls and some harder hit balls. They still need to develop more depth and variety with their shots, but are exhibiting more aggressive net play, are anticipating their opponent's shots better, and are developing teamwork in doubles.

4.0
These players have dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand sides with most shots. They can use lobs, overheads, approach shots and volleys with some success and occasionally force errors when serving. Rallies may be lost due to impatience. Teamwork in doubles is evident. They know the rules of the game and can play by them.

4.5
These players have developed their use of power and spin, can successfully execute all shots, can control the depth of their shots, and can handle pace. They have sound footwork and they move well enough to get to the non-volley zone whenever required. They understand strategy and can adjust their style of play according to their opponent's strengths and weaknesses and their position on the court.They can hit serves with power and accuracy and can also vary the speed and spin of the serve if desired.

5.0
These players have all the skills of the 4.5 players, but have either developed these same skills to a higher level or are simply quicker and/or stronger than the 4.5 group of players.

Round Robin Tournament Tues. Sept 7, 2010

On a beautiful sunny Thursday afternoon, four courts were full of players with about ten players waiting to play (26 players), so Joel opened up four more courts. Ken introduced two new players Vern and Linda to me. Vern and Linda came from Langley and they learned to play pickleball in Florida a year ago. Dave and Mandy played some games with them and they really enjoyed it. Annette, Rita, Catherine and I played three close games in ladies doubles which was a lot of fun. Everyone had as many games as they wanted and enjoyed the competition:)

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 tournament will use four courts and the other four courts are available for the other players. For those who are not able to play in this tournament due to a maximum of 16 players, there will be another one soon !!!

No Voting for a Committee on Sept 7

There will not be any voting for a committee on Tues Sept 7. Ken received an email from Sara Wood, Community Recreation Programmer, City of Abbotsford, ARC:

"In regards to your email and in follow up to our previous conversation. I have spoken with my leadership team and at this time the selection of a committee for pickle ball does not fit within the structure of our drop-in programs. I would still be very interested in meeting with your group to share what I have learned after my research into other successful pickle ball programs and it would give program participants may have the opportunity to voice how we can improve and develop our program. We welcome and appreciate your assistance in this process and propose that we meet at a "yet to be determined" date so that we have time to do our own research and to ensure that the meeting is set at a time that I am scheduled to be in the office. I would estimate that this meeting will take place within a 2 week period and I will follow up with you as soon as a date has been set."

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.

16 Players Thursday Afternoon, 10 At Night

Many people are enjoying the sunny warm weather outside that only 16 players showed up Thursday afternoon. Carol and Cathy from Chilliwack, Annette, Bill, Richard, Brian, Henrietta, Henry, Rita, Jerry, Barry, Janet, Catherine, Dave, Mike and me. Everyone enjoyed continuous games for two hours without waiting.

Dave figured out how to fold up the net with the net winding machine by one person: Put two nets on top of the other two nets on the floor and line them up perfectly together, then carefully wind them up onto the storage machine. It is a finicky job but it looks neater.

At night there were about 10 players, most are new players rallying with each other. Barry played with a friend. Michelle was teaching her grandson how to play.

Tuesday Snacks: Nutrients in Watermelon

Tuesday afternoon was full with about 22 players. Nice to see Richard back from an arm injury. We will miss Joyce who will be away to Italy for the next six weeks. She brought cookies and watermelon which we all enjoyed. She said "Watermelons are low in calories and very nutritious": Watermelon is high in lycopene, second only to tomatoes. Recent research suggests that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, helps prevent some forms of cancer and cardiovascular disease.

According to research conducted at the University of North Carolina, men who consumed a lycopene-rich diet were half as likely to suffer a heart attack as those who had little or no lycopene in their diets. Watermelon is also high in vitamin C and vitamin A, in the form of disease-fighting beta carotene. It also contains potassium, which helps to control blood pressure and possibly prevent strokes.

One player told us cholesterol lowering drugs do more harm than good in side effects, he recommends doing regular exercise and eating the right foods. Another player said he gained weight from eating large portion-size meals and all you-can-eat buffets in restaurants in Las Vegas. Portion sizes have increased in restaurants, grocery stores and vending machines which can translate into excess calories and weight gains.

Joyce said diabetes is not caused by eating too much sugar. Type 1 diabetes typically occurs in childhood, type 2 diabetes usually develops in adults. You can reduce your chances of type two diabetes by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy balanced diet and getting regular exercise. Read more: http://www.diabetes.org (This information is not to be used as medical or health advice, but for health-conscious discussion only!)

Welcome Many New Players Thursday Night

About 18 regular players Thursday afternoon. Dave accidentally hit his leg with the paddle and bruised his leg. Two weeks ago he fell on his front from running fast to hit a ball and bruised his ribs and wrist but it still has not stopped him from playing golf and pickleball. Today he was so happy to shoot 70 (two under par) on the golf course.

There was a lot of new younger players Thursday night. One new player told me she really enjoys playing pickleball for the first time. We still encounter so many people who asked "What is pickleball?" which requires a lengthy explanation. Grant and Ashley (a new host and attendant) were teaching some new players. Ashley said there were so many players last Thursday night that they almost needed eight courts. I had fun playing some close games with Brian and Gene and we were teaching a new player. Gene only played a few times and he plays very well already. Brian played for about a month and he also plays extremely well because he is a racquetball player.

Eat Right for Your Blood Type, diet and exercise

About 20 players showed up Tuesday afternoon. Elaine from Chilliwack came to play because pickleball in Chilliwack is cancelled in the summer. Thanks to Al for bringing cookies, grapes, oranges which we all enjoyed. So nice to see a new net since the old net had some torn holes. Sarah Morris will show Mike how to roll up the new net (covers four courts) by a machine next time.

Last week Joyce talked about her trip to Tajikistan, Kyrgistan last month that she learned about their food and culture. Today she explained why some people cannot digest wheat, it has to do with their ancestral genetic disposition and blood types. “I’m a Type O.” she said, “And when I eat according to my blood type I have unlimited energy.” (This information is not to be taken as medical or other health advice).

Type O is the oldest type of blood when hunters eat meat, they have high levels of stomach acid which contains a enzyme that removes cholesterol from fatty meats from the bloodstream better, they cannot tolerate some grains like wheat and corn, they should exercise vigorously. According to Wikipedia, about 40% world population have type O's.

Type A emerged about 15,000 B.C. when people were settlers and farmers who grow vegetables. When the more vegetarian blood type A (with weaker stomach acids) eats fatty meats, the thicker blood of A lacks the enzyme that blood type O has more efficiently for thousands of years to remove the cholesterol from the fatty meat. Blood type A (and AB) can get their arteries filled up with fat and calcium from eating diets high in saturated fatty acids (fat from meat). About 32% world population have type A's.

Type B emerged about 10,000 B.C. as tribes migrated from Africa to Europe, Asia and the Americas, they should eat a balanced diet and do moderate exercise. About 22% world population have type B's.

Type AB blood is rare – it’s found in less than 5% of the population. And it is the newest of the blood types. Until ten or twelve centuries ago, there was no Type AB blood type. Type AB is sometimes A-like, sometimes B-like and sometimes a fusion of both.

Eating the right food and exercise will help to maintain healthy weight and avoid certain diseases and ailments. With proper diet, the chance of disease is greatly reduced, coupled with exercise, enables your immune system to be its strongest. A strong immune system can make the difference between a longer or shorter life span.
Read more: http://www.thenaturalhealthplace.com/BloodTypes.html

Seniors Health & Fitness Inspirations

Two inspirational active energetic seniors who are very good players enjoy the exercise and social aspect of pickleball at ARC:

Bill who is 80 years old started to play pickleball about six months ago. He can jump up to hit a ball like a young man in his 30's. He said "I used to be a good runner and played tennis. I got strong arm muscles from milking cows when I was young. I dislike the side effects of blood pressure pills, now I don't take any medications at all. I eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and I take hemp, flax and fish oil daily and my blood pressure is 126." (This information is not to be taken as medical or other health advice.)

Al will turn 80 years old this year. He has played pickleball for just over a year. Al said "I enjoy to workout in the weight room regularly, my wife likes to walk on the indoor track upstairs". Al taught me some stretching and strengthening exercises which he learned from a personal trainer. Al and his wife ski in the winter. They have a hobby farm with horses and chickens, he sells chickens and eggs (which comes first, chicken or the egg?).

I learned from Al that not all eggs produce chicks because he has 80 chickens but no rooster, all his eggs cannot produce any baby chicks. He said "They need roosters to produce chicks". I guess chickens lay unfertilized eggs. Al also told me that cows need bulls to produce milk after giving birth to a calf. Well, I am glad to learn some interesting facts about farm animals.

28 Players Tuesday Afternoon, Coffee and Snacks

Four courts were busy with about 28 players with some waiting for games. So nice to see John Kusch from South Surrey who won two gold medals in our June tournament playing with us today. Dave was happy to win two games with John against Jerry, Barry and Ken. John was giving Dave tips on winning strategies. I said the next time he has to give me some coaching tips too. We are glad to see Henrietta back from her ankle injury. Michelle and Joyce were excited to play very well with their new S-Type paddles.

Thanks to Bill who brought a cake, cookies, grapes, cherries, cantaloupe which we all enjoyed. Last week Ken and Mandy brought ice cream, berries and cake, yummy!

THE TIMES: PICKLEBALL TOURNEY A BIG SUCCESS

The Times July 6, 2010

PICKLEBALL TOURNEY A BIG SUCCESS

Abbotsford's Rod Koch, Henry Meerkerk, Matt Koning, Nathan Krabberdam and Mandy Witt won bronze medals at the inaugural pickleball tournament last week at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre.

The event attracted 90 participants from the Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Kelowna, Port Moody, Ladner, and South Surrey. Pickleball is a relatively new racquet sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis, table tennis, and ping-pong. The sport is played on a court with the same dimensions as a badminton court. The net is lower than most other racquet sports allowing for faster play. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing sports in North America.

Eight courts were in constant play for the day with many advanced 5+ skill level players.

Gold medal winners were:

Mixed Doubles 55+ : Hill/Kusch
Mens Doubles 55+: Kusch/Touchet
Ladies Doubles 55+ : Edwards/Postler
Mixed Doubles under 55: Zhekhovsky/Zhekhovskaya
Mens Doubles under 55: Beckwith/Zhekhovsky
Ladies Doubles under 55: Iggulden/Zhekhovskaya

Read more: http://www.abbotsfordtimes.com/sports/Pickleball+tourney+success

ABBOTSFORD NEWS: Pickleball hits Abbotsford

Abbotsford News - Sports, http://www.bclocalnews.com

Pickleball hits Abbotsford

Published: June 30, 2010 3:00 PM
Updated: June 30, 2010 3:42 PM

Five Abbotsford players came away with third-place finishes in the city’s first pickleball tournament held at the ARC last Saturday.

Rod Koch and Henry Meerkerk came third in the over-55 men’s doubles while Matt Koning and Nathan Krabberdam were third in the under-55 men’s doubles. Mandy Witt was also on the third-place team in women’s under-55 doubles.

Ninety competitors took part in the tournament which featured a sport that is a hybrid of tennis, table tennis and badminton.

Abbey Tournament an Overwhelming Success

http://pickleballcanada.org/node/156 wrote:

Abbey Tournament an Overwhelming Success:

Abbotsford, BC held their first ever open tournament that attracted 90 participants from Vancouver Island, Kelowna, Port Moody, Ladner, and South Surrey.

The event was held at the Abbotsford Recreation Centre, ARC, with eight courts.

Congratulations to Grant Brittain for being tournament chair and Shirley Shepherd for the article.

To read the article, find out the names of the winners, and see pictures of the event go to Tournament Photos at ARC June 26, 2010.

Tournament Photos at ARC June 26, 2010

Players were arriving as early as 7:30am and our tournament was finished at about 5:00 pm. We had 90 competitors from all over B.C. including Nanaimo, Ladner, Port Moody, Kelowna, Chilliwack, South Surrey, and a team of about ten volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the day. Food and beverages were available to players all day: Muffins, donuts for breakfast, gourmet sandwiches, appetizers, fruit platters, desserts for lunch, snacks were available for the rest of the day. We all needed the nutritrious food to keep our energy up for so many competitive games. Eight courts were in constant play for the entire day. We were glad to watch a lot of advanced 5+ skill level players performing their excellent skills, talent and experience.

Congratulations to all the medal winners !!!! Congratulations to our five Abbotsford players who won third place bronze medals: Rod Koch and Henry Meerkerk (Mens Doubles 55+), Matt Koning and Nathan Krabberdam (Mens Doubles under 55) and Mandy Witt (Ladies Doubles under 55) !!!

Players commented on our excellent facility at Abbotsford Recreation Centre, ARC, our superb customer service, delicious food and our friendliness and hospitality. Players were able to meet new pickleball friends from other areas. I was delighted to meet people who enjoyed reading our blog. Overall, everyone had a great time !!!!

Mixed Doubles under 55 - Gold: Zhekhovsky/Zhekhovskaya, Silver: Iggulden/Iggulden, Bronze: Pitcher/Pitcher


Ladies Doubles 55+ - Gold: Edwards/Postler, Silver: Copp/Hill, Bronze: Robinson/Wheatley


Mens Doubles 55+ - Gold: Kusch/Touchet, Silver: Copland/Skinner, Bronze: Meerkerk/Koch


Ladies Doubles under 55 - Gold: Iggulden/Zhekovsky, Silver: Yey/Choy, Bronze: Pitcher/Witt


Mens Doubles under 55 - Gold: Beckwith/Zhekovsky

Tournament Winners Names on June 26, 2010

Shirley waiting to play with volunteers Catherine, Henrietta.

Thanks to Grant and all the volunteers for making our first Pickleball Tournament a great success !!!! A great big thank you to all 90 competitors including those who came from Vancouver Island, Kelowna, Port Moody, Ladner, Chilliwack, South Surrey. We look forward to seeing you again !!!!

Grant Brittain was our tournament director. Julie Turner was our official Scorekeeper. Rod Koch, Henry Meerkerk, Ken Witt and Carol Haworth from Chilliwack were the referees for the medal games. Ken Witt, Henry Meerkerk, Dave and Mike Shepherd, Elaine Griffiths from Chilliwack, Peter Darvill from Ladner and others were line judges. Catherine, Henrietta, Lorie, Heather, Richard and many others were volunteers. Shirley Shepherd and Allan Turner were the photographers. Thanks to everyone !!!

TOURNAMENT MEDAL WINNERS:

Mixed Doubles 55+
Gold Hill/Kusch
Silver Jonker/Jonker
Bronze Yeh/Leung

Mens Doubles 55+
Gold Kusch/Touchet
Silver Copland/Skinner
Bronze Meerkerk/Koch

Ladies Doubles 55+
Gold Edwards/Postler
Silver Copp/Hill
Bronze Robinson/Wheatley

Mixed Doubles under 55
Gold Zhekhovsky/Zhekhovskaya
Silver Iggulden/Iggulden
Bronze Pitcher/Pitcher

Mens Doubles under 55
Gold Beckwith/Zhekovsky
Silver Watkins/Pitcher
Bronze Koning/Krabberdam

Ladies Doubles under 55
Gold Iggulden/Zhekovsky
Silver Yeh/Choy
Bronze Pitcher/Witt

First Division Tournament Draw ARC June 26, 2010

All players should be at ARC gym at 8:30 am. 2499 McMillan Road, Abbotsford, B.C. (See direction map at right). Grant Brittain will welcome all players and give a brief outline of the tournament.

The first division to play is Mixed Doubles 55+ starting at 8:30 am with 18 teams. Click the document to enlarge and see the draw for this division. The other five divisions will follow. Eight courts will be in play.

Tournament Practise, 10 Players Sunday Night

10 players showed up Sunday night. Matt, Nathan, Henry came to practise for the tournament with Mike, Dave and me. I enjoyed to play against Nathan and Matt in order to improve my game with stronger players. Catherine and Anne played and Rita watched. We welcomed one new player who played very well because she is a tennis player with good ground strokes.

90 Players Signed Up for Our June 26 Tournament

There were about 25 players on Tuesday afternoon. New players Peter, Dennis and Brian joined us today. Catherine really plays well with her new S-Type paddle. I showed everyone a beautiful portrait of Grant's family which I developed into a large placemat. Thanks to Lorie for bringing the healthy snacks, savory salad and fruit.

Grant told us that 90 players have registered for our June 26 tournament, fantastic !!! Players are coming from all over B.C. We look forward to welcoming them all to Abbotsford !!! Grant is busy trying to schedule the matches and we will let you know when it is done.

Tuesdays Snack Schedule, 9 Players Sunday Night

9 players showed up Sunday night. A new player Glen played very well for the first time because he played tennis before. His son Eric, lifeguard 6'10", enjoyed playing the second time. Barry and Edie were there. Allan came to practise for our upcoming tournament with Mike, Dave and me. I really need to practise with some stronger players in order to improve my game for the June 26 tournament.

We are glad that Carol found a partner Elaine from Chilliwack for Dave's friend Peter in Ladner who will be playing in two divisions in our tournament. Dave and I will only be playing in one division because we can't find a partner for the second division. Mike will play in two divisions in our tournament.

TUESDAYS SNACKS SCHEDULE:

July 6 Ken
July 13 Bill
July 20 Al
July 27 Joyce
Aug 3 Michelle
Aug 10 Julie
Aug 17 Tom
Aug 24 Rita
Aug 31 Catherine

Senior Demo, 30 Players Thursday, 20 At Night

Hurry! Only 2 days left to enter our June 26 Pickleball Tournament.

Eight courts were filled with about 30 players on a rainy Thursday afternoon. Today is Seniors Pickleball demo for new seniors to try it out, at least 12 new players came to play and many others showed interest and asked questions about it. Julie and I were teaching two new players how to play the game and they obviously enjoyed it.

All four courts were busy at night with about 20 younger players, most of them are new players. I played with Mike, Matt, another Mike, Edie, Brian and Anne. I taught a new player who was doing Nordic pole walking and she really appreciated it.

4 Days Left to Enter Our Pickleball Tournament

Hurry! Only 4 days left to register for our pickleball tournament.
65 players have already signed up for the event. We are in need of players in the Mixed doubles under 55, ladies doubles under 55, and mens doubles under 55.

Abbotsford Pickleball Tournament at ARC:
Tournament date: June 26, 2010
Tournament hours: 8:30 - 5:00 pm
Fees: Player $25, additional events: $5, non-player: $7
(Fee includes lunch & eligibility for prizes)
Entries must be received no later than June 12, 2010
Please note: This is a non-apike paddle event.
Division Information:
Please select the division(s)you are entering and your partner's name.
Mixed Doubles: ( ) 55+ ( ) under 55
Ladies Doubles: ( ) 55+ ( ) under 55
Men's Doubles: ( ) 55+ ( ) under 55

Please register at ARC or mail completed forms & payment to Sarah Morris, Abbotsford Recreation Centre, 2499 McMillan Road, Abbotsford, B.C. V2S 7R3 604-853-4221
Click registration form located in 'slideshow'. Right click the documents and click 'print picture' to make copies of registration form.
Please contact us if you have any questions, email Grant: uthdudegrant@hotmail.com or abbypickleball@shaw.ca

23 Players Tuesday Afternoon, Coffee & Snacks

About 23 players participated on a sunny Tuesday afternoon. Two new players Peter and Brian, they both played really well. This was the first time for Brian who plays squash and racquetball. We are glad that Dave's golf friend Peter and some of his friends from Ladner will be playing in our tournament.

Julie baked some very delicious brownies and cookies with lovely skewers of fruit for our coffee and snack. We were all discussing the long lists names of players in our tournament to see who we are going to be competing against.

Nanaimo Tournament on Saturday July 24, 2010

Tournament date 24th July 2010 830 am to 5pm

It will be held at the Oliver woods Community center in Oliver road Nanaimo.

54 and under mens , ladies and mixed doubles.........

55 and over mens , ladies and mixed doubles


if you are arriving slightly late we will allow to 9am provided you let us know in advance.

A draw will be sent out by 15th July so that entrants know their first play times

We will be charging $20 for both events and $15 for 1 event only

contact person is ronniepitcher@gmail.com