David Zapatka While playing at the IronOaks courts in Sun Lakes for my first time last month, I ran into a group of very excited and highly motivated new pickleball players. We played a couple games together, and when we departed, this question was posed to me, “What should we do to improve and become…
Tag: pickleball
December 2020, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: Dink Responsibly
David Zapatka Often called the most important shot in all of pickleball, the dink is the critical shot aspiring players must learn to improve their game. The dink is a shot hit slowly and softly into the opponents’ non-volley zone, as close to the net as possible. If the opponent hits this ball hard, it…
November 2020, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: The Ready Position
David Zapatka One of the most common errors I see on the pickleball court is not being ready to play. What does this mean? Being ready to play means a number of things. It means being focused on the point at hand. Paying attention to debris on the court, listening to what someone is saying,…
September 2020, Clubs & Classes
New Shade Structure/Cement Pads
Steve Shapiro The Quail Creek Pickleball Club (QCPC) is pleased to announce that a new shade structure and cement pads (seating) have been built at our pickleball facility. This project has been ongoing for four to five years through the design/funding process. The design had to be approved by the Property Owners Association, with the…
September 2020, Sports
Relishing Pickleball
David Zapatka Pickleball Bangers Are you getting tired of playing the bangers? They have one strategy, hit the ball as hard as they can. They rarely hit third shot drop shots. What can you do? There are two options. The first is the punch volley, a volley hit hard and deep. The second is the…
Sports, August 2020
The Third Shot Drop. Why Is It So Important?
David Zapatka The third shot drop is a shot performed near the baseline that lands softly in the opponents’ kitchen. The shot is designed with one thing in mind—get your team to the net. The mechanics of the third shot drop are simple. The ball sails up into the air and drops into the kitchen…
Sports, April 2020
St. Jude Bunco/Pickleball Fundraiser
Erika Lochow and Lenny Friedman, USAPA Ambassador In lieu of the fourth annual Quail Creek Classic Pickleball Tournament fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Quail Creek Pickleball Club members organized a Bunco Night on the evening of March 10, under the leadership of Beth Larose. This was followed by the monthly pickleball club social on…
Sports, February 2020
Quail Creek Pickleball Club is Growing
Tom Dean On January 11, player development chair, Jean Bustard, welcomed 33 interested pickleball players to our introductory classes.
Features, January 2020
Pickleball Players Expanding Their Talents and Hobbies
Tom Dean Eldon Housley and Bill Foraker performed at the Green Valley’s got talent on Dec. 11. Eldon Housley known as the singing cowboy and the poet cowboy performed three songs and read two cowboy poems. Bill Forker plays the drums in the hardscrabble road band the house band for the Green Valley’s Got Talent…
Sports, November 2019
Quail Creek Pickleball players compete in “Battle of the Branches”
Vicky Eisemann, tournament director The Gary Sinise Foundation Military Pickleball Association “Battle of the Branches” Pickleball Tournament was held Oct. from 17 through 20, in Casa Grande. Players competed for their branch of service, Air Force, Army, Navy, or Marines in singles, men’s, women’s, and mixed doubles age and skill level divisions. Competitors won points for…