MI Pickleball

Pickleball Goodies! Gifts! Holiday Discounts!

2009-11-23T07:57:00.007-05:00

Dear Santa!

USAPA Ambassador Tom Valentine

makes it easy for your Elves to delight

MI Pickleball Players on your "NICE LIST!"

!!! Pickleball Goodies !!!

Picklers hope you will pack your sleigh with

gift USAPA Memberships/Renewals too!

Yours in pickleball, Janet Razz

MI Pickleball December/January Tournament Calendar

2009-11-15T20:44:00.005-05:00

To view/download the registration form(s), click on the title of the tournament(s) that interest you. This list of MI Pickleball Upcoming Tournaments is also posted on the sidebar for quick and easy player access.

North Oakland YMCA Pickleball Tournament

North Oakland YMCA, Auburn Hills
Dec 6 2009
Players Age 18+

Skills Drills AND Crazy Mixed Up Doubles Tourney

Older Persons' Commission Gym, Rochester
Dec 11 2009
FILLED - Registration Closed
Players Age 50+

Troy Holiday Smash 50+ Pickleball Tournament

Troy Community Center Gym
Dec 20 2009
Registration Deadline Dec 11
Players Age 50+

Troy Holiday Intergenerational Festival

Troy Community Center Gym
Dec 27 2009
Registration Deadline Dec 18
Players Age 18+/Partners 20 Years Apart in Age

Michigan Senior Olympics Winter 2010

Auburn Hills Community Center Gym and
Rochester Older Persons' Commission Gym
Jan 25-Jan 27 2010
Registration Deadline Dec 14
Players Age 50+

North Oakland YMCA Pickleball Tournament

2009-11-15T15:25:00.004-05:00

Young Men and Women Age 18 to 99

PLAYING MI Pickleball vs RAKING MI Leaves*

!!! NO CONTEST !!!

Learn/Practice Saturdays 2:00-4:30pm:

Rochester Pickleball Club

Compete Sunday, December 6 at 12:30pm:

North Oakland YMCA Pickleball Tournament

* Shoveling MI SNOW -- also no contest :O !

Laura Patterson's Pickleball Adventures - MI to NC

2009-11-15T14:24:00.004-05:00

The usual pickleballmania flight pattern: SnowPicklers fly home from the Southwest or Atlantic South teaching and talking PICKLEBALL to players in the Great Lakes Region!

Here's an Atlantic South update about a former Michiganian that reversed the flight pattern. Laura Patterson was introduced to PICKLEBALL in the Midland Michigan area and is now serving as a USAPA Ambassador in North Carolina. Go Laura!

Laura Patterson, USAPA Ambassador (NC) -- MSO 2009

Laura Patterson, former Michiganian, is now serving as USAPA Ambassador in Winston-Salem, NC. Laura has been busy contacting local YMCA's in the Winston-Salem vicinity and in just a few short months has been successful at getting the opportunity to talk about and demonstrate this "new sport" to her area. On November 11th, Laura had the opportunity to set up a modified court and introduce the game to school children, senior citizens, families and the YMCA director and staff.

See photos of Laura and read more about her YMCA experience on the Atlantic South Region site here: http://south.usapa.org/2009/11/pickleball-introduced-to-winston-salem.html

USAPA Nationals Vendor Tent

2009-11-15T12:01:00.016-05:00

Dick Manasseri writes:

Thanks to Coach Mo and Ken Allbert, Administrator of PickleballCoach.com the Michigan Pickleball Paddle logo was displayed at USAPA Nationals.
It was very cool to see the Michigan Great Lakes Pickleball Paddle there in the vendors tent where players met people like:

David McCallum - Son of Barney McCallum, One of the Pickleball Creators
Mary Littlewood - Pickleball Author
Steve Wong - Founder of S-Type Paddles, Medal Winner
Bunny Duey - USAPA Historian
Nancy and David Jordan - Keepers of the USAPA Membership Table

Congratulations to Ken, for his medal winning performance at Michigan's Auburn Hills Community Center Turkey Tourney!

- Dick

Coach Mo's Pickleball Strategies and Techniques DVD available at PickleballCoach.com or from Tom Valentine of Pickleball Goodies !!

Michigan's BIG Game Weekend Awaits You!

2009-11-12T07:36:00.008-05:00

Michigan's BIG Game Weekend:

Auburn Hills Pickleball Turkey Tourney
Blaze ORANGE Day in Michigan Woods

A picture of serenity,

Mr Buck looks oblivious to the calendar.

BIG Game Weekend doesn't phase him, because...

... Mr. Buck and his 12 closest friends
take year round sanctuary in my subdivision.

The BUCK stops here :O !

USAPA National Tournament Impressions by Yvonne Hackenberg

2009-11-10T10:03:00.003-05:00

Hello Janet,

Thank you for the nice e-mail. We had such a rich experience in Arizona. Aren't pickleball players the best! This sport has afforded us so many great moments and introduced us to so many wonderful people. It's the same wherever we go.

In terms of the USAPA National Tournament experience...here are a few impressions:

The Arizona soft game is alive and well in doubles. The third shot is often a drop shot into the kitchen. After that shot there is much "dinking around" until someone tragically dinks too high. Once they remove the ball from their groin, the cycle is repeated.
The players don't try to do anything spectacular with the serve. Just deep (and sometimes high) to the backhand.
It is very hot and dry in Arizona. There was very little time to recover between matches. Michiganians should find a 20 X 44 sauna to practice in before heading to Arizona.
The vast majority of players display excellent sportsmanship.
Pickleball is enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities.

I hope this persuades others to participate next year.

Thanks again for your support and encouragement. Also thanks to Marilyn Holladay, Pat Sullivan, Dick Manasseri, Dan & Joyce and the other Michiganians who rooted us on.

Yvonne Hackenberg
Action Gear, Inc.

Martha Wasserman (AZ/Michiganian for 50 Years)
USAPA Nationals GOLD Medalist

Dick Mannasseri (Rochester Hills, MI)
USAPA Director National and International Relations

Yvonne Hackenberg (Kalamazoo, MI)
USAPA Nationals SILVER Medalist

Martha and Yvonne carried the Michigan flag on the Nationals Winners Podium. Click here to see the photo: http://mipickleball.usapa.org/2009/11/medalist-parade-michigan-flag-at-usapa.html

Medalist Parade the Michigan Flag at USAPA Nationals!

2009-11-09T21:37:00.009-05:00

"If you seek a pleasant peninsula, look about you."

Martha Wasserman, GOLD MEDALIST

and

Yvonne Hackenberg, SILVER MEDALIST

!!! Parade the Michigan Flag on the Winners Podium !!!

Congratulations to ALL of the

men, women, boys and girls who participated

in the 1st USAPA National Pickleball Tournament !!!

Saturday Afternoon Pickleball

2009-11-09T01:17:00.006-05:00

Rochester Pickleball Club

Saturday Afternoon 2:00-4:30pm

Rochester Adams High School Auxiliary Gym

Experienced players from the USAPA will be on hand each week to provide beginner lessons and to organize play for families and other groups who want to have fun or work on their skills. Recreational Speed Pickleball will be part of the fun, plus competitive games for the adventurous.

All ages welcome! Teens aged 15+ may play without their parents with any picture ID. Equipment provided. Wear court shoes.

COST: $5. per person drop-in fee or discounted Pickleball Punch Card. Family Card $50. for 5 punches (one punch admits up to 5 people in one family). Individual Card $30. for 10 punches (one punch admits one person).

CONTACT: Marilyn Holladay at mhollada@gmail.com

Michigander Medals in Tier 1 Pickleball Tournament

2009-11-05T06:57:00.000-05:00

!!! CONGRATULATIONS !!!

Yvonne Hackenberg (MI)

and her partner

Hilary Marold (TX)

USAPA 2009 National Tournament (Tier 1)

SILVER

Women's Doubles 55-59

and

Women's Masters 50-64

BRACKETS! RESULTS!

Coach Mo's Pickleball Technique Tweets

2009-11-04T08:00:00.002-05:00

Pickleball Tips on Twitter by Coach Mo

"Pickleball Tip 25 - Your opponents only need a pulse to win the point if you miss the serve. Give them a chance to lose."

OH Yea! I'm all to familiar with that one :O !

Are you ready for more Pickleball Strategies and Techniques? Well now you can get more info from Coach Mo by following his tweets!

Learn more...

http://twitter.com/PickleballCoach

Singing Pickleball Pete

2009-11-04T01:12:00.001-05:00

Next Up: Auburn Hills Pickleball Turkey Tourney!

2009-11-03T21:00:00.000-05:00

NEXT UP:

Auburn Hills Pickleball

Turkey Tourney

Registration Form and Details:

http://usapa.org/file/mi/Auburn_Hills_Turkey_Tourney_2009.pdf

November 13 and 14

USAPA 2009 National Tournament! Schedule! Brackets! Results!

2009-11-02T08:21:00.006-05:00

For Picklers following the USAPA 2009 National Tournament...

7 Day Schedule PoP! POp!

Monday, November 2
Men’s and Women's Doubles 65+
Tuesday, November 3
Men’s and Women's Doubles 19-64
Wednesday, November 4
Mixed Doubles 19 & over
Thursday, November 5
Masters & Legends Doubles
Friday, November 6
Men’s & Women’s Singles 19 & over, Open Mixed Doubles, Junior Mixed Doubles
Saturday, November 7
Open Men’s & Women’s Doubles, Junior Division Men’s & Women’s Doubles
Sunday, November 8
Open Men’s & Women’s Singles, Junior Men’s & Women’s Singles

Brackets! Results!

USAPA National Tournament BRACKETS & RESULTS

Michiganders!

Bob Cary, Sue Cary, Dan Clemence, James Hackenberg, Yvonne Hackenberg, Marilyn Holladay, Doug Kant, Mark Karwas, Larry Kraus, Dick Manasseri, James McIntyre, Laura Patterson, Joyce Staffen, Bud Stefanko, Pat Sullivan
Others!?!

Welcome to the World!

2009-11-02T07:47:00.003-05:00

For the family members following MI Pickleball...

The 1st of 5 babies our family is expecting was born today!

Welcomed to the world by four generations, thankful for the privilege of beholding Baby's miraculous newness and celebrating life in relationship with one another!

Praise be to Jesus Christ our Lord!

USAPA Pickleball Tournament Calendar, Software, and Sanctioning

2009-11-01T09:10:00.005-05:00

The USAPA website is rich with content on how-to host a Pickleball tournament and how-to apply for USAPA sanctioning. Reading the USAPA guides is a time investment that pays off in high player satisfaction with a well run tournament. Here are the USAPA website sidebar titles to look for and the direct links.

Run a Tournament http://usapa.org/sanctioning/tournament_tips.html

Tournament Software http://usapa.org/tourney/

Sanctioning http://usapa.org/sanctioning/index.php

Rankings http://usapa.org/rankings/index.php

Official Rules http://usapa.org/officialrules/ and Scoresheet http://usapa.org/tournamentnews/OFFICIAL_USAPA_SCORESHEET.pdf

Training Room Referee Guide and Referee Clinic http://training.usapa.org/

Partner Search http://usapa.org/partner/partner.php

It is important to note that USA Pickleball Association desires to list ALL Pickleball tournaments on the USAPA Upcoming Events Calendar - sanctioned and unsanctioned, competitive and recreational.

"A USAPA-sanctioned tournament allows players to be ranked on a national basis. Non-sanctioned tournaments may also use these sections as guidelines. Tournament directors for non-sanctioned tournaments may be flexible in the use of these guidelines to better fit the skills, ages, and diversity of their players. The USAPA enthusiastically encourages these non-sanctioned tournaments to promote knowledge, growth of the game, skill development, and having fun while playing pickleball. Tournaments may be sanctioned for the ranked events that they include even though a tournament director may also choose to include recreational or unranked events."

Muskegon Pickleball Update by USAPA Ambassador Wayne LaPointe

2009-10-30T10:37:00.004-04:00

Muskegon Pickleball Update
by USAPA Ambassador Wayne LaPointe

wayne.lapointe@gmail.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------

An update to tell you that the Muskegon area is starting to have some consistency with Pickleball.

Spring Lake, the Norton Pines Athletic Club, which is located between Muskegon and Spring Lake, has now scheduled (and is expanding) Pickleball court times. Specifically, walk-in PickleBall court time is on Tuesday and Thursday from 1 to 3 pm (at a cost for non-members of $4.00 per session). They like to have you tell them ahead, if possible, because they tape the number of courts needed each time. As of this Saturday, October 31st, 2009, they are also offering Pickleball on Saturdays from Noon to 2 pm on a trial basis.

Note: Norton Pines Athletic Club is also open to having Pickleball tournaments and are willing to have as many as 12 courts available.

Norton Pines Athletic Club Contact:
Sean McQuillan USPTA, PTR
Director of Tennis
Tennis@nortonpines.com

Norton Pines Athletic Club
1350 Judson Road
Spring Lake, Mi 49456
http://www.nortonpines.com/

Also in Muskegon, Omni Fitness Club has always also been open to Pickleball, but are limited to one court, thus a regular schedule hasn't been realistic.

Tanglewood Agewell Services has a good Pickleball following, and the two outside courts were utilized. There is an indoor court, but times vary depending on other programs offered. Also, the court is condensed into a 38 foot room, which makes for great camaraderie and limited movement, but does severely alter some aspects of the game.

One other tidbit:
In our attempt to expand Tanglewood's Pickleball year round:
Tom Hornik is a devout Pickleball player who played outside at Tanglewood Agewell Services with us this summer, as well as inviting us to play at Omni Fitness Club where his daughter is the owner. Tom, Marna of Tanglewood, and I have been trying to find a large enough common spot where we can work together to offer Pickleball.

We have many outdoor tennis courts in the Muskegon area, and now that I have discovered that I can purchase portable lines, next summer should open up other possibilities!!!

------------------------------ GO Muskegon Picklers!!!

Independence Township Drop-in Pickleball

2009-10-30T05:01:00.002-04:00

Independence Township Drop-in Pickleball

Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30 - 11:30

First Congregational Church, 5449 Clarkston Road

$3.00 Drop-in Fee

!!! All skill levels welcome !!!

Mary Melega, Senior Center Programmer

MMelega@twp.independence.mi.us

Pickleball Up! Up! Up!

2009-10-30T04:32:00.001-04:00

Pickleball Success Comments on USAPA National Tournament

"The direction of pickleball in this country is

up, up and up thanks to the many volunteers in the USAPA!"

Does any one in Michigan sell Pickleball Paddles?!?

2009-10-28T17:18:00.003-04:00

!!! YES !!!

PICKLEBALL GOODIES

http://usapa.org/file/mi/pballgoodies.pdf

For easy player access, the PICKLEBALL GOODIES

link is listed on the MI Pickleball sidebar under the title "Pickleball".

Pickleball Etiquette aka Drool Control

2009-10-26T05:38:00.003-04:00

When Janet drives the children sit.

They buckle up and that is it.

A little limerick I made up years ago as a car pool mom, before the days of all the seatbeat laws. Gives you an in to my deeply rooted (slightly neurotic) safety mined approach to life and the like.

You won't see me playing beyond my body's limits. You will see me let a point go in favor of my knees. Knowing that an injury can be a mega set back to any fitness routine, I preach and prioritize safe play.

So it was certainly my bad last night, when a full swing paddle barely missed hitting me in the face. WHY!?! I failed to follow Pickleball Etiquette. Without thinking, or LOOKING, or calling "BALL ON THE COURT!" I went to retrieve a ball from the next court while the point was being played on that court. SWISH! A not so gentle reminder...

Call it Pickleball Etiquette. Call it Good Sports Conduct. Call it Simple Courtesy. Call it Safe Sports Practices. Call it Drool Control. But do NOT do what I did.

Space is tight on some of our Michigan indoor courts.

Pickleball is played beyond the back lines.

Do NOT walk on other courts to retrieve a ball while a point is being played on that court.
Do NOT walk behind other courts while the ball is still in play.

CAUTION: Sports Brainfreeze can make it hard to follow these simple court courtesies. Protect your partners call "BALL ON THE COURT!" and/or "PERSON ON THE COURT!"

MI Pickleball Upcoming Tournaments!!!

2009-10-25T09:05:00.003-04:00

Auburn Hills Turkey Tourney
USAPA Sanctioned Tier 4
November 13 and 14, 2009
Registration Deadline Nov 9
http://usapa.org/file/mi/Auburn_Hills_Turkey_Tourney_2009.pdf

Rochester OPC Skills Drills AND Crazy Mixed-up Doubles Tourney
December 11, 2009
http://usapa.org/file/mi/Skills_Drills_AND_Crazy_MixedUp_Doubles_Tourney.pdf

Troy Holiday Smash 50+ Pickleball Tournament
December 20, 2009
Registration Deadline Dec 11
http://usapa.org/file/mi/Troy_Pickleball_Tournament_Dec_20_2009.pdf

Troy Holiday Intergenerational Festival
December 27, 2009
Registration Deadline Dec 18
http://usapa.org/file/mi/Troy_Holiday_Intergenerational_Festival_Dec_27_2009.pdf

Michigan Senior Olympics 2010 Winter Games
Pickleball Games at Auburn Hills Community Center and Rochester OPC
January 25-27, 2010
Registration Deadline Dec 14, 2009
http://www.michiganseniorolympics.org/Portals/0/2010%20Winter%20Registration.pdf

Enjoy the PICKLEBALL PoP! POp!

MSO Winter Games Return: January 25-27, 2010

2009-10-20T11:57:00.003-04:00

Winter 2010 Michigan Senior Olympics PICKLEBALL Games

MSO 2010 Winter Festival Registration Form

*** Press Release ***

By Sheila Tinnion
sponsorship@michiganseniorolympics.org

Michigan Senior Olympics Winter Games Return

Michigan Senior Olympics Winter Games

are scheduled for January 25-27, 2010 in Oakland County.

We are very excited in 2010 to offer such snow sports as Alpine skiing, Cross Country skiing and Snow shoeing. Sports also included in the winter games are Badminton, PICKLEBALL, Weightlifting, Bocce ball and Dancesport.

Detroit Red Wings Hall of Fame great, Ted Lindsay, has agreed to be the Honorary Chair for the winter games.

Michigan Senior Olympics is a non profit organization that promotes healthy lifestyles by organizing state games, sports competitions, plus health, fitness, nutrition, and wellness programs for the over 50 age group in the State of Michigan.

MSO looks forward to an exciting time of competition, camaraderie and offers a challenge to all the 50+ adults in the State of Michigan to chase away the winter blues and have fun by joining Michigan Senior Olympics

MSO is located at 650 Letica Dr, Rochester, MI 48307. Visit http://www.michiganseniorolympics.org/ or call 1-800-400-8161 for a complete list of events and to register.

Happy Place Pickleball! Amen and Thank You!

2009-10-20T10:08:00.009-04:00

Dick, coined the expression "brutal fun" to describe the advanced ladder competitions. I never want to go there. I like my Happy Place Pickleball.

But for me, the fall ladder season has been just plain BRUTAL. I still can't get my "yip-yip" serve in the box.

Do you have any idea how focused I have to play to score when I can't get my "yip-yip" serve in the box?!? I wasn't this focused when I birthed my children!

My friends are laughing at me (of all people) taking POINTS so seriously...wondering out loud what happened to ..."just for the FUN of it!" They even shamed me a little at the thought of what my Happy Place Picklers would think if they saw me in this seriously competitive state of grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Then Nancy, the Ladder Manager, posts the night's standings. The RANKINGS shuffle and I factor in just ever so slightly above one of our "Best of the Best".

Ummmmmmm. This player has so many GOLD metals -- I don't think he would mind me saying: Now THAT IS FUN! Ridicules! Short lived! A little sick! But definitely FUN!

At least it made me smile...or is it more of a smirk. Maybe I won't turn in my paddle for knitting needles just yet...and maybe there are more ways to define a ladder win than just scoring a 45.

Yikes! I've made the leap from being a well behaved rulefollowing middle aged lady to being a competitive gym rat jockette complete with a little friendly pb trash talk.

Papa Razz, together with our pastor and neighbors, might need to organize a serious Pickleball Intervention if I don't

a.) get back the lovely ease of my chi pickleball serve OR
b.) quickly leap back into my recreational Happy Place Pickleball mindset

For consolation, I found myself reading the sports pages and muttering "pro athlete so-and-so makes the mega buckos and he is in a slump..."

Sitting on the couch next to me, Papa Razz, tenderly with that flashy smile of his, gave the last word on the topic of my "yip-yip" serve: "Your life is pretty good if all you have to worry about is your pickleball serve."

Not a lot I can say about that shot, but Amen and Thank You!

Bloomfield Hills Officiating and Referee Training

2009-10-19T13:07:00.005-04:00

USAPA Showcase Event Referee Training

A Pickleball officiating and referee training class will be held at the Bloomfield Andover High School fieldhouse the last Thursday of each month through the month of April. The first class is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 10:00 AM in the Bloomfield Andover High School fieldhouse, 4200 Andover Rd, Bloomfield Mi 48302.

Don Ritter will present both the classroom and on-court aspects of training. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice learned officiating skills on the same day.

Please call Jim Luzod, 248-855-2676 or email jamesluzod@hotmail.com to confirm attendance.

::::::

*** NEXT UP ***

MI Pickleball Tournament

Auburn Hills Turkey Tourney Pickleball Extravaganza!

November 13 and 14, 2009
Director: Michelle Pozan, mpozan@auburnhills.org or 248-364-6796
USAPA Sanctioned Tournament (Tier 4)
Registration Deadline Novermber 9, 2009
Registration Form Link:

http://www.usapa.org/file/mi/Auburn_Hills_Turkey_Tourney_2009.pdf