Aiken Pickleball News

Drills with "Little Mo'

"Little Mo" is back at Odell Weeks! Starting Saturday May 3rd, and every Saturday morning and Wednesday evening thereafter until the middle of July - 10 sessions each Sat & Wed - 10 different strokes - different stroke each week.. Skill Levels do not matter in “Drills with Little Mo”. Players rotate hitting balls fed by a ball machine. Doesn't make any difference if you are a beginner or an intermediate player. Each player hits five - eight balls in a row and then rotates "Big Mo" will be there to show the proper technique. You will hit over 50 balls per session. This is how you improve - repetition with proper technique. Schedule as follows.

Saturdays - Ten 90 minute sessions - start at 930 am - (unless otherwise noted)

May 3 - Return of Serve, down the line.

May 10 - Dinks with a purpose; hitting your target spots (May 10th drill starts at 12 noon)

May 17 - Half Volley soft drop; Half Volley drives.

May 24 - Overhead smash; Volley snap at the kitchen.

May 31 - No drills this weekend.

June 7 - 3rd shot drop (June 7th drill starts at 12 noon)

June 14 - Drive topspin Volley

June 21 - King/Queen of the court, (Doubles)

June 28 - Drop, Chip, Drive.

Saturday, July 5 - Lobs

Saturday, July 12 - Specialty shots (Various Big Mo Shot choices). (Drills on July 12 will probably start at 12 noon.)

Wednesday Evenings 6 pm - Ten 90 Minute Sessions

Wednesday May 7 - Return of Serve, down the line.

Wednesday May 14 - Dinks with a purpose; hitting your target spots

Wednesday May 21 - Half Volley soft drop; Half Volley drives

Wednesday May 28 - Overhead smash; Volley snap at the kitchen.

Wednesday June 4 - 3rd shot drop

Wednesday June 11 - Drive topspin Volley

Wednesday June 18 - King/Queen of the court, (Doubles)

Wednesday June 25 - Drop, Chip, Drive.

Wednesday July 2 - Lobs

Wednesday July 9 - Specialty shots (Various Big Mo Shot choices).

Cost is $20 per person for 90 minutes. Maximum eight players. Payment and registration made at the Odell Weeks front desk or online at https://cityofaikensc.recdesk.com/ Present your receipt to the instructor at the time of the drill. Credit only, Again, this is how you improve!

New Pickleball Courts at Generation Park

The City of Aiken is inviting residents and community members to provide valuable feedback on the future development of Beverly D. Clyburn Generations Park through a Master Plan Update. The plan was to build 12 Pickleball courts at the new park with the possibility for 1 stadium court.

This initiative will help shape the park's next phase of growth and improvements. The City is offering two ways to participate in this important feedback process: in-person sessions and an online survey. Community members can view the updated concept plans at the following on-site sessions: Wednesday, April 16 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, April 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Both sessions will be held at the Generations Park Picnic Shelter located at 700 Mack Henry Holland Drive, Aiken, SC. Residents can come to learn about the proposed plans and provide their thoughts and suggestions in person. For those unable to attend, the City also offers an online survey. You can view the concept plans and share your feedback by visiting the City’s website at www.cityofaikensc.gov/government/current-projects/

Groovy Tuesday

Want to thank everyone that made tonights Groovy Tuesday a huge success - Especially Harve for putting it all together - Mo and the gang that assisted with the drills - Marian and her group that provided the pizza & drinks - and Christy for her delicious brownies. This was the first of four Groovy Tuesdays being held in April in celebration of National Pickleball Month. Thanks guys - your efforts much appreciated.

Palmetto Doubles Tournament - July 31 - August 3

Registration is now open for our Palmetto Doubles Tournament.

Click here to sign up.

New Players Clinic at Odell Weeks - Saturday, May 10th

The next New Players Clinic at Odell will be on Saturday May 10th. The clinic is for people new to the game of pickleball. Sign up at Odell front desk. Schedule as follows:

930am - Check-in

945 - 10 am - Court Set-up

10 - 11 am - Instruction

11am - 12pm - Practice Play

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. Maximum 8 players - balls and paddles provided. Players should wear tennis shoes and bring something to drink.

Cost is $15 per person which includes the daily access fee. Clinic also includes a free ninety minute practice play session the following week. Sign up and pay at the Odell Weeks front desks to reserve your slot in advance. Bring your receipt to the clinic.

Groovy Tuesdays are back!

In celebration of National Pickleball Month, starting April 8th and every Tuesday evening in April thereafter, Aiken Pickleball, Inc. will offer free pickleball clinics from 530-630 pm on the indoor courts in Gym 2 at Odell Weeks. Tuesday clinics are primarily designed to help newer players learn the game. Evenings are called Groovy Tuesdays and will include: Drawings for gift certificates for lessons with the Pros; Complimentary pizza and drinks; and Weekly drawings for new Paddles.

Schedule as follows

4-530pm - Mixed level Open play

530-630pm - Free clinics - all six courts

630-7pm - Free pizza & drinks - Room 3 Note: No food is allowed in the Gym.

630-830 - Open Play Court designation

Come join the fun - no sign up required.

Help Desk

If you need help with anything, send an email to aikenpickleball@gmail.com and someone will get back with you.

We can help you with making and editing court reservations or adding your name to the "Looking for games" list, among other things. What we cannot tell you is the access code. That is for our use only. After 8 pm Wednesday evening, the Sign-up Genius is locked down, requiring an access code while the new time slots for the following week are being added. The signupgenius is then unlocked after 8 am Thursday morning and an access code is no longer required. But if you need help with anything else send an email to info@aikenpickleball.com and one of us will get back to you.

Odell Weeks Open on Weekends

Effective Saturday March 8th, there will be indoor pickleball at Odell Weeks both on Saturday and Sundays for the rest of March. Schedule as follows

Saturdays - 930-1200 Dip & 12--2 & 2-430 court reservations

Sundays - 130-430 Courts 1 2 3 drop-in play & 130-3 & 3-430 court reservations courts 4 5 6

Odell Weeks will also have a New Players Clinic on Saturday - March 8th; a New Players Practice on Saturday - March,15th; and Players Rating Sessions on Saturday - March 29th. Check the calendar.

Leadership Team Meeting

The minutes for the Leadership Team Meeting held on Monday March 3rd have been posted.

John Cox

Sadly, the Aiken pickleball community has lost another of its members. John Cox passed away on Friday, February 21. Below is a link to the information on services.

https://www.shellhouseriversfuneralhome.com/obituaries/john-cox