Last week saw the completion of our 10th Annual Palmetto Invitational Pickleball Doubles Tournament in honor of Loretta and Mike Beckner, the founders of Aiken Pickleball. Thanks to all the hard working volunteers that made this year's event a huge success. We exceeded last year's participation by over 35% - well done everyone!
Aiken Pickleball News
Photos from each day can be viewed by clicking here. Thank you, Lavonda Geier, for doing the photography and making these available!!
See below for results.
Sunday Results -
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (12 To 49)
Emily Jones
Joshua Pifer
Joshua Pifer
Valeriya Zotova
Jaceson hardin
Jaceson hardin
Joy Ellenberger
Doug Ellenberger
Doug Ellenberger
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (50 And Above)
Vicci White
Scott Johnson
Scott Johnson
Pamela King
Adolphus King
Adolphus King
lynn Dominguez
FELIX LATORRE
FELIX LATORRE
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (12 To 49)
Elliana Fahrbach
Drew Fahrbach
Tracey Howell
Augusto Donatelli
Tammy Pruitt
Dennis Vermilye
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (50 And Above)
Tammy Pruitt
Jerry Mershon
Jerry Mershon
Sharon Barnes
Abel Dela Cruz
Abel Dela Cruz
Denise Hough
Jeremy Crow
Jeremy Crow
Mixed Doubles Skill: (4.0) Age: (12 To 49)
Amy Myers
Davion Bellinger
Valerie Karrasch
Dylan Fahrbach
Anna Parviainen
Alec Zhan
Mixed Doubles Skill: (4.0) Age: (50 And Above)
Cheryl Breidenbach
Harve Mobley
Harve Mobley
Valerie Karrasch
Mo Garcia
Mo Garcia
Tonya Roebuck
Jon Roebuck
Jon Roebuck
Saturday Results -
Men's Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (12 To 49)
Robbie Tant
Ryan Brantley
Steven Coppage
Warren Coppage
Gordon Jones
Jay Fickle
Men's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (12 To 49)
Badri Narian Prasanna Kumar
Barghav Naraian Prasanna Kumar
Jeff Price
Shane Yeager
Brian Hansen
Josh Gagner
Men's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (50 And Above)
Mark Giddings
Scott Talbott
Jeremy Crow
Paco Bogue
Tom Domke
Stacey Bridges
Men's Doubles Skill: (4.0) Age: (12 To 49)
Drew Fahrbach
Dylan Fahrbach
Jon Roebuck
Marwan Ben-Jebara
Dylan Davidson
Kason Davidson
Men's Doubles Skill: (4.0) Age: (50 And Above)
Mark Carter
Jeff Simizon
Harve Mobley
Doug Weiss
Mo Garcia
Patrick Hare
Women's Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (12 To 49)
Kendra Simpson
Jordan Atherton
Amanda Dowdle
Becky Fortman
Tara Brown
Chelsey Stein
Women's Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (50 And Above)
Nancy Woolwine
Shana Sutphin
Kim Pope
Anissa Colton
Marie Klofenstine
Lesia Price
Women's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (12 To 49)
Ashton Hall
Taylar Stewart
Tammy Pruitt
Amy Myers
Allycia Brown
Zanthia Hastings
Women's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (50 And Above)
Anna Adkins
Lisa Arnel
Cindy Bogue
Denise Hough
Alisa Dearden
Jessica Yang
Women's Doubles Skill: (4.0) Age: (50 And Above)
Lisa Barrett-Johnson
Cheryl Breidenbach
Leslie McCowan
Amy Buck
Joanne Cook
Sharon Jackson
Wednesday & Thursday Results - Select Read More -
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.0) Age: (60 And Above)
Gold Medal
Vanessa Rogers
Graham Deriso
Silver Medal
Bridget Whitehead
Mike Pearce
Bronze Medal
Cory Clark
Mark Clark
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (60 And Above)
Gold Medal
Diane Miller
Paul Miller
Silver Medal
June Melton
Ronald Nelson
Bronze Medal
Marian Garcia
Patrick Hare
Mixed Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (70 And Above)
Gold Medal
Sally Serago
Douglas Ditter
Silver Medal
Barbara Dellamora
Alain Rossignol
Bronze Medal
Nancy Benson
William Weeks
Wednesday Results
Women's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (60 And Above)
Gold Medal
Billi Jager
Diane Miller
Silver Medal
Sharon Barnes
Vanessa Rogers
Bronze Medal
Ratchinee Skinner
Miriam James
Men's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (60 And Above)
Gold Medal
Ricky Saucier
Jerry Harris
Silver Medal
Michael Howard
Bruce Patton
Bronze Medal
Graham Deriso
Seth Schwartz
Men's Doubles Skill: (3.5) Age: (70 And Above)
Gold Medal
Stan Felkner
Rick Isaac
Silver Medal
Mike Burley
Dave Hyams
Bronze Medal
Kenneth Mason
Michael McCullen
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.
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.
Another great Groovy Tuesday = We saved the best for last! What was most impressive is how much the participants have improved over the past couple of weeks. Thanks to everyone for making this happen, especially those of you that contributed to Golden Harvest. Over 450 food items were donated. You guys are the best!
Check out our Facebook Page Aiken Pickleball for photos.
Reference Drop-in play at Odell. This is a comment from one of the regulars. QUOTE - I think the all the lessons and clinics you are doing is raising the level of drop-in play. Three of the games I played this morning were long and fierce-fun! UNQUOTE
Over forty people showed for the second groovy Tuesday, to take part in a free clinic, pizza, cookies and drinks. There were four courts in play for the clinic.. Two teenagers won the free lessons with Mo, Beverly Shaver won the paddle and Harve won the the T-Shirt. Thanks to all that help make the evening a success.
