The Pickle Boat: This Week's Odds & Ends
EPC Mixed Doubles Tournament Closes Registration with 24 Teams Entered
The first ever Mixed Doubles event has three brackets of eight teams each competing for prizes and local bragging rights. The event will start at 8 am Tuesday, Aug. 17 at Marshdale. Come out and cheer on your friends in friendly competition.
EPC thanks Gig Blitz for sponsoring the Mixed Doubles Tournament.
Evergreen Players Score at Steamboat Classic
At the Steamboat Classic, July 17-19 Evergreen had multiple players competing and winning medals:
Jason Koski landed Gold in Mixed Doubles 3.0, 35+; and Bronze in Singles 3.5, 35+
Susan Abel and Jim Dreggors (pictured, right) took Silver in the 3.0, 35+ age bracket after 11 games over six hours
Also competing were Gig Blitz, Patrick Bixenman, Lynne Yockey and Ann Olson.
Give Scott Williams a Hand for Building Fences Between Courts
You may have noticed the orange netting at the ends of the tennis nets, stopping errant balls from traveling into opposing pickleball courts at Marshdale. No more chasing balls, interrupting games or entering the courts through others’ courts. Go around. Thank you Scott.
EPRD Says Additional Nets at Marshdale Expected This Week
One proposal: designate nets by skill level
Kathy Fasold reports on last month’s EPRD Board meeting. “The new nets are supposed to arrive next week. The set-up is dependent on EPRD’s work load. With the new court configuration, the pickleball schedule will change, so stay tuned. We will always have four courts, but waiting to see the schedule sharing with tennis. Don Rosenthal made the recommendation on sharing and pickleball group play times. Also proposed is play by net by “level” with adjustments made by nets according to the number of players in any level at any time.
We may have some growing pains with this new method, but it is used in other places.”
Pickleball Tip of the Week from Hiwan Pickleball Pro Tom Karas: Poaching and Communication
Poaching is when the forward player moves across the court to cut off a shot heading toward his partner. It is often used by strong players who become impatient when their opponents are pummeling their weaker partner. It can be a surprise tactic against opponents and it can be effective when you have a baseline partner who hangs back and doesn’t move up to the kitchen line. If you do poach you must hit a winner, because if you mess up, you will be leaving your side of the court wide open for your opponents to return a winner. Some people view poaching as stealing your partner’s shot. They might refer to their poaching partner as a “ball hog”. Although being a poacher may not win you friends, it can sometimes be effective.
Hand in hand with poaching is communication. The bottom line is if you are going to take the shot, CALL IT! The only thing worse than both of you going for the ball, is neither of you going for it. Both of these can be avoided if you communicate. SPEAK UP AND SPEAK OFTEN using single words like “YOU, ME, OUT, BOUNCE IT, SWITCH. You will see great improvement in your game is you make communication a habit.