NBPA Newsletter – July 2022
President’s Report
The recently established Grading Sub-Committee has been working hard to assign a grade to all members. The grade assigned to members is not set in stone and will be monitored by venue hosts and members of the grading committee from time to time to confirm or otherwise change the member’s grade.
I remind members that grading of members is not intended to interfere with the social fabric of the Club, but allows members of similar playing standards to play together from time to time. Please remember to only book into events which correspond to your grade.
You will have noticed that we have opened an event on Saturday mornings at PCYC for Intermediate and above players and this event is already proving to be very popular. The venue host for this event is Joanna White.
We are also opening a new event on Fridays commencing 22 July 2022 between 12.30 and 3pm. Further details of this event will be placed on Meetup. The venue host for this event will be Maria Hawes.
I am hoping that more members will come to Avalon to experience playing pickleball outdoors. It is a difference experience to play in the open air where the ball bounces slightly higher than indoors and the wind factor adding a new dimension. A large number of outdoor tennis courts are being converted to pickleball courts in the United States and I can see in the next few years that this will be a trend in Australia.
I would like to remind members that your 2022/2023 Club membership fees are due now and that payment must be received by Thursday 28 July 2022.
John Fuller – NBPA President
IMPORTANT REMINDER – Safety & Etiquette
It’s high time that all members brush up on their understanding of safety, sportsmanship, etiquette and line calling code of ethics in pickleball. One of the main complaints we get is about the ball not being passed to the server correctly, either to the opposite side of the same court or to the server on another court. It’s basic etiquette to pick the ball up and pass it in a controlled manner. Please don’t swat it along the ground!
State championships
New South Wales
The NSW Pickleball Championships were held in Wahroonga in April. Although not quite up to the standard of winning Open titles, our members won a swag of medals in the age divisions. Congratulations to all medallists. Click here for results and photos.
Tasmania
The Tasmanian Pickleball Championships were held in Launceston in June. A handful of our members competed and since the sport is relatively new in Tasmania, they came away with several medals. Well done!
Queensland
The Queensland Pickleball Championships held last weekend posed a real challenge to our members. Mitch Hargreaves was our only medallist in the Open Division. A huge congratulations to Mitch as winner of the Men’s Open Singles!
The following members won medals in their age divisions:
Gold: Clay Westwood and Katy Hargreaves; Silver: Diana Gilhawley and Ian Hutchinson; Bronze: Diana Gilhawley and Donna Jay.
Unfortunately we are no match for Queensland picklers …yet.
Avalon – Hollywood loves pickleball!
A few weeks ago we had great fun playing pickleball with 7 producers, directors, actors, ex-stuntmen. They are spending 7 months in Sydney shooting a new movie “The Fall Guy” starring Ryan Gosling. The ex-stuntmen were happy to play on the slightly slippery side of the court! The last session they booked with us was unfortunately rained out, but they’ll be back.
You too can travel with your paddle!
Planning to travel up the NSW coast or inland NSW? Don’t forget to pack your paddle and drop in to the various pickleball clubs for a game. Pickleball clubs are springing up like mushrooms! You will be warmly welcomed, but make sure you give the clubs advance warning of your arrival.
Click on the blue markers for club contact details
(Courtesy of PANSW)
Regularly Violated Service Rules
Many players are still regularly violating the service rules. Please make sure that you understand the above rule and, in particular, the words “imaginary extension of”. It is a fault if your shoe TOUCHES the baseline or if your shoe goes just SLIGHTLY beyond the imaginary sideline or centreline.
Please also remember that if you fail to completely call the score loudly and clearly before you hit the ball, it is a fault (newbies excluded).
Download the complete 74 page USA Pickleball 2022 Official Rulebook for some light bedtime reading.
Winner of the crossword competition
Disappointingly there was only one entry in the March newsletter crossword competition. After doing some serious googling, John Fuller successfully completed the crossword and is the lucky winner of a Club tee shirt.
If you care to study the completed crossword as shown below, you will learn some interesting facts about your favourite game.
Crossword answers
Player profile – Mark Johnston
How did you first hear about pickleball and how long have you been playing for? I actually played my first pickleball game in November 2020. However, I only played one game and found it ‘kinda interesting’ but not enthralling enough to entice me back. That was at a time when my golf handicap was heading northward, despite practicing 4-5 days each week! I’m competitive by nature and expect that if I put in lots of practice, I expect to see improvements and positive results.
Unfortunately, my golfing prowess and ability (sorry, rather dis-ability) forced me to revaluate my sports and what I wanted to do in my retirement. Like a “damsel in distress” my mate Ross once again came to my rescue and suggested I take up pickleball (again). That was in April 2021.
What do you like about the game? I suppose you could describe me as a hopeless “junkie” – I’m totally addicted to pickleball! I put the practice in, do the drills, but unlike golf, I see positive results….and that’s important to me. I love the physical exercise, forced concentration, the camaraderie and really friendly picklers.
Which other sports have you played in your younger years (or are still playing)? I just LOVE sports and from a very young age, I played AFL football in my home state of Tasmania. I’ve played competitive tennis for over 45 years, play snooker from time to time, played golf when I retired in 2012, but because I was such a “mug” golfer, gave it away in 2020. I still surf (on a boggie board), and play competition Lawn Bowls on Wednesday commencing at 12pm (just after pickleball), on Friday’s and also on Saturday (after pickleball).
How often do you play pickleball? If fact EVERY day, (except Friday) I play pickleball and if I’m not playing, I practice my Bowls or surf (only when it’s nice and warm in summer 😃). And, by the way, I am happily married and do see my wife every day with lots of smiles and cuddles.😄😄
Thanks to Mark for sharing his pickleball experience with us!
Feedback
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