June 2014 e-Newsletter
In this issue...
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From the Editors...
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E.D. Corner…
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Message from Your President...
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Eye Protection Highly Recommended…
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Bits and Pieces…
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Nationals VI...
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National Senior Games…
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Fitness…
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National State Games...
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No Dumb Questions…
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Sound Off…
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The Mind Game...
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Rules Review...
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WWW.USAPA.ORG…
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USAPA Online Store…
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USAPA Facebook Page Update…
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e-Newsletter Submission and Editorial Guidelines…
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Do Not Forward...
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The Final Word…
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From the Editors...
The buzz phrase this month seems to be, “Wow; we’ve come a long way pickleballers!” In
1998, when we first were introduced to the game, play was pretty much confined to the
Pacific Northwest, Arizona, and a smattering of RV resorts and senior communities scattered
across the country. Fast forward to the present. The latest figures show nearly 200,000
players, 8,000 courts and 2,500 places to play, with the lion’s share of that growth coming
during the past couple of years. Pickleball has come a long way, but, as Justin Maloof points
out in E.D. Corner, we have so much further to go. To help us get there Justin describes
some of the rewards now available to USAPA members.
In this month’s Mind Game author Harry Carpenter shares his perspective on playing with a
considerably weaker partner and then the opposite side of the coin, being the least skilled
player on the court; don’t miss it. Also this issue Marc Rinehart shares a member’s personal
experience with why eye protection is such an important safety accessory for all pickleball
players. This month’s Bits and Pieces is chock full of interesting tidbits. Read about what the
USAPA grant program has done for some Boys & Girls Clubs, Paul Smith’s College in the
Adirondack Park, the Salvation Army Gateway Community Center and more. And, if you
want to know about making the correct line call, follow the link to Pickleball 411. And finally,
you know you have arrived when you are a question in a Crossword Puzzle; see Stephen
Hanrahan’s contribution in Bits and Pieces. Enjoy a great month of pickleball…
Message from The President...
By David Jordan, USAPA President
Where has the year gone? It is already June and the beginning of summer! Nationals VI registration
starts tomorrow, June 2nd, snowbirds are leaving their winter homes and summer travel plans are in
effect. The USAPA board is also working hard on several key issues. Chris Thomas has put together
a top notch committee to work on ratings issues. David Conover is forming committees to work on
membership growth and youth training. John Gullo has jumped in with both feet with his committee
on marketing pickleball and USAPA. Winnie Montgomery is establishing a committee to work on
improving the sanctioning process to bring additional benefits for sanctioned tournaments. Jack
Thomas has established an enhanced procedure for conference calls with his regional directors to
better disseminate information and solicit ideas from all ambassadors. All these new board members
are a great asset to the board and are helping to move us forward in the promotion and development
of pickleball.
This is not to say veteran board members are not doing their part with referee certification work,
Nationals VI, website enhancement, training room updates, e-Newsletter enhancements and
awarding grant money at a record pace, just to name a few continuing projects the board is working
on. I would like to thank all of you who have volunteered to serve on a committee and assist the
USAPA board. It has been a great year so far and with your support we can continue to move
forward doing great things for the game we all love, yes the one with the funny name -- pickleball.
Remember all board members are volunteers, so give them a big pat on the back next time you see
one.
Eye Protection Highly Recommended…
Submitted by Marc Rinehart, USAPA Ambassador, West Denver, Colorado
Following is a USAPA member’s personal experience with the need for eye protection when playing
pickleball:
When I started playing pickleball over two years ago, almost no one wore eye protection. I had
always worn goggles playing racquetball and squash, but did not see the need to wear them playing
pickleball (it wasn’t mandatory and I really didn’t know USAPA’s position). I have always worn
sunglasses when playing outdoors, but I started wearing goggles about two weeks ago during indoor
play; I finally realized it was the smart thing to do to protect one’s eyes. This decision was soon
reinforced when a ball ricocheted off an opponent’s paddle and hit his partner square on the eye; it
was a scary moment, but fortunately there was no permanent injury. You can bet that the 12 players
on the adjoining courts have a new appreciation for wearing eye protection.
With the popularity of pickleball, you never know who you will be playing against or with -- players of
varying abilities, hard hitters, forceful volleys, etc. The last thing you want is to take a ball or paddle
in the eye. Eye protection is an important piece of safety equipment. Fortunately, it seems like more
players are starting to wear goggles. Eye protection while playing pickleball is a personal choice, but
based on my experience it is the only safe choice. Make the right decision!.
Bits and Pieces…
Another 90+ Pickleball Player…
Submitted by Josh Kalin, USAPA Ambassador, Delray Beach, Florida
Did you see the pickleball piece on NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams last month? The man who
was highlighted (in the orange shirt) was 91-year-old Lee Kritzer. Lee, who is the oldest pickleball
player in the area, plays at Delray Beach Community Center. After learning the sport in Charlotte,
N.C, Lee has been playing for 12 years. A nice guy who plays three days a week, he considers
himself a 3.0 to 3.5 player and enjoys other activities as well. Friendly and very competitive, Lee
played with 82-year-old partner Dick Reb in the Senior Games. On a typical day, after playing a
number of games of pickleball, Lee heads out to play bridge and work as Chairman of his own
company.
Is the Ball ‘In’ or ‘Out’?
Want to know more about calling a ball in or out? Check out Pickleball Channel’s Pickleball 411,
where host Rusty Howes discusses court lines, ball compression and point of contact.
USAPA Grant a Success in Salida…
Submitted by Irv Broudy
First, thank you USAPA for the training grant. Pickleball has been a huge success at our Boys &
Girls Club chapter here in Salida, Colo. Each Friday afternoon we have more than 20 elementary
and middle school kids playing. We also have introduced the game to our older members during our
weekly teen night. All of the kids are really enjoying pickleball and are learning fast. It gives the staff,
who are also enjoying playing, opportunities to teach the kids good sportsmanship and adds another
healthy activity to our program. We've also been able to attract some adult volunteers from the
community to help the kids learn and enjoy the game.
The Pickleball Capital of Arizona…
When Surprise Mayor Sharon Wolcott proclaimed the City of Surprise the Pickleball Capital of
Arizona it sparked an immediate challenge from radio KMLE FM morning show hosts Nina & Steve.
With a key to the city at stake the radio personalities took on Wolcott and local player Scott Stone in
a best-two-of-three match. With the mayor and Stone achieving victory in two straight games – 11-1,
11-4 – instead of a key to the city Nina & Steve had to settle for an oversize door pass.
Pickleball Goes to College…
Submitted by Wayne and Betty Tucker
Thanks to the USAPA Grant Program, Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondack Park of Upstate New
York has been able to launch a pickleball program within their facility for both students and
community. As local residents and long-time USAPA members, through the grant program we
sought help to procure the portable nets and even received a secondary vendor grant for paddles
and balls. Some of the students had played pickleball while in high school, which helped with the
initial demonstration, but now through campus announcements, newcomers are fast becoming
pickleball enthusiasts. Local newspaper announcements also attracted the community at large and
established a good mix of players, which is great for differing generations to play each other. Paul
Smith’s staff has been instrumental in arranging court time, supplies and local interest. Interest has
been so good that the college is adding a second night for pickleball play and also intends to
continue it during summer vacation. Thank you USAPA for your forward thinking.
Pickleball Triple Style…
Submitted by Annette Hayes, Louisa, Virginia
This may not be new, but in Louisa, Va., we sometimes play with six people on the court at the same
time. This sometimes is because we only have six people and sometimes because we have a
couple of players who aren't very mobile. We play with the third person standing in the middle the
entire game, while the other two play as normal. The middle player does not serve, but can assist in
returning a serve. We find it to be really fun for all, a break from the usual game and allows the
beginner level players to easier participate.
Nationals VI...
2014 USAPA NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
NOVEMBER 2 - 9, 2014
Registration opens tomorrow, Monday, June 2. Register early and secure your place in this year’s
National Tournament. Keep up to date with what will be happening this year at: Nationals VI.
National Senior Games…
Submitted by David Jordan, USAPA President
NSGA Games for June:
Colorado - http://rockymountainseniorgames.com,
Iowa - http://www.iowaseniorgames.org/Events
Missouri – http://www.smsg.org
Montana - http://www.montanaseniorolympics.org
New York - http://www.nyseniorgames.com
Ohio - http://www.ohioseniorolympics.org
Oregon - http://www.visitbend.com
Tennessee - http://www.tnseniorolympics.com
West Virginia - http://www.wvseniorgames.com
Be sure to get qualified before the end of the year. This year the top four finishers in each NSGA
qualifier event qualify for the 2015 NSGA National tournament. For all the details visit:
http://www.nsga.com/ or the USAPA website.
Fitness…
Crunch No More: Back Pain Part II
By Barbara Wintroub
Every time I'm at the gym I see people on the crunch machine or crunch bench with feet curled over
the bars doing crunches and full sit ups. WHY? They are not doing their backs a bit of good and not
working the right stomach muscles to strengthen their backs. The main crunch muscle is mainly for
show on Venice Beach, not to protect your back for pickleball. The main crunch muscle makes you
shorter from top to bottom. Oh great, just what I need, to be shorter. When you are hunched over the
stress on your lower back becomes huge. The most important muscle is the Transversus Abdominis
that wraps around your body like a big compression belt and tucks into the back muscles that
stabilize your spine. Think flat stomach. The following exercises will help strengthen the core
muscles and protect and support your lower back.
National State Games...
Submitted by David Jordan, USAPA President
Another first for pickleball! The State Games of America, which is a
national tournament for players who qualify, is held every two years.
The 2015 games will be the first year that pickleball is included as an
event. Held in Omaha, Nebr., on July 30 to August 2 at the Miracle Hill
Golf and Tennis Club, there will be 16 courts set up on 8 indoor tennis courts. To qualify, before July
1, 2015 a player must medal in a pickleball tournament that has membership in the National
Congress of State Games. For more information visit: http://www.stategames.org/member_states.
Following is a list of the 16 states that include pickleball in their state games:
Arizona
Grand Canyon State Games
gcsg.org
Colorado
Rocky Mountain State Games
rockymountainstategames.org
Iowa
Iowa Games
iowagames.org
Kansas
Sunflower State Games
sunflowergames.com
Michigan
State Games of Michigan
stategamesofmichigan.com
Minnesota
Star of the North State Games
starofthenorthgames.org
Missouri
Show-Me State Games
smsg.org
Montana
Big Sky State Games
bigskygames.org
Nebraska
Cornhusker State Games
cornhuskerstategames.com
New Jersey
Garden State Games
njseniorolympics.com
New Mexico
New Mexico State Games
nmgames.swcp.com
Oregon
State Games of Oregon
stategamesoforegon.org
Utah
Utah Summer Games
utahsummergames.org
Virginia
Subway Commonwealth Games of
Virginia
commonwealthgames.org
Wisconsin
Badger State Games
badgerstategames.org
Wyoming
Wyoming State Games
wyomingstategames.com
Your participation in the 2015 State Games of America will contribute to a successful introduction of
pickleball to this biennial event.
No Dumb Questions…
Submitted by Julia Stanley, USAPA member
Question: In reading the May 2014 USAPA e-Newsletter I came away with a lot of questions. I am
new to pickleball and tournament terminology. What do they mean by sanction and national? How
do they rate players? Do you have to pay more for tournaments if you are a member of USAPA,
which I am? Do you put your member number on your registration form? I didn't when I played in the
San Antonio Senior Games on April 3rd; boy I had a blast! It was so much fun and I won a bronze
medal in women doubles first time playing in a tournament.
Answer: Julia, Congratulations on your medal! We'll provide a few short answers here and refer you
to the USAPA website (www.usapa.org); it will answer ALL of your questions and more.
A sanctioned tournament is one that agrees to meet all of the USAPA sanctioning requirements --
referees for every match, accepted format, etc. Many tournaments give a registration discount to
USAPA members. If so, that will be on the registration form. National tournaments are the highest
level of competition for a particular organization (e.g., NSGA national tournament, National State
Games national tournament and the greatest nationals of them all -- USAPA National tournament
held each November). You can expect to see the top competitors at national events, but especially
the USAPA Nationals. Your San Antonio Senior Games may have been associated with NSGA and
possibly was a qualifying event. If so, that means that by medaling you qualified for the 2015 NSGA
National tournament. National State Games also holds qualifying events.
USAPA Nationals is open to players of all ages (as opposed to "senior" games), so it attracts the
best young players as well as the top seniors. Players are rated by skill level -- 2.0 through 5.0 -- by
local/state/regional rating committees that submit their rating recommendations to the USAPA
Ratings Chair. The website explains all of that and lists the ratings of USAPA players who have
played sanctioned tournaments.
Time spent exploring www.usapa.org is time well spent; you'll become very well informed. Thanks
for the questions.
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Sound Off…
Reader Feedback Regarding “Underused Paddle Tennis Courts”
I just want to make a correction and comment on the Revitalizing Underused Paddle Tennis Courts
article that appeared in the May e-Newsletter. The actual dimensions of a paddle tennis court are 50’
x 20’. The baseline in paddle tennis is 3 feet past the service line. When we use a pickleball court at
our club to play paddle tennis, we add a tape line 3 feet deeper than the pickleball baseline. - Joe
Borrelli, USAPA Ambassador, Raleigh, N.C.
Reader Feedback Regarding “‘Out’ as partner communications”
To avoid confusion and arguments, players need to train themselves to not call a ball “OUT” before it
lands. Instead “bounce it” is a good option for partner communication. The word “OUT,” when
verbalized, shuts down the mental and physical continuation of all players on the court and creates
an inequitable shift in advantage to the team calling “OUT” (before it lands), if the ball then lands in
and is played by the team that called it “OUT.” Leaving the rule as stated in IFP Rule 6.D.12 also
allows impolite/clever players to create “legal,” but unfair, situations from which they can benefit.
The rule should be changed to say something about “if a ball is called 'OUT' before it lands and is
'IN', the team making the erroneous 'OUT' call shall lose the point.” With that possible penalty in
place, players will be motivated to choose a truly communicative word that is not misleading or
disruptive to their opponents. Making an “OUT” call is interpreted by most of us as the end of a point.
Sorry to disagree with the rules clarification, but some things need to be changed to eliminate
placing innocent/fair players at a disadvantage and reform the erroneous, clever or thoughtless
behavior of those who do something that can give them an unwarranted advantage in a point. A
single point reversed or nullified based on an unfair or deceptive tactic can certainly turn a game and
a match. - Jeff McQuinn
Reader Feedback Regarding “Pickle Ball, Pickleball or pickleball?”
If Pickleball was named after the family's dog then it ought to have a capital P. Just a retired
teacher's opinion. - Esther Franco
Editors’ Response: Thanks for your opinion Esther. If the game were called Pickle’s Ball, we would
agree; however, it is not. So, we are sticking with “pickleball” – lowercase p.
The Mind Game...
Partner Questions
By Harry Carpenter
I received the following mental pickleball questions from an anonymous reader:
How Do I Deal with a Weak Partner? No matter what your level of play, there are times you end up
on the court with a partner that is two levels weaker than you and your opponents. It’s easy to ignore
your partner and act like you can’t wait for the game to be over. That’s rude. Think of it from their
side. The weak player is nervous because he doesn’t want to let you down, nor does he want to be
shown up as a (comparatively) poor player. So why not use this opportunity to be a mentor?
Encourage him with a compliment when he makes a good shot. If he is receptive, make suggestions
on how he can improve his game. On the flip side, you can use this opportunity to improve your
game. Instead of being bored and letting your mind drift, practice keeping your mind on the ball, not
on your partner. Besides, if you don’t keep your mind on the ball and it is hit to you, you flub an easy
shot and you’re the one that looks weak.
What About When I Am the Weak Player? Most importantly, don’t be overly meek. Don’t think, “Well,
I’m the weak player so I’m going to lose all the points.” If you think that way, you will lose all the
points. Use this as a valuable learning experience, which it is. Act like you belong on the court, which
you do. Use this opportunity to raise your level of play, which it will. Don’t think of the other players;
that’s not your job. Keep your mind on the ball. It’s the same ball you always play with. Play the ball,
not the other players on the court.
Editors’ Note: This is a continuing series of articles on the mental side of pickleball: what you should
be thinking about – and not thinking about – during play, and more. Harry W Carpenter is author of
the eBook, Pickleball; The Mental Side, as well as The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind –
How It Works and How to Use It and a CD that contains mental conditioning exercises that will help
you get in the zone.
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Rules Review...
Yes, I'm talking to YOU
By Dennis Dacey, USAPA Rules Chair
Okay, this month I want to talk about refereeing. Yes, I’m talking to YOU. If you play in sanctioned
tournaments you should be volunteering to referee. This task is needed in tournament play for many
reasons that I don’t really want to get into for this article, but let’s just say it’s needed. So, just like
you prepare to play in the tournament, you should also prepare to referee in the tournament. If all
players consider this part of their responsibility, and actually do it, it would make life better for
everyone.
To start, read and reread the IFP rules. This will not only prepare you to referee, but knowing the
rules will also help you play better. After this, take the referee quiz and see just how much you know
about the rules of the game.
In the near future we’re going to have a referee certification program. For now begin by reading the
USAPA Referee Guide. All of this and more can be found at www.usapa.org under the Rules &
Referees tab. Try to go to a referee class; if you can’t, just jump in with another referee for a game or
two and see how it’s done; then go for it. You will be a better player because of it and more highly
respected by your peers for helping with this task. When you’re playing remember to respect the
referee. Understand that referees are for the most part volunteers. Some may be more competent
than others, some may make more bad calls than others, some may be more arrogant than others,
but they all are doing the best they can and should be acknowledged for this. If you see a need to
challenge their calls do it respectfully, and no matter what happens during the game, always, always
thank them at the end of the match.
back to top
WWW.USAPA.ORG…
Take a Look
Pickleball recently has been receiving significant air time, both local and national, including a lengthy
piece by Brian Williams on the NBC Nightly News; don’t miss the links at the redesigned USAPA
website – www.usapa.org. The home page contains buttons to everything from tournaments to
places to play in each state and province, benefits of USAPA membership and an all-inclusive Guide
to Refereeing. All this and much, much more. Take a moment to visit http://www.usapa.org, it is an
incredible source of information about all things pickleball!
The Final Word…
By Jennifer Lucore, Publisher, USAPA e-Newsletter
For those of you who have been around the game for a while, the ride just got wild. Pickleball has
reached critical mass! My guess is that you too have experienced the sudden explosion of this great
game. Here are two facts to back up this claim.
My friend Mike from Irvine, Calif., is a top 5.0 pickleball player and has been quietly spreading the
word of pickleball to his paddle tennis friends. Mike has over 37 years of paddle tennis experience,
for that is where he crossed Hilary Hilton Marold’s path in the 1970’s [Ed., now she’s a top 5.0
pickleball player]. The last few months the majority of his paddle tennis friends have jumped over to
the pickleball side, and he cannot believe the buzz that is going on – pickleball has reached critical
mass. His friend, Greg, a retired attorney who was the # 1 paddle tennis player in the country for
years, said to him, “The game is easy to learn, but I can see how it will take a while to master. I can't
wait to play again.”
It seems everywhere he turns people are talking about pickleball and asking questions. For example,
he recently entered a Sports Authority in Huntington Beach, Calif., looking to buy pickleballs. The
manager, who happened to help him, shared that pickleball items are some of the best sellers and
they can barely keep balls in stock. And the manager wants to learn to play. The May 15, 2014, New
York Times ran an article about pickleball in Gainesville, Va., and they too say “nearly a half-century
since its creation, pickleball has reached critical mass.” Are you feeling the buzz too?