Pickleball Group to Support Our Troops

Hello Everyone

Last night we had a brief discussion about a voluntary fund raising project for the men and women serving our country overseas.

Bob Williams a local business man accepts donations of various treats that our military people enjoy, but are not available to them because of the area they are deployed to. Bob has a web site at www.ourtroopsonline.com
where you can learn more about what he does. There is even a video from a local news station about what he does. By the way his organization is a 5013C operation.

While Bob is very successful in getting the “goodies” and packaging them, postage is a large expense and he seeks help with it from the community.

In the Wesley Chapel branch of the US Post Office on Boyette Road they have packages all ready to be shipped they just need someone to pay postage. I sent one this week that cost a little under $21.

So, going forward I will bring a collection jar to our games for anyone to donate loose change if they want to. There will be NO pressure or obligation to donate, but if you look at the "Thank Yous" on the web site you, will understand how much these men and woman appreciate these packages.

So, each time the collections total near $20, I will go to the Post Office and select a package and ship it from us.

Just another thought, the opening in the collection jar will actually be large enough to accept bills as well as coins :).

Don Bass

Twelve members of the Meadow Pointe group got together today . . . with their street clothes on instead of pickleball gear. . . . boy everyone looked different!!!

Suzi and Pat organized the gathering at a nearby restaurant called Dunderbox.

Everyone had a great time.

Celebrating Pickleball in our State

Both our Florida Governor and our Tampa, Florida Mayor helped us to celebrate and promote this great game. Both of them signed and issued proclamations declaring June 1st through June 7th

International Pickleball Week

Click Here to Read Proclamation Issued by Florida Governor Charlie Crist for International Pickleball Week.


Click Here to Read Proclamation Issued by Mayor Pam Iorio for International Pickleball Week

International Pickleball Week

Fast Growing Sport Celebrates Worldwide with Week of Activities

Seattle, WA (Vocus/PRWEB ) 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.

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.

Start making your plans now for National Pickleball Week - Get out the USAPA Banners and your camera's and share your celebrations!!!

Click here to read the full release:
International Pickleball Week - June 1-7, 2010

Good Questions From Players

Quite often Rich and I get questions about the rules of the game of pickleball. We thought these particular questions we recently received from a friend of ours were worth sharing.

Have you encoutered this before - and did you know how to handle ??

Faye: I was playing doubles, the other team was serving to me. The non-server had his back to me walking toward his position on the baseline when the server went into his service motion. I raised my non-paddle hand and said wait. He was already in the process of serving and continued the serve. The serve was good but I did not return it. He questioned why I stopped the point. I explained that his partner was not in position and it distracted me and I had called a let. (I didn't actually call "Let" but "Wait".)

He had several questions after the game -- just wanting to learn the rules.

1. If I had not stopped play, would his serve have been a good serve? (Even though his partner was not in position.)

Answer: Yes his serve would be considered good. The server only needs to make sure that the person receiving the serve is ready. His partner and the partner of the receiver can be anywhere on the court they want to be.

2. My question: Was I entitled to call the let since his partner was not in position?

Answer: NO. If his partner was distrating you BEFORE he started his service motion, you could hold up you hand to let the server know you were not ready. There is nothing in the rules that says his partner must be back at the base line. His partner can be anywhere on the court, so you can't call a let for him not being in the proper position. The server only needs to make sure that the RECEIVER is ready. If you put your hand up AFTER the service motion began - his serve continues.

3. Pertaining to a different game: He was playing doubles on court A when a player fell on court B. He called a let because of the distraction of the player falling. Was that a legitimate let??

Answer: NO - It would not be a legitimate let even if it was on the SAME court. Play continues even if your partner falls.

MP's Pat Zwolenski brings Boy Scout Troop to our Courts

Story and pictures submitted by our very own Pat Zwolenski....Thanks Pat!!!

Here is a picture of Boy Scout Troop 180 having their Tuesday night meeting at the Meadow Point I Pickleball Courts.

The previous Tuesday, USAPA member and former Scoutmaster Pat Zwolenski, spent time at the troop meeting explaining the history of Pickleball and the rules of the game. Then the next Tuesday they met at the courts and under the watchful eyes of Suzi Zwolenski, Pat Zwolenski, Steve Long, and Chris Atkinson played Pickleball.

There were a few boys who really excelled and challenged Steve and Chris to a game after the other Scouts had left. Although they played very well, they ended up losing to Steve and Chris. Steve and Chris will be presented Troop 180 paperweights to thank them for their support.

Here is a pictue of Boy Scout Troop 180 with their Meadow Point Pickleball Friends. Steve is the one hidden behind one of the boys and holding paddles up like Mickey Mouse ears over two boys.

Sounds like some of these guys are pretty good players- Please invite them back to Meadow Pointe any time......Keep them practicing and we'll set up a Troop 180 Round Robin!!!

Meadow Point Players Medal in Heartland Games

On Friday and Saturday, March 5th and 6th, the Heartland Senior Games were played at the Tanglewood Community in Sebring, Fl. Rich competed in both the Doubles and the Mixed Doubles competition. He played with Stan Michalski, an RV'er at Torrey Oaks in Bowling Green. They won there first match easily, but then lost. This was a single elimination - so they did not medal.

In the mixed doubles - Rich and his partner Linda Kramer, from Tanglewood were the favorites to win. Their medal match was great - a real nail biter. They lost the first game, but came back and took the next two. Here they are with their Gold Medals.

Donna did not play in the mixed doubles, but finished with the Bronze Medal in the Ladies Doubles competition, with her partner Karen Wolf - an RV'er from Peace River in Wauchula. This was Karen's first time competing in a tournament.

It was a great tournament. We all had a great time. Here is a link to more about this Tanglewood Event!!!!

Heartland Senior Games

Rich will be playing again in the Fit for Life Games in Punta Gorda, and both of them will be competing in the Good Life Games later this month in Seminole. Watch for results!!!!!

Meadow Pointe Takes the Gold in Lee County Games

Here's a couple of pictures taken of Rich playing in the Lee County Senior Games at the Wa-Ke Hatchee Rec Center in Ft. Myers.

Rich with his mixed doubles partner, Linda Kramer. They won every single game they played - and took the Gold Medal. Awesome!!

Here is Rich playing with his doubles partner, Bruce Whitehead. They played some pretty tough matches - but took home the Bronze Medal.

Rich and I are both scheduled to play at the Heartland Senior Games in Sebring next week.

Disney opens re-branded ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando
by Leigh M. Caldwell (RSS feed) on Feb 26th 2010 at 9:50AM

.....Potrock says while no plans have been announced, there are more than 250 acres set aside for new development at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. And this spring, while dozens of softball, baseball, golf and soccer teams travel down from the Northeast and Midwest to thaw out and train, Potrock's staff is working on bringing down an event for a fast-growing, new sport: Pickleball.

Click on Title to read the entire story!

Hello - From Rich and Donna

Rich and I have been very busy this month. We held a beginner pickleball workshop at the Lake Magic Encore RV Park, not too far from Disney on SR 192. There were about 13 new players that showed up. Then we did a beginner pickleball workshop and demo over in Ruskin, Fl. This was at the Riverside Club, where more than 40 people showed up.

Then we got to play a little bit at the Winter in Paradise Wing Ding down in Sun City Center. Pictures above are the medal winners. Rich took the Gold in the mens doubles, and Silver in the Mixed Doubles, with Louann (in the pick shirt). I took the Gold in the Mixed Doubles with Gary (the guy standing behind me). It was a real fun day.

We are in Ft.Myers now for the Lee County Senior Games

See you all soon.