The minutes for the Leadership Team Meeting held on July 1st have been posted. Topics discussed were - Update on preparations for the Palmetto Tournament, Feedback from Player Reps, use of private ball machines - and much more. Click here to read the full report.
Aiken Pickleball News
The minutes for the Leadership Team Meeting held on June 3rd have been posted. Topics discussed were - Need for shade on the outside courts - The overwhelming success of Groovy Tuesdays - Fabulous Friday our next free event to be held on June 28th - a Doubles Strategy clinic for those players preparing for our Palmetto Doubles Tournament - and much more. Click here to read the full report.
Over the past eight years, Barbara Dellamora and her daughter Elizabeth have enjoyed traveling the country together competing in Mother - Daughter races and checking off their list. They just finished their 50th race, this one in Hawaii. The two of them have now completed a race in each of our fifty states. Barbara, who is just one month shy of 80, is also an avid pickleball player who is registered in our annual Palmetto Doubles Tournament which she has supported and previously taken home the gold medal. Wow, way to go Barb! What's next?
Now that the April clinics on Groovy Tuesday are over, what's the best way to keep improving? Here are some options you might want to consider.
Lessons with Harve and Mo. Weekday, weekends and evening lessons possible. Contact Mo mog01@aol.com and Harve pbharve333@gmail.com to schedule.
Drills with Little Mo when available. Sign up at front desk
Saturday Clinics with Harve - Sign up at front desk.
Find a practice partner. Go to our website and under signups select BEGINNERS LOOKING FOR GAMES. There are fifty players listed with their contact information looking for someone to play with.
Practice against a wall. There are practice walls outside at Virginia Acres Park, located behind Odell Weeks next to the outdoor pickleball courts. Both Odell Weeks and Gregg Park have racquetball courts that are seldom use. These are great places to practice your serve, ground strokes, volleys, lobs and dinks without a partner.
Click here for a video on pickleball Wall Drills. In fact, check out YouTube for instructional videos on almost every aspect of the game of pickleball. Notice that the video was made in a racquetball court. If you put tape down (masking tape works great) don't forget to remove it when you are finished.
Drop-in Play. If you can hit the ball over the net at least three times in a row with decent pace, you are ready for drop-in play, daily from 845-11am Monday thru Friday at Odell Weeks. Also on weekends No signup required. But you need to know where to position yourself when your side is serving or returning serve and understand the two bounce rule. You also know to how to keep score.
Finally - Find a partner and sign up for the Palmetto Indoor Pickleball Doubles Invitational Tournament - July 31st - August 4th. You are ready!
Remember, keep your eye on the ball; aim down the middle between your two opponents; get to the kitchen and stay there; and most importantly touch paddles at the end of a game and smile. This is supposed to be fun!
A reminder from Gregg Park that they have a LOT of children around and that everyone needs to SLOW DOWN coming through the gate and in the parking lot. Their security guys and maintenance director have stopped several people coming in for pickleball lately that have been speeding through the parking lot. With the playground area and baseball fields there are kids all over the place and it would just take an instant for one to dart out in front of a car. Thank you.