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Monday, August 31, 2009

USA Today Cover Story 8/28/09

In a story called " Lessons in Life, from one Bill Gates to Another"

" In a rare father -son interview with USA Today both Bills take a break from the family's last-of -summer bonding over golf and pickleball to discuss everything from raising kids to eradicating disease"

Nice to know that the very rich and very famous play pickleball and even nicer of USA today for putting it on the front page

Not to worry, I already contacted "our" Bob Sester who is the Regional Ambassador for the USAPA Seattle area to recruit Gates for USAPA membership

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

USAPA National Tournament

REMINDER
Early registration postmark deadline of 9/10 is approaching
After this date registration fee will increase from $ 20 to $35
For Registration form and additional information go to:

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Hello From AJ

It’s past spring, nearing the end of summer, in fact, and a no-longer-young man’s thoughts turn to pickleball. We have been traveling since April 1, have covered the country from one end to the other, and have played some, but not enough, pickleball. We have played in California, Alabama, Georgia, Maine, Ohio, Minnesota, and soon will play in Montana and then in Utah at the St. George Senior Olympics, which will start our “serious” play for the new PB year. We have heard from many of you during the summer and we’re impressed with the amount that you are doing to keep your own play going but also to act as ambassadors to the sport. Palm Creek-ers have started new courts in several places in Canada, have begun a new club in Northern Georgia, and have played in many tournaments during the off-time. It’s impressive how well we have done in tournament play during the off-year, and while we don’t consider ourselves at Palm Creek primarily a “tournament club”, we certainly have done ourselves proud.

This is at it should be; tournaments are a great way to inspire ourselves to get and stay in shape to play this game we love. Tournament-wise, my own intentions currently are to play in several tournaments this coming year; besides St. George, I want to play in Alan Christiensen’s Johnson Ranch tournament Roseville, CA., then the Nationals in Phoenix, Dave and Nancy Jordan’s Christmas tournament in Tucson, the Senior Olympics in Tucson, the Venture Out and Happy Trails tournaments, and of course our own two tournaments, which we have come to call the “In-House” and (I guess to properly distinguish the two from each other) the “Out-House”, our ever-growing open tournament. It seems like a busy pickleball year when I think about it that way, but it’s all fun, and while I’m not sure who my partners will be in most of these, I’m looking forward to the camaraderie and the competition.

If you haven’t yet played in a tournament, I can only recommend that you do…I’m no great shakes yet as a pickleball player but I always have fun in tournaments, and am learning a lot, and hey, as I said before, it’s just an additional incentive to get into some kind of shape and get out and do it, and at our ages we need all the incentives we can get, right? But even if tournaments are not your thing, you can look forward to a lot of opportunities to play at your home club in Palm Creek. We on the board are committed to providing an increased series of training and learning opportunities this year. Besides the fine training provided by our resident experts (currently five of whom have agreed to provide regular beginning and intermediate skills and strategy training thus far), we intend to recruit other folks, some at our park, some from elsewhere, to come and help us learn. These additional opportunities will take the form of clinics, exhibition matches, and coaching sessions. We should have a full schedule of these available for you to see soon after the majority of us arrive at Palm Creek, which in most of our cases will be around November 1. We look forward to seeing all of you, both on the courts and at our first general meeting, which we will schedule for November as well. We’re hoping you continue to enjoy what’s left of the summer, and that you continue to play every chance you get!

AJ Fraties
Club President

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Palm Creekers will not take a Summer Break

This has been one heck of a competitive summer and our home team just keeps winning medals

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Wyoming Senior Olympics:
Barb and LeRoy Schmidt - Gold Medal - Mixed Doubles
LeRoy - Gold Medal - Singles - Once again it is LeRoy's story to tell

24th Annual Oregon State Games
Bob Sester took 1st Place in 2 Men's Doubles Events and 2nd place in Mixed Doubles


Washington State Games
Bob Sester - Silver Medal - Men's Doubles
Jerry Winter - Bronze Medal - Men's Doubles
Bob Sester - Silver Medal - Mixed Doubles

2nd Annual Middletown Pickleball Tournament
Lynn Carlson and Al Hager - Silver Medal - Men's Doubles
Al Hager - Silver Medals - Men's Singles and Mixed Doubles (consolation)