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Laugh if you must,
but pickleball is serious business for local ambassadors of the game
Just saying the word pickleball aloud could emit laughter from all corners of a room.
It's a funny word, yes, but it's no laughing matter for loads of players around the country.
Just ask Grand Rapids residents John and Jeanne Schowalter, local pickleball ambassadors who will demonstrate the sport they picked up a few years ago in Surprise, Ariz.
"I think the sport probably would have grown quicker if they hadn't named it that. It sounds like a children's game," said John Schowalter, a retired auctioneer from Kalamazoo. "Some people in Washington named the sport after their dog Pickles."
The pair will join Dick Draigh and representatives from the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department for a pickleball demonstration 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Belknap Park tennis courts, 30 Coldbrook St. NE. Another demonstration will be held at the same time and place June 17.
"Some people just encouraged us to give it a try. We did, and we liked it," Schowalter said. "One of the reasons we like it is because it's competitive, yet social, where people just really have a lot of fun playing it.
"Pickleball is more verbal, more noisy than tennis. It's a very social game. Most people that start playing it get addicted. You build a community relationship."
Schowalter, 63, said the RV park near Phoenix where they stay in the winter now has 80 pickleball players.
"It's an extremely fast-growing sport in the adult community, but is now being taught in junior high and high school," he said. "Some RV parks have up to 600 players.
| PICKLEBALL |
Play area: A badminton-size court (20-by-44 feet) with the net lowered to 34 inches at the center.
Equipment: Perforated plastic baseball, similar to a Wiffle ball, and wood, composite or graphite paddles.
Cost: Balls are $25 per dozen, and paddles are $30 to $75.
Players: Singles or doubles
Scoring: First team to 11 points, leading by two, wins. Points only scored while serving. Each player gets one underhand serve and continues until the opponent breaks serve. Each serve must bounce once in the opposing court, and the return must bounce once. After that, the ball may be hit from the air. |
"We have people that are 85 playing it in our RV park, but we're trying to get the younger people involved.
Schowalter, who gave up golf for pickleball, said tennis players convert to the sport well.
"Anybody that ever had a racket in their hand," he said. "We're finding that more and more young people are playing it. It's a great sport because you don't have to invest a whole lot of money and equipment."
Schowalter, who plays every day while living in Arizona and several days a week in Michigan, said pickleball has done wonders for his 42-year marriage.
"We're really blessed because we can play together," said Schowalter, who plays several doubles tournaments each year with his wife. "A lot of couples won't play with their spouses because it just doesn't work. It's really good character building and helps your marriage to do something like this.
"I learned to quit coaching her while we play and to stay out of her way. That translates into the way you relate in your daily life, too."
Plus, the injuries are rare, Schowalter said.
"You have to play within yourself," he said. "There are very few injuries in the sport. Once in a while, you'll see a pulled muscle, but it's pretty rare.
"There isn't a lot of long stretch running. The injuries mostly occur when a person goes for a shot they're physically not able to get."
John Judnich, recreation supervisor for the Grand Rapids Parks and Recreation Department, said staffers are introducing the sport to the community in hopes of forming a fall league.
"There are some communities in West Michigan that have pickleball, but we're hoping to bring it to Grand Rapids," Judnich said. "We're interested because it hits all age groups. I think there's a potential for it to be a growing activity."
Article provided by: Cris Greer / Grand Rapids Press
 to read the original article.
 this article.
Pickleball Ball Machine & Factory Revealed!
Myrtle Beach celebrates
International Pickleball Week
A new sport is becoming quite popular.
And Myrtle Beach city leaders and media personalities took their crack at it Tuesday at Pepper Geddings recreation center.
It's pickleball!
It's kind of a mix between badmitton and tennis, suitable for all ages and fitness levels.... even our Ed Piotrowski. He participated in the tournament.
Myrtle Beach has a bunch of regular players at its fitness centers and it wanted to let more people know about it.
Pickleball player Anthony Marraccino tells NewsChannel 15, "Its a fun game. It's the easiest game there is to learn. Almost anybody can play and learn this game in a half-hour or hour."
Myrtle Beach put on Tuesday's tournament as part of International Pickleball Week.
- article as posted on CarolinaLive.com
Pickleball Clinics DVD SHOWING!
* The Villages Residences mark your Calendar *
A free presentation of Coach Mo's Pickleball Clinics DVD will be shown at the Lake Miona Rec.Center movie screen on Friday May 28th from 4-6 p.m. for The Villages, Florida residents
Call 352-430-2950
The Villages will be serving refreshments.
The cost will be $1.00.
Pickleball Stroke Techniques and Strategies will be covered.
There will be a question and answer session after the showing.
International Pickleball Week - June 1-7, 2010
Fast Growing Sport Celebrates Worldwide with Week of Activities
Seattle, WA (Vocus) April 13, 2010 -- The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) is pleased to support
International Pickleball Week, June 1-7, 2010. A court game of angles and strategies, of position and speed,
pickleball is enjoying huge increases in popularity with seniors, school kids and families. During the week
starting June 1st the USAPA will be holding events throughout the United States to celebrate the sport and
introduce it to new players.
Pickleball is a fun court sport played on a badminton-sized court with the net lowered to 34 inches at the center.
It is played with a perforated plastic ball similar to a whiffle ball and wood or composite paddles about twice the
size of ping-pong paddles. It can be played indoors or outdoors, is easy for beginners to learn – but can develop
into a fast-paced, competitive game for experienced players. In addition to being fun, the game has developed a
reputation for its friendly and social nature.
Pickleball is played by all ages. It is a popular sport in schools and senior centers. The smaller court size and
inter-generational appeal makes it perfect for backyard courts. It has great health and fitness benefits for all. It is
also becoming popular with persons with disabilities.
To celebrate pickleball at the local level, the USAPA, through over 300 regional and local Ambassadors, will be:
• Holding introduction clinics
• Staging tournaments
• Holding celebrity pickleball matches
"We are extremely excited about the first International Pickleball Week," said Bill Booth, President of the USA
Pickleball Association. "The sport of pickleball is really catching on across the world and is particularly popular
with seniors. We intend to celebrate the growth of the sport with our fellow players throughout the world,
including locations in Canada, Mexico and India."
The USAPA was created in 2005 to promote the sport. It maintains the official rules, sanctions tournaments,
provides player rankings and produces the annual National Pickleball Tournament. It is run by a volunteer board
of directors and supported by thousands of dues paying members.
The USAPA provides assistance through programs such as:
• Ambassadors – over 300 regional and local ambassadors promote the sport at a local level, providing
information and training.
• Training Grants - The 2010 USAPA Grant program will provide funds to subsidize training programs for
school students, local residents, organizations or individuals who are novices to Pickleball and do not belong to a
Pickleball club or other organized group.
• Pickleball 4 All – This program pairs USAPA volunteers with PE teachers, juniors and adults to mainstream
pickleball as a lifetime sport.
• Industry Education – The USAPA provides speakers to introduce and demonstrate the sport to industry
associations and other interested groups on a local, regional and national basis.
PRWeb eBooks - Another online visibility tool from PRWeb
More information about the USAPA can be found in the media center at www.USAPA.org. Additional
information and story ideas are available from David Johnson at (253) 854-0163 or media(at)USAPA(dot)org.
Information provided by:
David Johnson
Media Relations Chair
USA Pickleball Association (USAPA)
(253) 854-0163
media(at)usapa(dot)org
www.USAPA.org
Click here to download the PDF version of this article.
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