Erika Lochow and Candace Plumlee One hundred four competitors, 41 volunteers giving over 300 collective hours, and dozens of spectators watching and cheering made this one-day initial event in Quail Creek a huge success. Erika Lochow was the event director. Shireen Kolarik and Bill Entwistle were the tournament directors. The setup for the event included…
Wednesday’s Spring Training Round Robin Social brought out 64 hearty pickleball players who endured playing in the wind, along with several others who joined in the potluck. Bill Foraker provided baseball-themed music, along with a variety of genres. Madelyn Witt, who is on the Social Committee, transformed registration! Every player received a laminated card with…
David Zapatka The Volley Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, “A volley is a shot hit in the air before the ball bounces. It is used as a return of a ball that travels close to the top of the net and that is usually hit…
David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals: Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, “the player returning the serve stands deep in or behind the service court, ready to return the ball. The returner should be alert and ready for the next play. As the serve travels over the net, the returner…
David Zapatka The USA National Pickleball Championships were held for the third time at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif., this past December. With 2,342 players competing in 3,944 matches in 172 brackets, it was the largest tournament in the history of pickleball. Over $70,000 in prize money was up for…
Erika Lochow and Bill Foraker In lieu of an annual Quail Creek Classic Pickleball Tournament fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Quail Creek Pickleball Club members organized a Holiday Gala at the Madera Clubhouse on the evening of Dec. 3, followed by a Pickleball Rodeo on Dec. 5. The Gala, under the leadership of…
David Zapatka Quoting from Pickleball Fundamentals: Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, when hitting a serve, “contact must be made below the waist, which is defined as level with the navel. Further, International Federation of Pickleball Official Tournament Rulebook rule 4.A1 states the arm ‘must be moving in an upward arc’ and…
David Zapatka Backhand Groundstroke Quoting from Pickleball Fundamentals: Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, when hitting a backhand groundstroke, “The same principles apply when you’re hitting a backhand groundstroke (as a forehand groundstroke) except that you move to the left rather than to the right (right-handed players). While some players change the…
David Zapatka The Arizona Pickleball Players league (APPL) has now expanded its popular team-based pickleball league into its fifth region. After founding the first team-based pickleball league, East Valley Interclub League in 2012 (which has grown ever since), the Arizona Pickleball Players League was formally organized as a nonprofit in 2019 by a group of…
David Zapatka Forehand Groundstroke Quoting from Pickleball Fundamentals: Master the basics and compete with confidence, by Mary Littlewood, when hitting a forehand groundstroke, “from the moment the ball leaves the opponent’s paddle, you should be tracking its flight with your eyes to aid you in judging the speed and direction of the ball. Move to the…