From the left: Bronze medalists Bill and Lee, Gold medalists Greg and Ed
Tucson Senior Olympics Medalists Bill Stickney and Jim Haakenson
Andrea Molberg
Both pickleball players and pickleball medals are plentiful in SaddleBrooke. SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) now has 628 members cheering about their friends’ latest tournament results and the congratulations are well deserved.
The 2017 Tucson Senior Olympics were held February 2 through 5 at Tucson’s Voyager RV Resort with sunny and pleasant weather. Teams from all over Arizona came to play at this well attended event where SPA members won one gold and two silver medals:
Men’s Doubles 50 plus (4.5) Brent Carlson with Bill Brown – Silver
Men’s Doubles 70 plus (4.0) Bill Stickney and Jim Haakenson – Silver
Mixed Doubles 70 plus (3.5) Jim Haakenson with Joyce Harrant from SaddleBrooke Ranch – Gold
It was in the 80s at the Southern Arizona Senior Games held March 3 to 11 on 16 courts at Robson’s Quail Creek in Green Valley. About 375 people, 12 from SaddleBrooke, played. SPA members brought home a gold, a silver and three bronze medals: Men’s 70 plus (4.0) Ed Szympruch and Greg Nelson – Gold; Men’s 70 plus (4.0) Bill Stickney and Lee Elmore – Bronze; Men’s 50 plus (4.5) Steve Wagner and Mike Cox – Bronze; Men’s 50 plus (3.5) Randy Olson and Paul Frederickson – Bronze; Mixed 50 plus (3.0) Linda Linegar and Steve Phillips – Silver
Tucsonnewsnow.com coverage of the Tucson Senior Olympics included tournament organizer Dave Jordan admitting both pickleball and squash have silly names for a sport. Popular pickleball is played with a paddle and a light ball like a whiffle ball on a court the same size as badminton (about a third of the size of a tennis court) with a net two inches lower than one for tennis. The ball is served underhand and must bounce the first two times it crosses the net. After that it can be volleyed. New players learn about this “two bounce rule” and the no volley section of court called the “kitchen” in introductory lessons here in SaddleBrooke. Find out more at our club website www.spaclubexpress.com
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