REFEREES WANTED! Are you Interested in being a volunteer referee at Aiken’s Palmetto Doubles Tournament September 10 -12? Willing to help the referees but don’t want to be a referee? If so, please let David Hoel know (davidfhoel@gmail.com). Training sessions will be provided. Certification or previous referee experience is not required.
Aiken Pickleball News
There is some misinformation going around. Someone told a team to leave their nets up even though nobody is scheduled after them because the nets are getting worn. While this may be the case, maintenance is unable to clean the floors properly when nets are left up. Please make sure all nets are removed at the end of each day. Thanks!
Select "Read more" to see "What's happening in June"
June 1 - Registration opens for the. Palmetto Tournament in September. For more information, go to http://aikenpickleball.com/2021Tournament.
June 2 -- Registration opens for the mixed doubles round Robin to be held at Gregg Park on July 17. For more information, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4aada929a7fa7-october
June 7 - Leadership Team Meeting - 530pm at Odell - Click here to read the minutes from the meeting.
June 11 - Drills with Little Mo start at Gregg Park - Friday evenings from 6-7 pm. Click here to sign up.
June 12 - New Players Clinic at Odell - Call the front desk at 803 642-7631 to reserve a slot.
June 16 - No indoor pickleball at Odell
June 19 - New Players Clinic at Gregg Park - Click here to sign up
June 26 - Round Robin at Odell - Click here to sign up.
June 28 - Skill rating session at Smith-Hazel - Click here to sign up
Other items -
Pickleball at Smith-Hazel is only available on Monday mornings for all of June and July because of kids summer camps.
Eight (8) outdoor lighted pickleball courts now available at Virginia Acres Park located behind Odell Weeks.
No evening play at Odell on Tuesday and Thursday.
Because of summeer camps, there will be no weekday play at Gregg Park - June 21-24; June 28- July 1; July 19-22; and July 26-29.
Due to scheduling, there will be no Drills with “Little Mo” for the next two weeks. “Little Mo” returns to Odell on Wednesday, June 9, with “Drop, Chip, and Drive”. Then no drills on Wednesday, June 16th. “Lobs” and “Specially Shots” move to 23 & 30 June, No evening drills on either day.
Good news - Drills with “Little Mo” start up again at Gregg Park on June 11th, every Friday from 6-7pm.
Thursday, September 9th - Sunday, September 12th, 2021
Odell Weeks Recreation Center
1700 Whiskey Road, Aiken, South Carolina
For tournament information, click here.
Schedule for tournament play as follows
There will be Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles in the following skill level / age brackets:
3.0 (19+, 50+, 60+, 70+)
3.5 (19+, 50+, 60+, 70+)
4.0 (19+, 50+, 60+, 70+)
4.5 (19+, 50+, 60+, 70+)
5.0 (19+, 50+)
This is a double elimination tournament. In the event that insufficient teams are registered in a category, those matches may default to a round robin competition format.
The tournament fee is $45 and also includes a tournament shirt, draw string bag, and an Onix ball.
The tournament ball is the orange Onix Fuse ball and therefore, solid orange apparel is not permitted.
Lunch will not be provided. However, there are 20+ restaurants within a mile of the tournament.
COVID-19: CDC and the City of Aiken COVID-19 policies in effect at the time of the tournament will be followed and enforced. As the tournament draws near, updates on these policies will be posted at PickleballTournaments.com
Event Dates
* Practice — Thursday afternoon, September 9
* Women’s Doubles 3.0 (60+,70+), 3.5 (60+,70+) — Friday, September 10
* Men’s Doubles 3.0 (60+,70+), 3.5 (60+,70+) — Friday, September 10
* Mixed Doubles all brackets – Saturday, September 11
* Women’s Doubles 3.0 (19+,50+), 3.5 (19+,50+), and all brackets 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 — Sunday, September 12
* Men’s Doubles 3.0 (19+,50+), 3.5 (19+,50+), and all brackets 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 — Sunday, September 12
Contacts
Registration: Nelson Spitnale or Ben Lacy, Registration@AikenPickleball.com
Instructions for registering:
1. Go to https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/pbt_main.pl
2. In upper right corner click on “Login”, then Player Login.
3. If you do not have an account click on “Create Account”, fill in the blanks and click on “Search”, if you do have an account, enter Login and password and click on “Signin”.
4. On Player Account page, click on 'Register for a Tournament or Update Tournament Registration”.
5. In Search for a Tournament “Keyword”, enter “Palmetto”, click on “Search”.
6. You may click on “View Details” or click on green “Register”.
7. Scroll down, and read the sentence preceding the green “Register for Tournament” button, check the check box on the left, then click on “Register for Tournament”.
8. The next page will list the event(s) you are eligible to play based on your gender, age and skill level. Click on the green “Register” button for an event you want to play. Scroll down.
9. If you know your partner, enter his/her information and then click on “Enter” or scroll down and click on “Continue without a partner”. If you identify a partner, they must still register, sign waiver and pay for themselves.
10. You may now “Register” for additional events and complete partner information for each event..
11. Your shirt size will automatically populate from your profile, but to make sure it is correct or to change it, click on “Edit”.
12. Keep scrolling down for volunteer opportunities and the Liability Waiver and Comments, then to sign the Liability Waiver enter your “Last Name” and then enter any comments you may have.
13. Click on green “Save waiver and Registration” button.
14. Click on green “Pay Online” button.
15. Click on green “Paypal” button. Login to Paypal if you have an account, if you don't have an account there will be a link allowwing you to pay by credit card.
16. Signout.
The June New Playeres Clinic at Odell Weeks will be held on Saturday, June 12th. Signup and pay at the front desk. Schedule is as follows:
0900-0915 - Check-in;
0915-0930 - Court setup;
0930-1030 - New Players Clinic;
1045-1215 - Practice Play Session.
Clinic will include proper court position, how to keep score, how to make the transition from tennis and other racquet sports to pickleball and much more. Clinic will be held on Court #1, Gym #2, at Odell Weeks. Balls and paddles provided. Maximum 8 players. Cost is $15 per person. Call the front desk at 803 642-7631 to reserve a slot.
There are now eight (8) outdoor pickleball courts available for play at Virginia Acres Park located behind Odell Weeks..
A round robin is scheduled for Saturday, July 17th at Gregg Park Civic Center (an indoor facility). This will be a mixed doubles event where you sign up with a specific partner and play one game to 11 against every other team in your division. Each division (3.0 and below, 3.5, and 4.0 and above) is limited to a maximum of 8 teams.
The cost is $10 per person. Payment may be made by mailing a check made payable to Ron Nelson tot 140 Fox Trace, Aiken, SC 29803, or via Zelle to AikenPickleballbanking@gmail.com
4.0 and up Mixed doubles - 8 Teams - 7 rounds - first to 11 win by 1
0830-0845am - Check-in and court setup
0845-0900am - Orientation and warm-up
9am - start play
3.0 and below Mixed Doubles - 8 teams - 7 rounds - first to 11 win by 1
1145am-12noon - Check-in
12-1215pm - Orientation and warm-up
12:15pm- start play
3.5 Mixed Doubles - 8 teams - 7 rounds - first to 11 win by 1
3-315pm - Check-in
315-330pm - Orientation and warm-up
3:30 pm - start play
Medals will be awarded for first, second and third place in each division. Onix Fuse balls will be provided.. Registration closes at 8:00 pm, Sunday, July 11th. If you have any questions send them to info@AikenPickleball.com
We have added an extra court for drop-in play on Mondays at Odell - courts 1,2,3,4 dip from 9am-12pm. In addition, there are now three courts available for court reservaitons on Mondays at Smith-Hazel 9am-12pm.
The City of Aiken is exploring the option of adding pickleball to their summer camps being held June-August. What they need are volunteers to assist Mo Garcia in introducing the game of pickleball to the kids attending the weekly camps. If you think you would be interested in helping please contact Alison Cribb at 803 642-7648. Alison is the Recreation Program Coordinator for the City of Aiken Parks, Recreation, Tourism.