Raymond H. Goettsch The four teams fielded by SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) to compete in the Arizona Pickleball Players League (APPL) have completed their regular season play, and three teams advanced to state play. The Tire Biters team (men’s 3.0 65+) finished its season with three wins, four losses, and one tie. The only opponent…
Tag: Pickleball
March 2024, Sports
SaddleBrooke Pickleball Play Is Now Televised
Raymond H. Goettsch Pickleball play at the Ed Robson Pickleball Center is now on television. SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) has installed a 43-inch television monitor in the Michael and Shirley Hovan Ramada. The monitor lists the daily schedule for the forms of play, court by court, from 7 a.m. through 5 p.m.: drop-in play, round-robin…
March 2024, Sports
SPA Members Donate Plants to Decorate the Pickleball Courts
Raymond H. Goettsch Last summer, SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) member Jeanie Medema noticed that the potted live plants decorating the Ed Robson Pickleball Center were dying. As an instructor in ceramics, Jeanie thought that ceramic plants could replace the dying plants. She made the proposal to the SPA Board, and the board agreed. Jeanie created…
Sports, February 2024
SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association Teams Have Begun Matches in the AZ Pickleball League
Raymond H. Goettsch The four teams fielded by SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association, Inc., have begun competing in matches in the Arizona Pickleball Players League. The Flying Burrito Brothers team (3.5 65+ men) defeated the Ranch Wranglers2 team from SaddleBrooke Ranch by a score of 30 points to 15 points on Jan. 2. On Jan. 3 the…
Sports, January 2024
Match Schedules Set for Four SPA Pickleball Teams Competing in Arizona Pickleball Players League
Raymond H. Goettsch SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association, Inc. (SPA) has fielded four teams to compete in the Arizona Pickleball Players League for this season. The teams’ match schedules have now been set. “H” refers to a home match at the Ed Robson Pickleball Center, and “A” refers to an away match. Flying Burrito Brothers (men’s 3.5…
Sports, September 2023
Rematch Pickleball Tournament Set for October 20–22
Raymond H. Goettsch Members of the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association, Inc. (SPA), will have a rematch against members of the SaddleBrooke Ranch Pickleball Association (SRPA) on Oct. 20–22. This now annual tournament has been named The Battle for the Saddle and will be held this year at the Ed Robson Pickleball Center in SaddleBrooke. In the…
Sports, September 2023
Significant Rule Changes Suggested to USA Pickleball for 2024
Raymond H. Goettsch This is the time of year when pickleball players make suggestions for rule changes to USA Pickleball for 2024. Approximately 100 proposed changes can be found on rules.usapickleball.org/entry, and comments can be made regarding these proposed changes. Probably the most important proposed change is to make the volley serve illegal and the…
Sports, July 2023
Relishing Pickleball
Shot Selection David Zapatka Continuing our study of Pickleball Fundamentals Master the basics and compete with confidence by Mary Littlewood, it is time now to learn about shot selection. Mary Littlewood says the ideal sequence of shots provides a means for all four players to get to the net where pickleball is won and lost…
Sports, July 2023
SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association Members Play in Dink & Drink Round Robin
Raymond H. Goettsch During the last year, SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) has been offering round-robin play at least once a month. For June, SPA sponsored a new form of round-robin play. Named Dink & Drink, the round-robin not only involved doubles pickleball games, but also a post-game gathering of players for food and drink in…
Sports, May 2023
SPA Players Competed in Doubles and Mixed Doubles
Raymond H. Goettsch On March 31 through April 2, 115 members of the SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) played in an intramural tournament for the first time in several years. The tournament was for Women’s Doubles on March 31, Men’s Doubles on April 1, and Mixed Doubles on April 2. The doubles teams competed in a…