Tag: Pickleball

Bringing home Pickleball medals in Men’s Doubles

  Andrea Molberg This tournament season Brent Carlson has been bringing home medals—two golds, one silver and one bronze—in Men’s Doubles at the 4.5 skill level. The bronze was earned at a combined 5.0/4.5/4.0 level. Partnered with Carl Tietze from Mesa, Brent earned Gold at the seventh annual East Valley Tournament in Mesa on November…

Preserve Pickleball courts close again – what’s the story?

  Andrea Molberg On January 1, 2018 the SaddleBrooke Homeowners Association transitioned away from the Developer (Robson). One of the consequences of the transition was the termination of a “Use Agreement” between Robson and the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA), our largest club, to continue to use the temporary pickleball courts at the Preserve. What’s the…

Raising funds for Pickleball fun

  Andrea Molberg and Jim Schlote SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) is gathering donations to build additional courts within SaddleBrooke for playing this extremely popular sport. With more than 760 club members, pickleball is the largest club in our community and has clearly outgrown its six courts at Ridgeview built by SPA. SPA needs to immediately…

A meeting with Joel Pritchard, the founder of Pickleball

Andrea Molberg In 1986, SaddleBrooke resident Shelley Seidenverg and her two young daughters met pickleball founder Joel Pritchard on a Puget Sound ferry ride. Her encounter sheds light on both the history and naming of this popular sport. What’s the history of pickleball? The story goes that one Saturday in the summer of 1965, Washington…

SaddleBrooke Pickleball news

  Andrea Molberg Dave Weinbach, current men’s doubles pickleball champion in the U.S. Open and USAPA National tournaments, conducted a group pickleball clinic for 33 SPA members on December 11 at the Ridgeview Courts. He is known for his enthusiastic approach to teaching the game and has helped pickleballers all over the U.S.A. improve their…

Friday night Pickleball fun

  Andrea Molberg Looking for fun and fellowship on Friday nights? Try Friday Nite Lites. When SaddleBrooke lost the opportunity to play drop-in pickleball play under the lights at the Preserve courts, players finally found another way to get together for Friday night frolicking – Friday Nite Lites up at the Ranch. Friday Nite Lites…

Learn to play pickleball

  Shawne Cryderman Any SaddleBrooke resident is welcome to attend the introductory lesson. The focus of the introductory lesson is to allow people of all ages and skills to have the opportunity to get on the court and play this fun, phenomenal, full of good time’s game. At the end of the introductory lesson, participants…

Does your Pickleball paddle need replacing? Get a quiet one

Andrea Molberg Whether you’re new to this extremely popular sport of pickleball or been playing a while, check your paddle. You may need a new, quieter one. SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association referee Steve Phillips wrote: “A lot of beginner and progressive players are not understanding why the ball, when hit, does not carry the same as…

Celebrating birthdays Pickleball style

  Andrea Molberg Looking for a great way to celebrate birthdays? Some pickleball players, including Sue Diericks, Judi Wilkerson, Martha Takakoshi and Debbie Masciorini mark the event with very special birthday corsages and even wear them on the court. What a great example of pickleball fun and friendship. Come join the festivities.

Pickleball volunteers make all the difference

  Andrea Molberg SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) has 763 members, a sign of the tremendous popularity of this sport and the friendliness of players on the courts. Not HOA financed, pickleball funding comes from dues and donations. SPA volunteers like Sue Diericks donate their time. Every club relies on its members to volunteer and often…