Land of the Sky - Invitation to Government Officials

It takes real planning to organize this kind of chaos...

When the Land of the Sky tournament planning was in its infancy, I knew one of my objectives was to try to leverage its impact with local government officials. While tennis courts sit idle (and rotting) in every county park, pickleball players are constantly searching for places to play. I think that county officials are simply unaware of such a non-traditional sport and its support among constituents, especially in a retirement area like the NC Mountains. My plans always included inviting decision-makers to the tournament. That invitation is below. Let's hope it works.

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Two hundred+ athletes will descend on Xcel Sportsplex in Fletcher, NC next weekend. But these athletes will be different than those normally seen at the home for youth volleyball and basketball. Instead, these athletes include a 15-year old and a 76-year old playing a sport in which they can compete together. They will be participants in the Land of the Sky Pickleball Tournament, the largest tournament to ever be held in the NC Mountains.

Pickleball is advertised as “the fastest growing sport in America”. It has about 3 million participants of all ages. Its appeal lies in four factors:

Pickleball is first and foremost FUN. It takes only as much time and effort as you want to expend in order to play at the level you choose. It is a very social sport with a small court allowing verbal interplay among the players. The short games allow players to gather on the sidelines while waiting their turns to play. These gatherings also provide opportunities for social interaction. 

Pickleball is active and healthy. It lowers blood pressure, reduces body fat, improves coordination and balance, and helps maintain mental acuity. While pickleball is an active sport, it is not overly strenuous due to the small court and short games.

Pickleball is easy to play and inexpensive to start. At its simplest, the game is batting a wiffleball over a net. The only equipment needed is a paddle and appropriate shoes.

Pickleball is competitive – at least as competitive as you choose. The etiquette of pickleball allows for both social play among those who choose to remain novice players as well as aggressive play for those who want to let their competitive juices flow.

Visitors to a pickleball tournament will immediately notice the noise. Fun, laughter, and verbal interplay are common among players and spectators. Families and friends travel with players to watch and participate in the fun. Tournaments allow followers to be completely immersed in a pickleball atmosphere for 2-3 days. The desire to participate causes many players and companions to travel to distant sites for extended stays.

I would like to extend a personal invitation to you to join us at the Land of the Sky Pickleball Tournament. Play will be throughout the day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Higher level play will be on the weekend. Saturday will be the most action-filled day with all players participating in mixed doubles. Come see why pickleball is growing so fast and learn the potential for expanding venue access in our area.

More Cooperation Between the USTA and the USAPA

The evolution continues...

We have talked a lot about how tennis clubs are viewing pickleball as a potential source of help for their prospects. Another step in the process is a recently announced test program for blended lines. It was discussed in Tennis Industry Magazine.

A Blended-Court Solution?

A cooperative pilot program using 60-foot courts for pickleball may offer opportunities for both
players and tennis facilities.

By Peter Francesconi

For tennis facilities, one of the more challenging aspects of accommodating the needs of pickleball players is how to handle the lines on the court. A pickleball court is 44 feet long and 20 feet wide, dimensions that don’t fit neatly into the lines of a standard 78-foot tennis 30 court, and aren’t quite  the same as lines for a 36- or 60-foot court. 

But a potential solution, suggested by the USTA with the support of the USA Pickleball Association, may be at hand, and may offer advantages and opportunities for players and facilities. In a free pilot program, the USTA has offered to add the pickleball “non-volley” line (also called the “kitchen” line) to existing 60-foot courts (or to new blended-line applicants). The non-volley line is 7 feet from the net on each side. 

On 78- and 60-foot courts, the distance from service line to service line is 42 feet, and the width of the singles sidelines on a 60-foot court is 21 feet - both just slightly off from pickleball’s 44- by 20-foot court. But the USAPA has agreed that recreational pickleball, which accounts for the vast majority of play, can take place on a 60-foot tennis court. (The pickleball net height is different, too - 34 inches at the center and 36 inches at the posts, as opposed to a tennis net height of 36 and 42 inches. Temporary net adjusters are available to pull it down to pickleball height.)

Inactivity Statistics

Participation alone is rewarding...

We know activity is good for you. Coaches tell us that is true. Medical people tell us that is true. Our parents told us it is true. So who remains inactive? Who should pickleball target as its growth constituency? One source for answers is the Physical Activity Council. A recent article in clubindustry.com with the somewhat misleading title Inactivity Rate Among Low-Income Americans Nears Historic High, Report Finds breaks down some data.

Although more than a quarter of Americans are inactive overall, the rate of inactivity for Americans making less than $25,000 is 42 percent.

Twenty-eight percent of Americans (82.4 million people) are inactive, and the inactivity rate among low-income households is nearing historic levels, according to the “2018 Physical Activity Council Participation Report.”

Forty-two percent of households making an annual income of less than $25,000 are now reported to be inactive, the sixth consecutive year this demographic has experienced an increase in inactivity, according to the report. On the other hand, households with an annual income more than $75,000 continue to experience decreasing inactivity rates.

“Americans in substantial numbers continue to be engaged in a wide variety of sports, fitness and outdoor activities, but trends that suggest financial resources determine activity levels need to be addressed,” said Tom Cove, president and CEO of the Sport & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), one of the members of the Physical Activity Council, which put out the report.

The study highlights the impact physical education has on the lifelong habits of Americans. The research gathered on physical education (PE) programs shows that 78 percent of individuals who had PE in school remain active. As lower-income households are dependent on PE for most of their physical activity, and the inactivity rates in that demographic are consistently increasing, it highlights the importance of including PE in a school curriculum.

Pickleball: A Positive Effect on Your Life

Quality of life matters...

We saw the opinion of a player-coach yesterday that pickleball keeps you active. Now let's turn to the medical field for their opinion. Below is an article from the Aiken Standard titled MEDICAL INSIGHTS: Pickleball is great way to be active by David Keisler.

If you are looking for a multigenerational sport and one that you can play with the grandkids, even if you are well into the eighties or beyond, then pickleball will be a wise choice.

We know that remaining physically active helps to lower the risk of several chronic diseases and that socialization and spending time with others is also beneficial.

My friend Mike has pointed out that the month of April includes National Public Health Week, Defeat Diabetes Month, World Health Day, Medical Fitness Week and now April is also National Pickleball Month.

Pickleball Moves You

Remember Newton's Law, not the fig cookies...

This week, DJ talks about how pickleball can help maintain a healthy lifestyle. Stay in motion. Its good for you!

DJ's weekly tip:

Play pickleball to keep your body in motion.

Newton's first law can be summarized as follows: an object in motion tends to stay in motion, an object at rest tends to stay at rest.

Did you know that pickleball is a great way to keep your body in motion? You're moving your arms and legs and getting your heart rate up. It's good exercise! When it comes to your physical makeup, the old adage is true- use it or lose it.

USAPA and AAU Partnership

Athletes pursuing greatness...

The USAPA had an announcement on Thursday that could bring big dividends to the sport of pickleball.

Strategic Alliance Between USA Pickleball Association & AAU Aims to Grow the Sport of Pickleball

Partnership Joining USAPA and AAU Will Provide Competitive and Recreational Opportunities for Adult and Youth Athletes

The rapidly-growing sport of pickleball is coming to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), as the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) and AAU announced a strategic alliance that will provide both youth and adult programming for athletes across the country.

Pickleball is a court sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. The game is played both indoor and outdoor on a surface one-third the size of a regulation tennis court and a net lowered to 34 inches. Players use a paddle and polymer ball, similar to a Wiffle ball. The game has grown exponentially across North America in recent years.

USAPA has done an exceptional job building their adult membership base across the country and making pickleball one of the fastest growing sports in America, said Dr. Roger J. Goudy, President and CEO of the AAU. This strategic alliance allows us to utilize our combined expertise and resources to provide athletes of all ages with first-class competition experiences in the sport of pickleball.

2018 US Open TV

A rabid sports fan is one that boos the TV...

The 2016 US Open had one hour of television coverage. The 2017 US Open had two hours of television coverage. This year CBS Sports will increase that coverage to 3 hours. Like last year, the coverage is not live, but is delayed. the schedule is shown below.

It starts tonight!

Pickleball - On the Money

National publicity is always good.

CNBC's show On the Money had a feature on pickleball this past weekend.  Despite the usual errors by the under-informed (check out the NVZ violation on the overhead), its a pretty good video.

Recycle Sunday - Transitioning from Tennis to Pickleball

A blast from the past...

This week's Recycle Sunday article was originally published January 28, 2016.

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As discussed in Pickleball vs Tennis - And the Winner is..., more and more tennis players are also playing pickleball.  Some do it just to see what pickleball is all about. Others make it a permanent transition as their aging bodies are better suited to the smaller court.  These players have an edge over non-tennis novices due to their court experience, but there are 5 big differences to which they must adjust.

1. The stroke

A tennis stroke is much longer than a pickleball stroke.  The pickleball court, at 1/3 the size of a tennis court, is a much quicker game that does not demand the power needed to hit a ball the longer distance.  The tennis stroke starts with a long backstroke and a long follow-through as shown below.

Pickleball Trending at Corporate Developments

The trend is our friend...

For decades, corporate real estate developments seemed to always have identified tennis an one of the offered amenities. I don't know if that has completely gone away, but there is plenty of evidence that another amenity has become a priority - pickleball. Inc. Magazine had an article in 2017 titled Taking Over Tennis: Pickleball Picking Up Heat as Latest Active Trend in which one developer discusses the trend. Excerpts are shown below:

Pickleball is trending nationwide as a sport played as an alternative or in addition to tennis. Invented in the 1960s in a Bainbridge Island, Washington backyard, pickleball is a blend of badminton, tennis and ping pong. A pickleball court is slightly smaller than one used for tennis and players use larger sized ping pong paddles to hit a ball similar to a whiffleball.

One reason for the quick growth of the sport is its adoption by major corporate entities and celebrities.

The New Rating System

It was about one year ago when the USAPA announced it had selected a vendor to develop a new player rating system. The announcement stated:

The USAPA evaluation committee has completed the review and evaluation of the vendor proposals for a new match-based tournament ratings system. Athlete Ratings (AR) has tentatively been selected as the primary vendor. The final vendor selection will be contingent upon AR and USAPA agreeing to terms and signing a Services Agreement.

Players have waited...and waited...and waited for the final system to be announced. Finally, earlier this week, a message was sent to USAPA members.

Prince and Pickleball

Pickleball is winning over tennis...

The few days' posts have included some articles from Tennis Industry about tennis professionals' opportunities to grow their business through pickleball. Equipment brands have not ignored the obvious opportunities either. Last year, Head introduced their line of paddles through Sarah Ansboury. Now Prince has entered the fray through a partnership with Paddletek. Below is an news release from SGMedia announcing the partnership. 

Prince Announces Strategic Partnership with Paddletek

Is Tennis Thawing To Pickleball? (Part 2)

Love will thaw a frozen heart...

As I discussed in Saturday's post, past articles have regularly discussed the antipathy shown by tennis toward pickleball. The tennis industry and players seemed to dismiss pickleball as a fringe sport that could be ignored. To a large extent, this was driven by the view that pickleball would be competitors. The 2 sports would compete for valuable public and private resources - land and investment dollars. They would compete for players - tennis coaches would lose students and clubs would lose members.  

But there has been a thawing of the relationship in recent years. The tennis business has stagnated at best and actually declined in many areas. Tennis facilities and managers are now viewing pickleball as a potential life-saver. The current issue of Tennis Industry Magazine has several articles on the topic. I summarized the first two articles on Saturday and will cover the rest today. A full reading is well worth your time.

Recycle Sunday - Pickleball vs Tennis - And the Winner is...

A blast from the past...

This week's Recycle Sunday article is timely in that it fits neatly between 2 articles about the tennis industry warming to pickleball. This article was originally published December 31, 2015.

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Almost everywhere that pickleball players try to add lines to tennis courts, a battle ensues with the tennis community. But the evidence suggests that pickleball is winning the battle for popularity and thus winning the battle for courts. 

There are a variety of reasons pickleball is winning the popularity battle, but the single biggest factor is the aging of the baby boom generation. As this large demographic moves into retirement, they are looking to retain an active and social lifestyle. Pickleball is winning them over for 5 reasons:

1. Pickleball is less about athleticism and more about strategy and placement.
2. Pickleball is more social, with a smaller court enabling talk among players. Games are quicker allowing players to gather while waiting their turn.
3. The pickleball is slower but still fast enough to have fast volley action.
4. Pickleball rallies last longer due to the smaller court and slower ball.
5. You don’t have to go so far to chase a ball. 

Is Tennis Thawing To Pickleball?

Love will thaw a frozen heart...

Past articles have regularly discussed the antipathy shown by tennis toward pickleball. The tennis industry and players seemed to dismiss pickleball as a fringe sport that could be ignored. To a large extent, this was driven by the view that pickleball would be competitors. The 2 sports would compete for valuable public and private resources - land and investment dollars. They would compete for players - tennis coaches would lose students and clubs would lose members. 

But there has been a thawing of the relationship in recent years. The tennis business has stagnated at best and actually declined in many areas. Tennis facilities and managers are now viewing pickleball as a potential life-saver. The current issue of Tennis Industry Magazine has several articles on the topic. I will summarize these below but a full reading is well worth your time.

The magazine starts its coverage by featuring pickleball on its cover with the title The Potential of Pickleball. Its first content, though, starts with a show Editor's Note that really tells the story. It is called Sharing the Spotlight - Let’s get past the perceived divide between tennis and pickleball. A couple of highlights include:

For many in our industry, pickleball is providing opportunities that seem to have stalled out in tennis. Court builders are building and lining pickleball courts. Facilities are responding to members and the community by offering pickleball. Often, facility owners tell me it’s the addition of pickleball that is helping keep them in the black. Don’t be surprised if traditional tennis teaching groups start offering education for pickleball pros...

It's time to leave behind the divide - or rather, what people perceive as a divide—and focus on the commonalities between tennis and pickleball, and the ways they can complement one another. Keeping consumers active, pro shops busy and people in clubs and on the courts are goals we all share.

There is room in this world for both tennis and pickleball - and providers and consumers of both will benefit.

My Hope for Pickleball's Future

Your mind is your greatest power...

Wednesday's post featured a Pickleball Central blog article The Future of Power Pickleball: Will the Bangers Win?  The article was written by a top player, Glen Peterson, about what he has seen and his prediction for the evolution of the game. His conclusion:

So I predict that, at the highest level of play, doubles rallies will get shorter rather than longer in the coming years.

Much shorter. More like singles.

My prediction is different, but I fully admit that it has a lot of hope behind it.

The speed of the game will naturally increase as it evolves and with more (and better) participants and improvements in equipment. We already see this happening. The third-shot drop has been evolving into a third-shot drive that allows for an easier drop on the fifth shot. The serve has evolved into a weapon with added power and spin. And those are just 2 examples.

Is Pickleball's Evolving into a Power Game?

Your mind is your greatest power...

We all know Pickleball Central as a major seller of pickleball equipment. What many readers do not know is they have a blog too. One of their 2017 blog articles was written by a top player, Glen Peterson, about what he has seen and his prediction for the evolution of the game. The article is titled The Future of Power Pickleball: Will the Bangers Win? and an excerpt is shown below.

Check back Friday and I will give my thoughts (and hopes).

We veterans love the soft game with its long rallies. The USAPA does its part by making rule changes to preserve the soft game and protect the nature of pickleball to keep us happy. Instructors remind frustrated students who want to wail on wiffle balls that consistency and patience are rewarded.

Many young people along with tennis and racquetball players put down their paddles because they find the soft game so dreadful. So far, no player has been able to achieve a 5.0 rating without some level of mastery of the soft game.

3 Essential Skills

Mastering the basics in needed to advance...

A couple of months ago, I started publishing weekly tips from DJ Howard. I started the series with a tip that was relevant to my topic that week. But it was not his first tip. Today we will go back to the beginning.

If it may be of help to some of you, I would like to offer a weekly tip. It's straightforward information I have taught my students and they seem to benefit from it. Your feedback is always welcome.

Pickleball is comprised of three, and only three, essential skills: Receiving, Sending, and Recovering. This process is repeated over and over again when you play.

Unconscious Excellence

Get your mind out of the way...

Last week we learned how to reach Nirvana. This week DJ Howard teaches us that Nirvana is not the last step of the journey. 

DJ's Weekly tip:

Last week I described the levels of development for skill sets-

1. Unconscious Incompetence
2. Conscious Incompetence
3. Conscious Competence
4. Unconscious Competence

These are very important to understand.

But there is one level I did not mention or describe. There is one more level of development and is reserved for the highest levels of performers.

You ready? The next level of development is...

Unconscious Excellence

Ever watch a concert pianist or other top musician play their instruments? Or an artist draw or paint? Their fingers seem to move perfectly without any thought to the process. Their timing, balance, and rhythm are perfect. They make a decision of which song to play or what piece or artwork to put on paper, but their body takes over and simply performs. They simply "feel" their way thru. Sounds a bit like a top athlete too, does it not? They display perfect timing, balance, and rhythm, all while appearing seemingly effortless.

Simple Skill Level Chart

Making good decisions is a crucial skill at every level...

I get questions about skill levels a lot. There are many ways to evaluate skills, including USAPA and IPTPA skill checklists. Pickleball Central recently posted a very simple chart that provides a pretty good idea for players to judge themselves.