Offbeat Sunday - Pickleball on Ice II

Some things are not made to go together...

In the winter of 2015-16, I posted a video of Mark Renneson playing pickleball on ice. We have had a very warm summer this year in the Southeast and playing on ice actually is appealing to me. Here is Mark's follow-up video Pickleball on Ice: Volume 2.

World Series of Pickleball - an Update

Event: a noteworthy happening...

Can a pickleball event be any more happening than having an opportunity to play with the best in the world for 2 days and then watch them compete for the richest prize in pickleball history? This event will happen in Asheville September 29 - October 1. It is the World Series of Pickleball, an event I previously wrote about in May but has undergone significant restructuring. Information on the event can be found at Pickleballtournaments.com or WSOPB.com. Some highlights are shown below.

July 31 is the last day to get $50 off!

2017 USAPA Great Lakes Regional/Pickleball Fever in the Zoo Results

You earn medals at practice. You just pick them up at tournaments...

Some local players ventured quite a distance to participate in the USAPA Great Lakes Regional tournament in Kalamazoo, Michigan last weekend. Photos are from Facebook.

Deb Richter and Irene Romagosa went 3-1 in the Women's Doubles 4.0 (60-69) and won a gold medal.

Congratulations Irene and Deb!

Referee Training in Hendersonville

No one applauds a referee...

Those who have played in pickleball tournaments in the Southeast US are aware that very few are sanctioned. One of the reasons for non-sanctioned events is the dire lack of referees. The USAPA wants to remedy that problem with referee training, including certification.  But we have to learn to walk before we run, so we will start with the basics.

We are fortunate to have a willing and able volunteer to get referee training off the ground in the Mountain District and beyond. Inga Carr went through referee training this past winter in Arizona and was asked by the USAPA to boost the referee training program in North Carolina and nearby areas.  

Inga has already trained dozens of folks in various locations in NC, VA, and probably more states. Now she has scheduled training in Hendersonville, NC.  Inga will offer her Pickleball Ref 101 class, which she describes as:

Pickleball Ref 101 class will help you get comfortable refereeing a pickleball game.  This class will focus on standardized refereeing procedures and techniques.  The class will give you an understanding of the score sheet and the use of the clothespin to track servers.  You’ll be guided through the process of what to do before a tournament; a pre match routine; refereeing a match and what to do after the match is done. The class is approximately 3 hours.  It will involve a lecture and then a demonstration match.

Growing Pickleball in Hendersonville - the Current Generation

Experts start as beginners...

A beginner pickleball clinic was held on July 22 at the Henderson County Athletics and Activity Center. Sixteen new players attended the clinic which was organized by Henderson County USAPA ambassador Deb Romaine. Deb was ably assisted by fellow ambassador Larry Appleby and volunteers Duke Angier and Larry Formicella.

I briefly visited with some of the players and they were enthusiastic about the game of pickleball and greatly appreciative of the instructions by Deb and the other volunteers. They asked for more clinics in order to learn the game even faster.

Some pictures of the clinic follow.

Growing Pickleball in Hendersonville - the Next Generation

Experts start as beginners, especially when they are young...

Hendersonvile Racquet Club has the goal of providing a full range of racquet sports. Pickleball courts are the latest addition to their facilities with 3 Flex Courts recently installed. But their business remains primarily tennis. In the summer, they have youth tennis/sports camps where kids aged 7-18 are welcomed. The new courts have allowed expansion of the camp offerings to include pickleball. The club recently invited a member, Rich Ferragina,, and me to teach the campers how to play.

Rich and I had 6 players aged 9-15, all of whom enthusiastically learned the basics of play. Maybe one will be the next Kyle Yates or Simone Jardim.

Super Senior International Pickleball Association

Experience is the teacher of all things...

Saturday's post was about the SSIPA tournament in Griffin, GA this October. Some might not be aware of the SSIPA and its role in the pickleball world. I will try to remedy that today. The following come from ssipa-pb.org, the official website of the organization.

Mission Statement:

Super Senior International Pickleball Association (SSIPA) was formed in 2016 to promote pickleball among the active senior population in the US and internationally. The SSIPA supports the Super Senior International Pickleball Tournament Circuit allowing players to compete with other players in their age group, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, and 80+.

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Offbeat Sunday - Pickleball Restaurants

I like a restaurant that uses a net to separate the diners from the kitchen...

Time to go to the Pickleball Forum again for Offbeat Sunday material. This one is about food.

Somehow the discussion about food came up at a tournament. It was interesting to hear what restaurants players enjoyed after a hard day of Pickleball, my favorites are 1. Red Lobber, 2. Kentucky Fried Kitchen, and 3. Long John Silver Medal. Do you have a fav place to eat ?

• Perkins Slamcake House
• Crack-in-the Dura Barrel

• Baskin Lobbins

2017 Super Senior World Pickleball Championships

Experience matters....

Registration for the Super Senior World Pickleball Championships to be held October 23-25 in Griffin, GA has opened. Note that this tournament has restricted ages (60+) and requires both a USAPA and a SSIPA membership.

$15,000 + Award/Prize VALUE

These are not cash awards/prizes.

Awards/Prizes will be distributed to SSIPA circuit points leaders and medalists in the tournament as determined by SSIPA management.

This commemorative pin will be yours free at the tournament.

Super Senior World Pickleball Championships

in Spalding County, GA (35 miles south of Atlanta)

hosted by Spalding County Pickleball Association, Inc. (SCPA)

in support of Super Senior International Pickleball Association (SSIPA)

2017 High Point Seniors Tournament

North Carolina's International City...

Registration for the High Point Seniors Tournament to be held September 13 in High Point, NC has opened. Note that this tournament has restricted ages (65-69) and is a mixed doubles tournament only.

SE Regional Ambassador Retreat - Balance

The mountains are calling and I must go...

I have previously mentioned that a group of 41 USAPA ambassadors plus guests recently held a 3+ day retreat at the Beech Mountain Club. The retreat consisted of various learning sessions, one of which was about balance. Sharon Mackenzie gave the presentation based on her experiences with physical education and play in her area. Sharon's handout is shown below. Her handiwork and advice is exactly what is needed after our discussions the past couple of weeks.

Proposal to the USAPA and USAPA Ambassadors

To encourage Ambassadors to alter the skill progression they use teaching Pickleball in their newbie clinics, especially to seniors.

Balance

Stability is everything. You need a solid base to build on...

In this series on movement around the court, one term is mentioned again and again - balance. 

In How Golf Relates to Pickleball, I stated that positioning of the feet is important because "It puts the player into a balanced position. This provides more options for the player to make better shots."

In Speed Kills, Sarah Ansboury is quoted as saying "Rather than focusing on “getting to the ball”, I want you to focus on being in control.  I want you to be balanced."

In Split Step Timing, I stated "This allows me to more easily stop by planting my feet in a balanced position before hopping and pushing off for the next shot." 

In NVZ Footwork, I discussed Mark Renneson's movement as "Movement quickens the reaction to move to the next shot and allows for getting the body positioned for consistent shots by being balanced."  That post also included a description of Deb Harrison's techniques, stating "She emphasizes quick movements so the shot can be made from a balanced position without rushing it."

Pro Footwork at the NVZ Line

The kitchen is not for dancing...

Today's post is short and sweet - just like NVZ line movements. Yesterday, we discussed 2 alternative views from experts. Today, we will watch 4 pros in action. Focus on their footwork. The video comes from Poach PB and is called Pickleball Kitchen View.

Note that the foot movements are short and quick with calm between shots. The movement shown by these players is typical of top level players and aligns with Deb Harrison's techniques shown yesterday. The quick movement gets the body positioned for a smooth balanced shot.

NVZ Footwork

The kitchen is not for dancing...

Let's continue our series on court movement. Last week we covered moving through no man's land to get to the NVZ line. The need to move does not end when the NVZ line court position goal is attained. It just changes. Instead of long strides and moving forward, NVZ line movement becomes side to side or quick steps forward and backward. This another topic that has been covered extensively and past articles can be found in Chapter 6: NVZ Play - The Dink. We will try to bring some new ideas to the discussion.

Mark Renneson's video Advanced Footwork at the NVZ provides his thoughts on the perpetual motion machine that players should become. He demonstrates a string of dinks while keeping his feet constantly moving through hops and shifts. Mark's theory is sound. It aligns with the science discussed by the Auburn softball team in Optimal Reaction. Movement quickens the reaction to move to the next shot and allows for getting the body positioned for consistent shots by being balanced. Images cannot capture the dynamism of Mark's presentation. Watch the video before we move on.

Offbeat Sunday - Pickleball Jewelry

Players are easily distracted by shiny objects...

You know that pickleball has reached mainstream America when jewelry becomes part of the ensemble. Some examples: