MEDALS , MEDALS AND MORE MEDALS

San Diego Senior Olympics

Bob Sester - Bronze - Men's Doubles

2009 Olympic Peninsula Senior Games

Jerry Winter - Gold - Men's Doubles

Bob Sester - Bronze - Mixed Doubles

Colorado Senior Games

Larry Pazier - Gold - Men's Doubles

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

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:

http://usapa.org/nationals/

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

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)

Minnesota Senior Olympics

Congrats! Congrats!

Jeanne Gearhart - Women's Doubles - Gold Medal and a Bronze in Over-all

Tom Gearhart - Men's Doubles - Gold Medal and a Silver in Over-all

Jeanne + Tom - Mixed Doubles - Gold Medal and a Bronze in Over-all

Medals - Medals and More Medals

Our very own Palm Creekers are winning medals all over the country this summer

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Northwest Senior Games

Bob Sester won the Gold in Men's Doubles and the Bronze in Mixed Doubles

Rocky Mountain Senior Games

LeRoy Schmidt took the gold - ask LeRoy to tell you the story

Troy Strawberry Festival

Barb Hager - First place - Women's Doubles

Al Hager - Third place - Men's Doubles

Barb + Al Hager - 1st place - Mixed Doubles

Indiana Senior Games

Lynn Carlson + Al Hager - Gold Men's Doubles and Gold Men's Overall

Al Hager - Gold Mixed Doubles and Gold Mixed Overall

Michigan Senior Olympics

Doug Kant + Morgan Robins - Gold - Medal Men's Doubles

Donna + Morgan Robins - Bronze - Mixed Doubles

Joyce Staffen + Doug Kant - Bronze - Mixed Doubles

Pickleball "Know it All"

You think you know all there is to know about the game?
Here is your chance to see if your right

Click on this link and take the quiz

http://where2pickle.org/answers2.php

If you really do know it all - please let me know

Jamboree Update

The Palm Creek Pickleball Jamboree, set for November of 2009, is generating quite a bit of excitement from people interested in attending both as participants and as coaches, instructors, and vendors. However, the timing of the event has not worked well for all these folks, and, even though we thought we were offering quite a long lead-time, it was not long enough because of their competing commitments. Additionally, the board believes that we need more time together to organize this event properly so that it's everything we all want it to be. As a result, we have made the hard decision to postpone the first Jamboree for a year, this giving us more time to secure commitments from other people who would like to attend and to think through its organization, as well. We will continue to keep you informed during the year as to how the event is shaping up, of course...but in the meantime, please move the Jamboree just a little in your calendars...from 2009 to 2010!

A.J. Fraties
Club President

Terre Haute

This year we had several players from Terre Haute, Indiana participate in our annual tournament. We very much enjoyed having them play here. Our Palm Creekers - Lynn Carlson and Al Hager decided to reciprocate and attend their tournament. As you know these players; the out come was not a surprise.

CONGRATULATIONS

Lynn Carlson and Al Hager - Men's A Division - Gold Medal winners

Al Hager - Mixed Doubles - Silver Medal winner

Kalamazoo

Who knew
Pickleball in Kalamazoo?

Leave it to our very own Palm Creekers Rob and Judy Moerman - Joyce Staffen and Doug Kant to play in the Kalamazoo Tournament

CONGRATULATIONS!

Joyce Staffen and Doug Kant - First Place Mixed Doubles

Doug Kant - First Place Men's Doubles

Judy Moerman and Joyce Staffen - Third Place Women's Doubles

More Medals

CONGRATULATIONS

Sandi Feller played in the Catalina Spa Pickleball Tournament and took home to Palm Creek 2 Bronze Medals

Palm Creek Players Keep on Winning

CONGRATULATIONS

Joyce Staffen and Doug Kant won the Gold at the Hearltand Senior Tournament in Michigan

APIKE Paddle - Update from USAPA

April 7, 2009. The USAPA has received many comments from players regarding the Apike paddle. The USAPA board of directors has reviewed all of those comments and studied the paddle for compliance with paragraph 2.E of the official rules. At its meeting on April 5, it spoke with the owner of the Apike and asked him many questions. After the discussion with the owner, the board discussed the issues raised by the owner and considered each of them. Upon deliberation, the board found that the Apike does not comply with the part of paragraph 2.E.2 that states, "The paddle playing surface shall not contain . . . features that allow a player to impart additional or increased spin on the ball." The combination of a flexible surface and a spongy foam core causes the paddle surface to compress on impact with the ball. The compression creates a slightly concave pocket that causes a greater amount of surface area to contact the ball compared to the rigid surfaces of wood and composite paddles. The increased surface area in contact with the ball that creates the increased spin was found to constitute a feature under the rules that allows for additional or increased spin. Members of the board and spouses of members who either manufacture or sell paddles did not vote in this decision in order for the board to arrive at a fair and unbiased decision.Although the board made no finding regarding safety, it has asked the USAPA Rules Committee to review and possibly amend the rules by adding clarifications or quantifiable measurements in order to address the concerns that players have about claims of increased speed of the ball caused by new paddles and those that may be introduced in the future and claims that these paddles may change the character of the game. For the general safety and protection of all players, the board recommends that they consider wearing protective eyewear regardless of the types of paddles being used. Comments received through April 4, 2009 are summarized here. Additional comments are not solicited at this time.

Although the USAPA has asked for no addtional comments, we welcome your comments

Hello from AJ

It's April, which means your new Board is in place and rolling. On behalf of my fellow board members .., Steve Arthur - VP, Audrey Hill - Secretary, Donna Christiansen - Treasurer, LeRoy and Barb Schmidt - Co-Tournament Directors and of course Irene and I, we thank you for giving us the opportunity to be of service to all of you.

"All of you" that is the operative phrase for us. The former board made decisions to benefit everybody. Your new board is going to make decisions using this same philosophy. Each club has it's own personality and I think Palm Creek's club's personality is about training and development of players from beginners through the more accomplished ranks. While we may not have the high percentage of "open- level" players that may exist in a few other clubs, our players are the equal of any across the board and the excellence in our training and development programs thus far has helped with that. I believe it is the new Board's responsibility to continue and even enhance that emphasis during our two year term. If your interest is "only" social play, you will find that level of social play here, with the opportunity to advance your skills if you wish.

Check back next week for my first blog about our upcoming First Annual Jamboree ...

AJ Fraties
Club President