Submitted by Juanita and Carl Vincent, Southwest Regional Ambassadors
Editor's Note: You may have seen the news article on the usapa.org site about the special needs group that had the chance to play pickleball at the Happy Trails courts in Surprise, AZ. Juanita and Carl Vincent here give us more of an insight into how they planned and ran these sessions. They're inspiring!
The Happy Trails Pickleball Club in Surprise, AZ was contacted by the Adaptive Recreation Coordinator from the city of Peoria. They were looking for someone to demonstrate/teach pickleball to their special needs programs. Many of their participants are very active in Special Olympics Sports programs and were interested in learning a new sport.
After receiving approval from the HT Pickleball Club to reserve four courts for one hour on two consecutive Wednesdays and from our resort's Board of Directors to bring in a group from the community (liability concerns), we were set to go.
Prior to meeting with the students, we held a planning session with about eleven members of our club. Together we formulated a plan of action. Our goal was twofold: to promote our sport as pickleball is for all and to have it included in the Special Olympics Sports Programs. Next we prepared a lesson plan to introduce the sport, including:
1. warm-up exercises
2. eye-hand coordination....balancing ball on paddle, concentration activities, ball contact with paddle (bounce hits, air hits, overhead hits)
3. dinks...eye on ball, knees bent, soft shots
4. serves...ready position, paddle grip
5. court demonstrations
1st Session
We greeted the 13 students (average age was 31) and introduced the
instructors. We wore our name tags to assist with recognition and gave a
one page copy of the basic rules to each of the three staff members who
accompanied them. They were so eager to learn that they arrived at
10:30am instead of the pre-scheduled 12:00 time. Players on the courts
made them feel welcome and gave them a little pickleball history (thanks
to Wayne Muggli) while waiting for the activity coordinators to
arrive. 
We got started about
11:15 with stretches and warm-ups led by Betty Silver. Two instructors
and four students were then assigned to each of the four courts. The
rest of
the volunteers helped to retrieve
balls and provide individual instruction as needed. Our goal today was
to keep the ball in play by making contact with the ball. At this
point, rules of play were not a concern. Balls and paddles were
provided by the HT Pickleball Club and its members.
As the students strove to return the ball over the net, the laughter,
joy and excitement was contagious. As with any group, their skills
varied. Some were very successful with serving cross-court while others
handled the dink shot with very little difficulty. 
Of course there were
those who hit it like a baseball (smile). After taking a water break,
play continued until 12:45. We thanked them for coming and awarded each
of them a pickleball pendant. Like many new players, they found
pickleball addictive. They didn't want to leave, but eagerly looked
forward to returning next week.
2nd Session
Once again the group arrived early (10:30 instead of 11:30), but we
ready for them anyway. As before, we stretched and warmed up our
muscles. Then we dispersed to the four reserved courts. Dennis Forbes
introduced some new concentration exercises and half-court drills which
were well received and very effective. I noticed improvement in many
students (thanks to our talented instructors) from last week to now.
The students appeared to be more relaxed and comfortable playing the
game with us. Both members and students gave much encouragement and
praise to all. Prior to the end of each session, the staff members were
put on a separate court and taught to play according to the rules. 
At the end of
this session, the group was treated to ice cream (compliments of member
Dale Stroh). We then gave medals (compliments of members Bob &
Jettye Lanius) to each of them for their efforts, courage, desire and
participation.
The recreation staff said they really, really loved it and so did we. These young adults are proof that pickleball can be enjoyed by people of varying levels of athleticism, mobility and development. Teaching pickleball to developmentally challenged individuals has proven to be one of my most satisfying experiences. The high level of enthusiasm and desire shown by these young adults simply defies description.
Our task now is to help locate indoor facilities and acquire nets, paddles and balls so they can continue pickleball through the summer. Thanks to our Happy Trails Association Manager, Beth McWilliams, Board of Directors, Pickleball Club, and individual members for all of their unconditional support. Thanks also to the Peoria, AZ Adaptive Recreation Program for affording us this opportunity to be of service.
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The Casa Grande, AZ USAPA Ambassador Tony Calandrillo and the Palm Creek Pickleball Club have been supporting an emerging pickleball program at the Ironwood Elementary School - and having a great time with it - for the last couple of years.
Here's how it got started, according to Sandy Hart-Thomas, Physical Education teacher for the Ironwood School.
"We got acquainted with pickleball through one of our playground supervisors. Last school year (2008-09), Troy Polzin and his son met a gentleman named Dick Walker, who loves to teach pickleball to new players. In the course of a conversation, Troy suggested that Dick should get together with me to see if the Ironwood School could try pickleball with the kids. Troy then also told me about pickleball and recommended I contact Dick.
With the blessing of our principal, Dr. Shirley Howell, we set a date for the pickleball Ambassadors to come to our school and provide a pickleball demonstration for all of our 5th graders. Dick and Tony Calandrillo and many of their friends came to our school, measured and marked three courts, provided great instruction and worked so well with our students. The demonstration ended with our 5th grade teachers playing a game against each other - a competition the kids loved. It was a HUGE success!
Tony contacted me at the beginning of this school year (2009-10)
about doing it again.
Tony took care of
everything. All I had to do was let him know the date and time. On
February 24 from 1:00-2:30 PM, Tony and the Pickleball Ambassadors came
to Ironwood with all their equipment and set up their portable nets (we
finally got the boundary lines painted on our basketball courts). Our
ninety 5th graders learned so much and then cheered on their teachers,
Mr. Howley, Mr. Miller, Mrs. McAfee amd Mrs. Rago as they competed
against each other. Tony brought our PE department some pickleball
paddles and contacted Pastor Harry Bolwyn form the Oasis Community
Church
who donated some brand new pickleb
alls for our students.
I don't know the names of all the Ambassadors who came to our school, but we wanted to thank them so very much for taking their time to come and teach our students a sport they can share with their families and play for a lifetime!"
Hard to say who had the most fun with these visits - the kids, the
teachers, or the volunteers who participated. The 
Palm Creek
Pickleball Club decided to do a little more, knowing the strict budgets
that restrict school activities. The club's board of directors decided
to use some of the money from a fund-raising raffle held during their
March tournament in support of the school. In April, representatives
from the club delivered two portable nets, a dozen new pickleballs and 8
gently used paddles to the Ironwood Elementary School. Sandy
Hart-Thomas, the Phys. Ed. Teacher, and Dr. Shirley Howell, the
Principal, were pleased to receive the equipment. S
andy plans to teach a unit of pick
leball next year as part of the school's ongoing sports program.
In this photo L to R are Dr. Shirley Howell, Principal; Tony Calandrillo, USAPA Ambassador for Casa Grande, AZ; Sandy Hart-Thomas, Phys Ed Teacher; and AJ Fraties, President Palm Creek Pickleball Club.
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Submitted by Ramona and Steve Boone, USAPA Ambassadors for Colorado Springs, CO
Editor's Note: This article will be presented as a three-part series over the next few months.
Part One
Although our chosen profession is travel writing and photography, we love to play pickleball. During the summer of 2009 as we traveled the country in pursuit of wildlife photographs and other story material, we started checking out "Places to Play" outside of our home turf of Colorado Springs. We wanted to see how easy it was to arrange a game and we also wanted to get familiar with different styles of play.
We've just completed our tour, sampled about twenty different sites and can assert that we've been delighted everywhere we've gone. Facilities vary, but one amazing characteristic of the people at every pickleball "Place to Play" is that they are invariably friendly and welcoming. There may be differences in the condition of facilities and age distribution of players, but we saw first-hand how the game is truly sweeping across the USA.
We learned some tricks as we traveled. If nothing was listed on "Places", we contacted the local or regional Ambassador. Lacking that, we searched the Internet for the city, town or location and the word "Pickleball." Sometimes a person, place or phone number would pop up. We found it useful to first call or email the contact on the "Places to Play" listing to verify currency. Sometimes there are changes that have not yet been posted, so you don't want to show up ready to play and find no one there.
Even if you do show up to a supposedly "empty" venue, try listening for the "pock-pock" of the pickleball off the paddle. We arrived at one center in Albuquerque for indoor play at the appointed time (and we'd verified play), but saw no cars in the parking lot and the building was seemingly locked. As we walked by the building entrance we heard that familiar sound from somewhere inside - and kept walking around the building to an open door and a full parking lot!
The Pacific Northwest and California
We began our pickleball odyssey in Portland, Oregon, where we stopped to visit friends and shoot some photos of Eastern Oregon Wildlife. We emailed the local contact and, while there were no scheduled games while we were in town, the contact invited us over for a pickup game. We knew we were in big trouble (competition wise) when we arrived at a private gym built around a pickleball court. Ambassador Jim Cessna was one of three players we met, all super friendly, nice hosts. We had some great games!
Next we checked out Southern California while visiting family and played on outdoor courts at the Surf and Turf Tennis Club in Del Mar. Because it's primarily a tennis venue, the group marks the courts with blue masking tape and takes it up after play. This is done quickly and efficiently. Pat Carroll, the local USAPA Ambassador, is always ready to help players learn and improve their game. Another close by facility with 3 indoor courts where we played is in Carlsbad; Pat is the Pooh-Bah there too. The day we visited, Carlsbad had a variety of skill-level players, all cheerful and dedicated to learning the game.
In February, we journeyed to Port Angeles, Washington, and met another enthusiastic group! We arrived on a Sunday when no games were scheduled. The local pickleballers usually play indoors in the winter, but there were no indoor facilities available on Sunday. Since we'd emailed the local contacts with our interest and arrival time, they'd sent a note to their group asking for outdoor players on an off day. Despite the heavy mist, twenty people showed up! We played several times that week and even converted our local friends, Dick and Suzy, into addicts - after one day they ordered their paddles and are now gung-ho pickleballers.
A few days later, we took the ferry to Anacortes and played in the Mt. Erie School on a weeknight from 6 to 8 at no charge for pickleball play. Another very friendly group with a wide range of ages and skills. They also invited us to their ritual after-pickleball social gathering at a local pub.
In Seattle, one of the original hotbeds of the game, we played at the Neal Jefferson Community Center with a dedicated group. Play was fast and skill level was high. Admission was only a buck. Can't beat the price for exercise and fun!
Next month: The Southwest and Southeast
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Submitted by David
Johnson - USAPA Media Chair
I have recently taken on
the role of Media Chair for the USAPA and am excited to introduce a
major promotional push for the week of June 1-7, 2010 around the theme
of International Pickleball
Week. As you already know, the sport of pickleball is growing
rapidly throughout the U.S., Canada, and indeed the world.
The
USAPA plans on generating lots of publicity on a national, regional, and
local level. On the national level we are hoping to generate media
coverage in national publications and on radio and TV. Creativity and
fun will be a large part of our efforts and we hope to have the support
of the Pickleball Ambassadors and other supporters on a local level.
Here are some ideas for local events and efforts:
We know that we have lots of creative people playing the sport who
can help us come up with other interesting ideas on how we can promote
pickleball. We will recognize the best ideas and implementations at the
end of the International Pickleball Week.
Local communities do
not need to do something every day of the celebration week - only what
works for their location and organization.
Hopefully you will
spread the word and help us celebrate pickleball in early June. This is
a great way to introduce the best cross-generational sport in the world
to a wider audience.
Contact me at media@USAPA.org if you have any ideas or questions.
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Submitted by Billy Hopkins, Ambassador at Large, Mid-South Region
We discovered pickleball in January of '09 while wintering in Mission, Texas, in the Rio Grande Valley. But there was a scheduling conflict for the single indoor court at our RV park that threatened to keep us off the court for the entire month of January. Not satisfied with no chance to play for 4 weeks, we decided to look around for an alternate location.
We found an old gym at the Mission Parks & Recreation Department building. The facility managers and supervisors seemed a little hesitant at first to allow us to use the building for such a weird sounding game that none of them had ever heard of, but once they visited the USAPA website, they became enthusiastic supporters. Fortunately for us they had been "on the lookout" for an activity that would interest senior citizens.
The week following Christmas we taped off 3 courts, 
borrowed
some home-made net posts, obtained the use of 2 regular nets and one
yard-sale badminton net and play began immediately after the New Year
holiday weekend. We were again fortunate that Ron Walker, another
Ambassador At Large who was spending the winter in the area, learned of
our efforts and loaned us one of the new stand-alone net systems to
replace the badminton net. He also helped us put together a small,
casual tournament.
Only about six of the nearly 500 resorts in the valley have
pickleball available for their guests, so the Mission gym would be the
first location open to all winter Texans as well as to the general
public. 
With
just a little advertising and a few scattered flyers, by the end of the
first 6 weeks we had at least 140 people sign up and play.
Some of the facility's employees started playing too. As a result, the Parks Department is now planning to purchase enough equipment to establish 5 or 6 sites for local kids to play during their summer programs. In addition, I've been informed that they are discussing the probability that courts will be included in the design of a new gym they plan to build and open by next winter. A representative of the local Catholic school system visited the location, played a couple of games and left with the idea that this would be a great game for their school fitness program.
Unfortunately, because it's always windy in the valley, the parks managers and supervisors are not yet convinced that outdoor courts would see much play. We'll work on that next winter.
Here's an interesting side note. A gentleman with one of the largest new property developments in the area contacted me to learn more about the game. It seems that during their travels to various RV shows to promote their development, potential customers told them on numerous occasions that if the development did not offer pickleball, the potential customers would not even visit the site. The developers are currently working on options to make the game available to their residents and guests.
Go pickleball players of America!
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Submitted by Bev Youngren
Many of you have heard that the game of pickleball has become the fastest growing sport, especially in the Senior Olympics. But there's a new bit of pickleball trivia that you may not know. Take a look ---
 |
| L to R: Don and Harolyn Walker, Norm and Marty Walters, Ron and Ione Gienger, Ron and Donna Daly,and Merv and Ellie Armstrong |
Question: What do these five, pickleball-playing couples at Happy Trails in Surprise, Arizona have in common?
They hail from a wide variety of home bases: Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, Wooster, Ohio, Springfield, Oregon, Mossyrock, Washington and Lynden, Washington. So that's not the link. Give up?
Here's the answer: all five of these couples recently celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversaries surrounded by pickleball pals and family too! We're talking a total of 250 years of marriage! They shared a marvelous celebration, dancing under the palm trees at Happy Trails Resort and sharing special memories.
To the best of my knowledge, history was set here. Where else will you meet FIVE couples, TEN competitive pickleball players who have played pickleball for a total of ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE years, AND who have been married to their same partners for FIFTY years? That's history! Congratulations to all of them!!!
Oliver Wendell Holmes said it best: "We do not quit playing because
we grow old. We grow old because we quit playing." Thus, the passion
of pickleball continues......
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Abs, Abs and
More Abs
Can you ever do enough AB work? Probably not. Without strong ABS, your back gets injured lifting your grandchildren, working on the computer, taking a walk, doing gardening and, most important, playing pickleball.
I bet you're thinking crunches are the answer. Please put that thought out of the AB picture for now. Crunches give you a "6 pack", if you do thousands of them. But did you know that crunches not only don't help strengthen your back, but they actually make you shorter. Here's how and why. The "6-pack" muscle, or Rectus Abdominis, is attached to your sternum (chest bone) and pubic bone. The muscle pulls the chest to the floor, which makes you shorter.
The wrap-around muscles - Transversus Abdominis and Obliques - give you a waistline and strengthen your back. Why do you think the Fed Ex delivery guy and the Home Depot guys wear thick belts around their waist? To help remind them to pull in on their wrap-around muscles when lifting heavy stuff. The World Congress on Back Pain in 2000 discovered through electrode testing that the wrap around muscles keep your back muscles turned on and all of the muscles working together as a unit.
Now that you know all this, here are 4 pictures of PLANK exercises guaranteed to strengthen your ABS if you do them every day. The added benefit is stronger arms and mid back.
The 1st exercise is quadruped on all 4's.
Lift your knees
off the ground.Hold for a count of ten, as you pull in on your ABS. Do
5x at first; do more as you get stronger.
The 2nd exercise is elbow plank (push up position on elbows). Hold
for a 10 count.
Do 5x. Hold
longer if you can. Do more than 5 when you are stronger.
The 3rd exercise is full plank push up position. Hold for a count of 10. Do 5 to 10 times.
The 4th exercise is side plank, working the ABS that wrap around under your arm pits. Place your elbow under you shoulder. Straighten your top leg, bend the bottom leg and push your hip off the ground. Hold for a count of 10. Do 5x, then change sides.
Please give me some feedback on these exercises. Let me know how remarkably stronger you're getting.
Happy Planking!
Barbara
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Hi fellow Picklers.
My name is Dennis Dacey.
I've recently been elected the new Rules Chairman for the USAPA.
I've been asked to write a column in our newsletter from time to time that helps clarify the rules. You may not hear from me every month, but as rules issues come up, I'll address changes in the rules, additions to the comments of the rules, and wording changes that help better explain a rule.
For my first article I want to concentrate on two rules that have become an issue due to rumors, emails and articles written giving incorrect and/or misleading information. The two rules are 'Tournament Director Responsibilities' (see Section 14 of the rules) and 'Paddle Specifications' (see Section 2.E., specifically sections 2.E.6 a through g and 2.E.7).
Tournament Director Responsibilities (Section 14): Some misinformation has been communicated that states Tournament Directors, who have the responsibility to govern their tournaments, also are free to declare any local rules at their own discretion. This is absolutely not correct for any USAPA sanctioned tournament.
The rule specifically states: "The current USAPA tournament rules will apply and be made available. The Tournament Director may not impose any local rule or use any interpretation of any rule not stated within the current USAPA rules. Any exception to the rules that is desired because of physical limitations of the court or other local conditions must be approved in advance by the USAPA."
Any Tournament Director that declares local rules risks losing sanctioning for a period of one year or until standards are followed.
This rule assures you that any sanctioned tournament will meet your expectations for how the tournament will be run, as all will follow the same set of standards.
Paddle Specifications (section 2.E.1 through 2.E.7): Misinformation has been circulated that states the USAPA has approved paddles previously not allowed. This is not the case.
Section 2.E.1 through 2.E.7 provide detailed specifications on paddle Material, Surface, Size, Weight, Alterations, Prohibited Surface Features and Mechanical Features and Violation. In addition, on the same USAPA web page under the heading "Official Rules", there are two additional documents listed: "Paddle Material Specifications" and "Listing of Commercial Paddles Not Meeting USAPA Specifications". These documents, plus the rules covered under 2.E, should make clear what paddles meet USAPA approval for sanctioned tournament play.
This rule assures that there can be no surprises in tournaments that participants will play with paddles that do not meet the specifications, or that can be used to the detriment of other players.
Should you have any questions on these rules, or any of the USAPA rules, please feel free to write to me. Go to the usapa.org, select "About/Contact", then to "Click here to send email to a selected committee or department", then click on "Rules Committee". I'll be glad to help answer all inquiries in a timely manner.
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What tournaments are coming up throughout the year and around the country? See Tournament Schedule for information.
Tournament Directors, need help putting together a press release to get visibility for your upcoming tournament? Contact your Regional Ambassador or Media Relations Chair, David Johnson at the USAPA Contact Page for assistance.
Looking for results? Go to Tournament Results.
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Editor: Irene Fraties
This pickler is on the
road for the summer. Husband AJ and I stopped at our first "Places to
Play" site here in Las Vegas, the Dula Senior Center, thanks to some
help from the local Ambassador, Char Schulte. Two of the people who
joined us after playing some fast moving rounds of paddle tennis were
Mike and Leona. Mike, who loved a hard hitting game, revealed to me
that Leona, who was extremely quick at returning slams, is 86 years
old. Amazing! I never would have guessed! She's my new hero and
personal standard.
Tomorrow we're joining play in Henderson, a nearby suburb. And one of our sons is arriving in town to play in a racquetball tournament. We haven't quite converted him to pickleball --- yet.