ATLANTIC SOUTH PICKLEBALL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

October 15, 2012

The Atlantic South Region (ASR) E-Newsletter is distributed on the 15th of each month to all ASR Ambassadors. This newsletter is intended to keep all of you apprised of what is happening in your region and to consolidate our news into a once/monthly communication. Please forward this information to all USAPA members, all pickleball players/clubs in your regions and post to your local pickleball Blogs or Websites.

WELCOME NEW AMBASSADORS

They love the game of pickleball and they all have a desire to share the game with others of all ages. Each one is a spokesperson and representative for USAPA and each one has volunteered to take on this fun activity of promoting the game they love in their area. This month our Atlantic South Region (ASR) welcomes SEVEN new ambassadors.

IN FLORIDA
Please welcome Joshua Kalin who joins us from Delray Beach, FL. Josh and his wife Harriet are now retired, moved from Delaware and now make their home in West Delray Beach FL. Both of them were introduced to pickleball in The Villages, FL, back in August of 2012 and were immediately addicted to the game. County ambassador, Dick Freshley and his wife Verna. Then they found Palm Beach With their help they have

attempted to introduce pickleball to the members at Gleneagles Country Club. They have been in contact with a representative from the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department who also came to play with the group and was very enthusiastic about the game. They are hoping that with additional interest they will be able to get Josh is confident that if they find the Meanwhile they have set up a some space available in West Delray Beach.

players, Palm Beach County will find them a place to play.

portable net and lines using painters tape in an unused cul de sac in a nearby park. Theyve also worked to introduce the game at nearby communities in Deerfield Beach and Boynton Beach.

IN NORTH CAROLINA
Joining us from the city of Raleigh, NC is

Joe Borrelli. Joe has been participating in

racquet sports his entire life, racquetball being his sport of choice with over 30 years of tournament competition. Joe relocated to Raleigh from upstate NY in 1996. At that time he introduced Paddle Tennis to his Brier Creek community. In 2012 he was introduced to Pickleball at the Cary, NC Bond Park Community Center. It was during those pickleball gatherings that Joe realized he'd found a game he could play for a long time. He has successfully introduced Pickleball at Brier Creek Community Center in Raleigh, (pictured) having an active participation of about 40 senior adults in his first 6 weeks. At this time he is working with the City of Raleigh to offer Pickleball as an adult activity at various city community centers. Joe's education degree is in Physical Education and Health. After a 33 year career with IBM, he is excited to get back into the recreational field with teaching and participating in Pickleball.

Kevin Chandler is our new ambassador representing, Wilmington, NC.

week.

Kevin started

playing pickleball back in January of 2011 and continues to play indoors at least twice a Kevin has been actively promoting pickleball in Wilmington with success. He maintains contact with the recreation personnel and is the unofficial communications leader for the local group of players, maintaining players/mailing lists to keep players regularly updated and informed.

He is

currently negotiating with the Wilmington Recreation Dept. for some

outdoor/lined courts, and hopes within the next couple of months to start offering more pickleball clinics and welcoming new players.

From

Pinehurst, Stephen

NC, and

please

welcome

Jeanne

Mager. They are retired to Pinehurst, Steve a school teacher and Jeanne an RN/BSN. We are avid pickleball players who share a love for the game and are now excited to be helping to introduce it to Pinehurst Country Club and other interested players. We play a minimum of 3 times a week and help with teaching the game to newcomers. We have negotiated with the Pinehurst Country Club to build 4 new permanent courtsand are committed to seeing the sport spread in our area. Our future goals include providing an ideal location for tournament play.

Joining us from Lenoir,

NC is

Loretta Savary,

ambassador for Loretta and and were a

Caldwell County, NC. 1999 started AZ. RVing

her husband Ron retired back in introduced to pickleball while in Casa Grande, and Loretta home found partner, played her first tournament went wearing gold. The (Loretta is the one in pink).

next year on a taped off tennis

court in Arcadia, FL her husband started playing and they introduced the game to about 50 more people. Back home in NC shes been travelling an hour and a half to play with a group in Gastonia, where she met Ambassador Earl Cunningham. It was time to get a local court for her and the rest of the now pickleball playing tennis buddies. With the help of Maury Patterson, the Mulberry Recreation Center Supervisor she was able to secure an unused tennis court. Ron & I used over 30 gallons of bleach and pressure cleaned for

over a week. We purchased the net, paddles, balls and have just started playing on the court - Wednesday's. Now I will start teaching the game and setting up established times once I find out what works well with most of the players. complete profile and pictures of their new court. CLICK HERE for

SOUTH CAROLINA
Please welcome Dick Stone from Salem, SC, to our ambassador family. I am originally

from central New York State and spent my entire career in various positions in the technical computer market. I spent 25 years in Fort Lauderdale, Florida with my wife, raising our two girls, before retiring in the "Golden Corner" of South Carolina in the active adult Golf and Country Club community of Keowee Key on the shores of Lake Keowee. The accepted term for northerners leaving Florida to retire in the Carolinas is "half backs"!
Dick has played pickleball for about three years and worked diligently to introduce the game to his community of Keowee Key. Pickleball started on a single taped court on a concrete patio and then moved to two shared tennis courts

taped for pickleball and the community will soon be home to a $150K dedicated lighted quad court. The community now boasts over 100 players. Dick has and continues to conduct pickleball orientations, rules, strategy and assisted other local ambassadors in promoting inter community competitions. And Dick loves to shoot pickleball videos!!! You can check them out AND the new courts on the community pickleball website: http://keoweekeypb.blogspot.com/ CLICK HERE for complete profile.

RECENTLY IN THE ATLANTIC SOUTH NEWS

Triads Inaugural Pickleball Tournament, High Point, NC - The Pickleball
Tournament was held on October 5th and 6th at the Deep River Recreation Center in High Point, NC. It was a huge success!! A total of 64 players participated, with 13 of those players arriving from FL, PA, MD, and SC. Not bad for our first tournament! On the 4th all the players had an opportunity to play some pickleball and get a feel for the courts during the day and that evening got to enjoy a social at Mi Pueblos Mexican Restaurant. Tournament play began at 8 a.m. Friday morning for the 60s age group with the 50s and 70+ competing on Saturday. Most participants played in two or three divisions. There were several drawings throughout the tournament for prizes donated by the City of High Point. For many of the participants from the Triad area, this was their first tournament and we wanted to make sure it was a pleasant experience for them. Since the tournament was such a huge success, we have already tentatively scheduled the second tournament for next year (Oct 3 - 5, 2013)! Thanks to all that attended our tournament and made it such a big success. ! CLICK HERE for photo gallery

Battle of Franklin - The first "Battle of Franklin" tournament was held September 1416, 2013 at the Williamson Recreation Center in Franklin, TN. While TN is not part of our region, Cindy Eddleman and Nancy Meyer, our ambassadors from Ft. Myers, FL took on the task of being the tournament directors. Cindy tells us: There were

73 participants; Tennessee with 45, Louisiana - 3, Kentucky - 2, Pennsylvania 1, Michigan -1, and 20 from the Atlantic South Region, including 6 from Alabama, 7 from Florida, 6 from Georgia and 1 from North Carolina. It was a wonderful opportunity for players from different regions to meet and have fun. Atlantic South winners are posted on our website: CLICK HERE

Tampa

The 32 Annual Tampa Bay Senior Games 2012 Pickleball event took place on Thursday and Friday, September 27th and 28th. Approximately 200 players registered to compete in the two day competition. Doubles and mixed doubles competition for players 50 and older took place on the 5 pickleball courts in Sun City Center, Fl. Compliments and thanks to the tournament organizers for the donuts, water and lunch and for an efficiently scheduled, competitive event.

nd

Bay

Games:

Jacksonville Senior Games, Jacksonville, FL The Forever Fit 50 and Beyond

Jacksonville Senior Games took place on Friday, October 5, 2012 at the Cecil Gym and Fitness Center. Jacksonville ambassador, George Catalano served as the event coordinator this year. Tournament play began

at 9:00 am and finished at about 5:45 pm. It was a long day but everyone hung out till the end. Registration was up this year to 41 participants arriving from nearby states as well as across the state of Florida; one lady flew in from Chattanooga, TN to compete! Were looking forward to playing again next year, but to make it more accommodating for the growing number of participants I hope to convince the city to have it over 2-3 days instead of just one.

The folks from Ponte Vedra sent along pictures and their comments below. Mark Stemmerman and Kandy Aker sent this message: George, thanks for the effort in your tournament. The goody bags

and t-shirt are one of the finer ones we have seen from the tournaments we attend. Nice meeting you and all the fellow players. CLICK HERE for winners! UPCOMMING TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS
Additional information and all links to registration forms are available in the Upcoming Tournaments/Clinics/Events section on our Atlantic South Website:

www.south.usapa.org

Kissimmee/St. Cloud Senior Games, Oct. 15-16, 2012, Poinciana (Solivita), FL Registration Deadline Oct. 5, 2012

N. Myrtle Beach Round Robin, October 19, 2012, Myrtle Beach, SC. Ormond Beach Senior Games, Oct. 22, 2012, Ormond Beach, FL Veterans Day Invitational Pickleball Tournament/Benefit Hope for Warriors, Oct. 26-27, 2012, Fort Mill/Indian Land, SC - Registration Deadline October 5th Carl Clous Memorial Halloween Pickleball Tournament, Oct. 27-28, 2012 Poinciana, FL ( Open to Solivita Residents Only) Beaufort-Jasper Active Adult Challenge, October Bluffton, SC, Registration Deadline Sept. 21, 2012 29-31, 2012,

USAPA National Tournament, November 4-12, 2012, Buckeye, AZ (Tier 1), Registration Deadline October 5, 2012 North Georgia Fall Social/Round Robin and Chili Cook-off, October 28, 2012, Canton, GA. (Social Pickleball and Food to Follow)

Great Pumpkin Tournament, November 17-18,2012 , Canton, GA Florida International Senior Games and State Championships, December 3-5, 2012, Lakeland, FL 2nd Annual Riverbend Resort Classic, December 8-9, 2012, Labelle, FL Skill level tournament open to ages 16 and up. (Tier 4)

Smile if You Love Pickleball Week, December 10-15, 2012, Kings Point-Sun City Center, FL (Kings Point residents only) Annaul Winter In Paradise Pickleball Wing Ding, December 15th, 2012, Kings PointSun City Center FL - OPEN to non residents!

 The Villages Toys for Tots Tournament December 17-21, 2012, (TV residents only), The Villages, Fl. 2012 Tanglewood Winter Classic, January 5-6, 2013, Sebring, FL Skill Level tournament (Tier 4) Geezer Meister Pickleball Tournament, January 17-19,2013, Summerfield, FL Atlantic South Regional Pickleball Tournament, February 1-3, 2013, Naples. FL (Tier 4), Registration Deadline Postmark 1/12/2013, On-Line January 14, 2012 3rd Annual Senior Pickleball Tournament, February 8-9, 2013, Jacksonville, NC Daytona Beach Senior Pickleball Tournament, February 8 -10, 2013, Daytona Beach, FL Lee County Senior Games, February 22-24, 2013, Ft. Myers, FL

City of Ft. Myers Skatorium Classic March 1-3, 2013, Ft. Myers, FL Skill Level Tournament open to ages 16 and up. (Tier 4) Polk County Senior Games, March 5-6, 2013, Poinciana, FL Heartland Senior Games, March 8-9, 2013Tanglewood, Sebring, FL

Charlotte County Senior Games, March 15-17, 2013, Punta Gorda, FL, (Tier 4)

3rd Annual Riverbend Resort Classic, March 23-24, 2013, Labelle, FL Skill Level Tournament open to ages 16 and up.

East Naples Skill Level Tournament, April 5-7, 2013, Naples, FL

2013 US Open Senior Doubles Championship at the Villages, April 18-21, 2013, The Villages, FL

Pura Vida Pickleball Adventure, May 2-9, 2013, Westin Playa Concha, Costa Rica. (Registration is Full Closed) National Senior Games Association (NSGA) Pickleball Tournament, July 21 August 5, 2013, Cleveland, OH 1st Annual Myrtle Beach Invitational Tournament, November 16-17, 2013, Myrtle Beach, SC

Do you have a tournament/round robin or social event that should be listed here?

REPORTING IN FROM ACROSS THE REGION ALABAMA

Beginner clinics have started on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for students at Spring Hill College in Mobile, Alabama. They are sponsored by the Intramural Sports Department and taught by Ambassadors Jerry and Virginia Corker of Mobile, AL.
Two of Spring Hills players went home with medals this year at the Mid- South Regional Tournament in Mandeville, LA.Sure looks like we just might have a few more players ready for the challenge!

FLORIDA Scott Nelson Ambassador, Florida Space Coast - No more taped lines! Viera
Community Center, Health First, and Satellite Recreation Center all have something in common. They all have new permanent lines for the continued promotion of Pickleball. In addition there has been such a surge in new players that the South Beaches Recreation Center has now committed the entire gym to pickleball on Mondays and Wednesday evenings. As of September 17th, South Beaches Recreation Center will be operating with four Pickleball courts.

Dennis Sarlo, Ambassador, The Villages, FL Planning is moving forward for a

seniors doubles pickleball tournament scheduled for April 18, 19, 20 and 21, 2013 in The Villages, Florida. It will be open to all seniors, 50 and up. The tournament will take place on April 18 and 19 and the last two days, April 20 and 21 will feature an exhibition and clinics by guest elite national players, Timothy Nelson, Billy Jacobson, Dan Gabanek, Don Paschal, Chile Chilelli, Mark Friedenberg and Mona Burnett. The event is listed on the USAPA and the Atlantic South websites and USAPA Sanctioning is now pending. Save the dates! Registration will be available by January 7, 2013. More information will be forthcoming.

Louann Dubendorf, Kings Point Pickleball, Sun City Center, FL - Kings Point
Pickleball gave a first-rate showing at the 2012 Tampa Bay Senior Games. Twenty eight of the two hundred registered Pickleball players called Kings Point home. Twenty two hard earned medals were accumulated by the Kings Point Pickleball contestants.

The Kings Point Pickleball community of players, friends, and spectators, along with previously as well as newly acquired tournament friends of other communities, cheered each team on and joined in on the camaraderie of the two days of playon the 5 Sun City Center pickleball courts.

Kings Point Pickleball community players (pictured) partaking in the Senior Tampa Games include: Mary Arpia, Carol Cuthbertson, Shirley Bucci, Nancy Gonzales, Pat Kuzmik, Karen Crippen, Jane Meyhew, Nadine Powers, Connie Kehl, Kathy Johnson, Sharlene Peter, Louann Dubendorf, Bob Jones, John Robek, Dan Laloggi, Tom Cuthbertson, Lewis Lange, Pedro Arevalo, Artie Chivers, Colin Meertens, Walter Keuhn, John Madaloni, Robert Markman, Tom Nolan, Paul Bures, Vinny Quintalino, Jack Marinchek, Paul Watrol. Special thanks from Kings Point to Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation staff and to all players, friends and spectators for making this years Tampa Bay Pickleball Senior Games one of the most fun filled, competitive and enjoyable times. CLICK HERE for full story, pictures and medal winners.

Larry Judd, Ambassador, Lake Ashton, FL - Under the Title: "Health Craze with funny name big at Lake Ashton", the Lake Ashton Pickleball Association was featured in the Sept. 26, 2012 Lake Wales News. Reporter Mary Cannaday of the Lake Wales News interviewed members of the association, which has a fundraising craft fair at Lake Ashton scheduled for 11/10/12. Interviewed were Lynne and Larry Judd (LAPA President and USAPA Winter Haven Ambassador), Nancy and Bill Dentler and Cathy Hruby. The Association has been fund raising for 2 years in order to build dedicated courts at Lake Ashton, a 55+ active adult community in Lake Wales and Winter Haven.

Bob Dean, Ambassador, Ponte Vedra, FL Del Webb Ponte Vedra had a dozen
participants in the Jacksonville Senior Games and played quite well for a one year old club. I think the experience was very beneficial, especially the skill level of most participants. We all enjoyed the tournament and still brought home a few medals.

Bob also continues to promote pickleball at numerous adjacent communities of Nocatee. He will be doing a pickleball

demo at the Nocatee Farmers Market on November 7th. It will be at Splashwater Park at Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, FL. It is a monthly event that draws 2-4 thousand residents and visitors.

Bob Eibling Ambassador, Orlando, FL - I joined the Elks in Orlando and we are

putting in a PB court outside in a vacant area of the parking lot. Again, an outreach for new members and good exercise for all. I have been rejected by the local YMCA's, and all but one Community Recreation Center. Pickleball is non-existent in Orlando, so my opportunities are limitless. I have received a lot of help from Lakeland Pickleball folks and the Villages. The Elks Lodge #1079 has provided all the labor for free, through a program called MMB's (Monday Morning Boys). Once the court is complete we hope to have other Elks lodges form teams and develop a competition.

GEORGIA Ann Earley N. GA Pickleball Club, Canton, GA - Some players were just passing
through and others needed a little more pickleball before heading for home after the Battle of Franklin tournament in TN. The North Georgia Pickleball Club first welcomed LA ambassadors Marty and Prissy Martin of Morgan City and Sharon Richard of Rayne. Joining them the next morning was Diane Reynolds and Gail Brown of Sebring Florida and

just after noon along came ambassadors Byron and Marsha Freso of Waumauma, FL! Seems this is a very popular stop for players passing through North Georgia. But the next day the North Georgia players had to take a break from play to take care of the courts!! According to Ann, members of the PB Club cleaned old tape from the courts and applied new tape on Friday after an hour of invisible line pickleball. Once done, everyone was invited to caravan to Taco Macs for lunch! The courts are now ready for their upcoming Pickleball Social/Chili Cookoff and their Great Pumpkin Tournament in November.. mark your calendar it will be a great time!

Jodi Pree, Hoschton, GA (Ambassador, Marco Island, FL)

Our Florida ambassador is still at her GA home, so shes been visiting with her friends at the Village of Deaton Creek in Hoschton, GA.

On September 19th, the Village of Deaton Creek (VDC), along with careful planning and organizing by VDCs Saul Levenson (pictured to photo) played host to a group of pickleballers from Franklin, NC. Joining the group were Franklin ambassadors Jan Sharp and Mike and Nancy Falkenstein. The group enjoyed a morning of stiff competition followed by a luncheon at the VDC clubhouse.

NORTH CAROLINA Mike and Nancy Falkenstein, Ambassadors, Franklin, NC - This is a little late but
several of our group played in the Lake Lure Olympiad Pickleball Tournament. We had 3 Men's Doubles Teams, 1 Ladies Doubles, and 3 Mixed Doubles Teams. Participating were Larry and Nan Noyes, Don and Judy Wirth, Michael and Nancy Falkenstein, Ron Schott and John Lumpkin. None of us made it to the finals, but we had fun.....sadly the Mixed Doubles was at the end of the day and was cancelled due to weather after only a few matches had been played. Ron Schott played with a "found partner", Conner Murphy, Ambassador from Savannah, GA, and they made it through 4 matches! Congratulations Ron. Next year! Five of us, (Picture by Jodi Pree) Paul Baillargeon, Jan Sharp, John Lumpkin, Michael and Nancy Falkenstein, traveled to play with the Deaton Creek (Hoschton, GA) group.....we had 3 courts going for over two hours and the competition was great! Organized by Saul Levinson, they also had Pizza, Cold Drinks, Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies for us after the play. Jody Pree, Ambassador from Marco Island was there taking pictures of the event. We had a great time and look forward to going back to Deaton Creek as well as having them come play with our group. We are talking with Connestee Falls Group and Ambassador Deb Richter about interclub play this winter as we have 3 indoor courts at our National Guard Armory. Vince West is also playing with the North Georgia Pickleball Group and hopes to arrange a time for us to send a contingent down to Canton to play! Our Senior Games contingent back from the State Games in Raleigh report that Pickleball is being promoted there....while several states do have Pickleball in their Senior Games, North Carolina does not....but we are working on it!

We have also become the "Blue Ridge Mountains Pickleball" and are having shirts made up....so we will have an identity when we travel! Picking a name was not an easy task but we felt that with folks coming from Robbinsville, NC, Topton, NC, Hayesville, NC as well as the summer residents, this was inclusive for all. We are still playing outdoors on our two courts, but anticipate moving indoors to the Armory the first of November if not before.

Laura Patterson - Ambassador, Winston-Salem, SC - On September 21st the

Kernersville Y had a Senior Fun Day offering a number of activities for them to try. They offered a game called 9-High, chair volleyball, and pickleball.

We had a half dozen seniors try pickleball and had two that were very competitive and simply loved the game. The guy, Joe is 84 years old, had his own paddle and only wanted to play with the best players to show off his skills. He just learned how to play in June but didnt know of a lot of places to play until he met us. Sandra had never heard of the game but had played a little tennis back in the day and she picked up the game fairly quickly. Theres a group of about 12 regulars that play at the 4th of July park in Kernersville, NC and Joe and Sandra have become part of that group. The City of High Point, NC sponsored a Community Day at City Lake Park on September 15th and I was asked to come and help out with pickleball. I almost never turn down a chance to play pickleball so I showed up and was amazed at all the activities that they had at the community day. They had food vendors, arts and craft vendors, line dancing, hula hoop contest, marching band competition, cheer leaders, clowns and yes, pickleball.

We had a steady stream of people come to try the sport, both old and young but the biggest group of players were some college students that absolutely loved the game. They said they had never heard of this game before. They played for a while, left and came back with more friends to play some more.
Laura headed for Raleigh, NC to compete in the State Senior Games during the week of September 24th. She didnt have to compete until Thursday but she and her friend went a few days early to cheer on some fellow players. No pickleball in the Senior Games this year so they took along their paddles and looked for a place to play. They found Pickleball in Cary.

We played at 4 different locations that Tuesday and Wednesday.....yes, that meant we played at a couple of different venues on the same day (once in the morning and then again that evening).

We met the Ambassador for that area (Luis Vazquez) and he made sure we had more than enough pickleball to play while we were there. Luis and some of the players in Cary competed in our tournament and Luiss brother, Felix joined us from Florida as well!

Ambassador Mike Walsh The Cary, NC Players.

We have a new court at a government employment facility located in Research Triangle Park. Mary Grant a Deputy Chief at NIEHS spearheaded this new venue and reports that she has now introduced pickleball to three program fitness instructors who were THRILLED to learn this new sport. Look for more courts to follow in the RTP. Although the ceiling is a bit low at the Five Points Center for Active Adults (pictured), their start-up program is doing very well. The Cary group was very interested in learning more about their level of play. This past weekend 7 members traveled to High Point NC to play in their first tournament. The following players brought medals back to Cary with them; Marcia/Tayler Bingham mixed doubles Gold, Marilyn Sorin & Marcia Bingham doubles Gold, Mike Walsh singles Silver, Marilyn Sorin & Mike Walsh mixed doubles Silver, Luis Vazquez & Felix Vazquez (FL) mens doubles Bronze, and Jim Wilson singles Bronze. Since there were about 60 players in the tournament representing 5 different states the group felt very good about their performance.

SOUTH CAROLINA Jean Borden, Ambassador, Sunset, SC - If you have pickleball communities near
you reach out and have a get together, whether its just to play, or for a little friendly competition.

On September 24th we invited a neighboring community, Keowee Key, to The Reserve. We had a fun 3 hour competition with about 20 players and had such a good time.
Jean wants to extend a special Thank You to

The Reserve players who came out to play and socialize with the neighbors, for the food they prepared for everyone and to Lauren who, even with her sprained ankle climbed to the referee chair!
Pickleball has found a home at The Reserve at Keowee Key and the location was recently added to our places to play page. (Picture provided by Dick Stone)

Mike and Loretta Beckner, Ambassadors, Aiken, SC - We continue to play

pickleball four times a week indoors, with two or three courts generally filled with players. The City's Parks and Recreation Dept. has recently lined (painted) three outdoor pickleball courts for us behind the Odell Weeks Sports Center on an unused cement slab. These will be used more when the weather turns cooler, as well as when the indoor courts are not available, per the schedule. The advantage of the outdoors courts is that it allows players to play when it suits their schedules. I have been giving a two hour "Intro to Pickleball" class the first Monday of September, October and November. Later this month four of us will be going to McCormick, SC to do a demo for a large community called Savannah Lakes Village. They are converting one of their outdoor tennis courts into a pickleball court with the hope that the sport will catch on and offer residents another activity.

Dick Stone, Ambassador, Salem, SC And the players

from the Keowee Key community also reported in on their visit to The Reserve. Here is a new video chronicling a great day of competition and camaraderie between the two communities of Keowee Key and The Reserve.

http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=qp8WxuG1548&feature=plcp Since both communities are on the shore of beautiful Lake Keowee, SC and it was such a nice crisp day, we decided to go by boat! Everyone had a great time and new friendships were established. When our new courts are complete, in a few weeks, we will reciprocate, thus this is likely the start on some ongoing gatherings around the lake. We have come a long way from chalk lined courts on a concrete patio!!!

Jane Harvey, Ambassador, Indian Land, SC - Sun City Carolina Lakes Pickleball

Club Hosted 24 Hours of Fun Pickleball to Benefit Veterans , Hope For The Warriors. The result was a weekend of fun and fellowship and a significant head start on reaching the Club's fund raising goal of $10,000. The plan was to have participants keep pickleballs in play, nonstop, for 24 hours. A total of 119 participants joined. The marathon began with an opening ceremony and tribute to our member veterans. The courts were decorated with flags from each branch of the military and red, white and blue bunting.

Veterans, only, played in the first round. The community does not allow the pop, pop sound after 10:00 so temporary courts were set up in a nearby shopping center. The night owls found the shopping center lighting ideal for evening play. Folks came to cheer them on, including one fan dressed in her bathrobe. A number of participants even caught 40 winks ..But the lights went out mid-way through the night!!! At 6:00 AM play moved back to the official courts, with veterans again playing in the final time slot to close out the event. The Marathon was a lot of fun and many new players joined with the more seasoned ones to help with a great cause. The event generated lots of interest with folks from local TV channels 19 and CN2, and a reporter from the Gateway weekly newspaper, coming out to do stories. Entry fees, a raffle for a specialty paddle, and t-shirt and bag sales netted over $2000, launching the Club well on the way to their goal. CLICK HERE for more details and pictures from this event.

Richard Skovran, Ambassador, Myrtle Beach, SC - Wow! Its been pickleball,

birthday celebrations, food and pickleball under the lights, Its been a group visit to Jekyll Island, pickleball, enjoying the beach and more pickleball

It all started on August 16th when ambassador Rich Skovran turned 68 so his wife Mary invited about 20 players to the clubhouse to celebrate, eat and play pickleball under the lights.

Rich and his wife love Jekyll Island State park in Georgia and when they were there in June they met up with the tennis pro at the local tennis center, and while he knew absolutely nothing about pickleball he marked off a court and learned to play, as did some of the other tennis players. In September they returned with several other players from Myrtle Beach, rented a beach cottage for 4 days, and when not playing pickleball did the normal things like visiting the historical district, eating, playing cards and sunning on the beach. They not only were able to play pickleball, they introduced a few new players to the game while they were there including a group of kids. Everyone had a great time, and they were invited to come back and teach the seniors who will be back for the winter. They want everyone to know that if you are in Jekyll Island look up tennis pro, Peter Poole. Hell make sure you have a court to play on. Well, they are clay courts but at least you get to play!. On September 16th, morning play was introduced at the Skovrans home community of Carolina Ridge. The group had a great time. There was doughnuts and drinks and about four hours of pickleball. Everyone is wanting to do it again so it looks like maybe every other Sunday is breakfast and pickleball at Carolina Ridge. Thats all for now from Rich Skovran in Myrtle Beach! See you all next month!

If you have ANY story, news or information from your area that you would like to share with our readers in our monthly newsletter or on our Website, please send it to Donna Donald at rddonald2@gmail.com