David Zapatka While playing at the IronOaks courts in Sun Lakes for my first time last month, I ran into a group of very excited, highly motivated, new pickleball players. We played a couple games together and when we departed, this question was posed to me, “What should we do to improve and become 3.5…
Tag: Pickleball
Sports, December 2020
Relishing Pickleball: Dink Responsibly
David Zapatka Often called the most important shot in all of pickleball, the dink is the critical shot aspiring players must learn to improve their game. The dink is a shot hit slowly and softly into the opponents’ non-volley zone as close to the net as possible. If the opponent hits this ball hard, it…
Sports, December 2020
Golf Cars of Arizona Sponsors a Pickleball Court!
Nancy Dowell SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) is delighted to announce that Golf Cars of Arizona has committed to sponsoring a pickleball court. Their donation earns them a plaque on one of the courts at the new Ridgeview Pickleball Complex. The complex will consist of 14 courts, a ramada, restrooms, and parking. Planning and fundraising for…
Sports, December 2020
Pickleball Press: Amusing Pickleball Vocabulary
Nancy Dowell It does not take much to lighten the mood of a pickleball player. Put any one of us on a court and we will have fun. That is one of the very best aspects of the sport. We SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) members make fun of ourselves at times and we certainly can…
Sports, November 2020
Pride Mechanical, LLC Sponsors a Court!
Nancy Dowell SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) is thrilled to announce that Pride Mechanical, LLC has made a generous donation toward the construction of the new Ridgeview Pickleball Complex. This has earned them a plaque placed on one of the new courts. Community means everything to Pride Mechanical, LLC. Owners, Allen and Christina, grew up in…
Sports, November 2020
Pickleball Press: SPA Coach, Frank Mucklo
Frank Mucklo Frank Mucklo is a highly active member of SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA). A USTA competitive tennis player, Frank heard about a game called pickleball being played in SaddleBrooke. He tried it, was a natural at it, and was hooked. “In the first years here we played tennis until someone said there was a game called pickleball.…
Sports, November 2020
Relishing Pickleball: The Ready Position
David Zapatka One of the most common errors I see on the pickleball court is not being ready to play. What does this mean? Being ready to play means a number of things. It means being focused on the point at hand. Paying attention to debris on the court, listening to what someone is saying,…
Sports, October 2020
Pickleball Press—Player Development Program
Nancy Dowell Membership in SaddleBrooke Pickleball Association (SPA) is on the rise. The summer has seen a spike in new memberships, and the club could not be more delighted to welcome the new members. Once a resident becomes a member of SPA, he or she may take advantage of all the player development program has…
Sports, October 2020
Relishing Pickleball: The Overhead Smash
David Zapatka When your opponent hits the ball high in the air, above your shoulders, think overhead smash! The smash is one of the most fun shots in all of pickleball. It ends rallies with an exclamation point. Execute this fun, rally-ending shot using these seven steps: 1. Use many small steps to position your…
Sports, September 2020
SPA Offers Introductory Lessons for Beginners
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 times” game. At the end of the intro lesson, participants will…