David Zapatka Spin is one of the most underrated game-changing skills. While beginners often focus on simply getting the ball over the net, intermediate and advanced players know that adding spin can create awkward bounces, force errors, and open up the court. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your offensive tools or add finesse to your…
Tag: Pickleball
February 2026, Sports
Call 911! Does Anyone Know CPR?
That’s not something any of us ever want to hear, but one morning at the SaddleBrooke pickleball courts, that urgent shout became a wake-up call for Bill Gray, vice president of the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA). Bill realized it had been more than 30 years since he last thought about CPR. If that was true…
February 2026, Sports
SaddleBrooke Pickleball—Keeping It Fun and Fair for Everyone
Evelyn Wiltshire Every sport has at least one “we learned this the hard way” rule, created to uphold the true spirit of the game. Baseball’s Infield Fly Rule prevents infielders from intentionally dropping an easy pop-up to force multiple outs. In football, the Fair Catch Rule protects the returner after signaling for a fair catch.…
February 2026, Sports
SPA Welcomes Sandeen & Lee as Sponsors
Shawne Cryderman The new storage shed is built and already in use. Sponsorship of the shed was initiated by Dr. Sven Sandeen and Dr. Elizabeth Lee of Sandeen & Lee Plastic Surgery. Their practice offers a wide range of cosmetic, reconstructive, and hand surgery, including carpal tunnel. Dr. Lee contacted SPA, inquiring what her business…
February 2026, Clubs & Classes
Always Busy and Embracing Life
Dee Berisha Women On Our Own (WOOO) welcomes in a new year never missing a beat. A review of our membership and the year 2025 in the rearview mirror reflects ups and downs, joys and sorrows, wonder and dismay, challenges and victories. Medical diagnoses met head on, death of loved ones, births of new generations,…
February 2026, Front Page
Pickleball Teams Compete in the Arizona Pickleball Players League
Pickleball players from the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) are competing in the Arizona Pickleball Players League (APPL) Winter Season, which kicked off in January. The winter season runs from January through March, with teams competing in flights based on players’ skill levels and age divisions. Competition includes Men’s Doubles, Women’s Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. This…
January 2026, Sports
SaddleBrooke Pickleball Teams Win Their First Battle for the Saddle Trophy
Corey Loyd The Fourth Annual Battle for the Saddle pickleball competition between SaddleBrooke and SaddleBrooke Ranch (SBR) pickleball players was held Oct. 28, 29, and 30 at the new Oro Valley Picklr pickleball center. For the first time, SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) captured the overall trophy, which now resides at SaddleBrooke’s Robson Pickleball Center. Congratulations,…
January 2026, Sports
SPA Fosters Fun and Future Pickleball Stars
Evelyn Wiltshire You know the saying: Families who play together, stay together! Research shows that spending enjoyable time together, especially doing fun or active things, builds strong family relationships and forges closer emotional bonds. This was fully evident on Nov. 28 when the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) hosted Grandchildren’s Day on the pickleball courts! More…
December 2025, Sports
The Essentials of Pickleball Make Great Holiday Gifts
Corey Loyd Pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in America for the fourth year in a row, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA). Its popularity is soaring nationwide, especially among seniors, and SaddleBrooke is no exception. With 14 courts at the Robson Pickleball Center (RPC) located in the heart of SaddleBrooke and…
December 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: No Man’s Land
David Zapatka No man’s land, sometimes referred to as the transition area, aka the kitchen, is the area of the pickleball court between the non-volley zone line and the baseline. Think of it as a space 11 feet long and 20 feet wide; two feet behind the non-volley zone line and two feet inside the…