Notice of Nominations and Election for the Board of Directors

Nominations are open for the following positions:
Vice President
Treasurer
Director of Large

Each of these positions is for a 2 year term beginning April 1, 2014.
You may nominate yourself for one of these positions or you may nominate someone else. (If you nominate someone else, please be sure that he or she is willing to run for election).

Please submit your nomination to the Club President, Gary Baker with a short biography:  garylynnbaker66@gmail.com

Biography's will be posted at the courts and will also be posted on the Blog.  
Nominations do remain open until the election, which will be held  at the General Meeting held on March 12, 2014.

Candidates will be introduced on February 12th at the General Monthly Meeting.  

As a candidate you are encouraged to introduce yourself at the courts, to members who my not know you.  Prior to round robins is a good time. 

Interested in running and would like more information.  All current and prior board members would be happy to answer your questions.

Happy Trails Medal Winners

Congratulations!!

Theresa Orcutt 5.0 WD Silver Medal

Not Shown Marsha Freso 4.5 MXD Bronze Medal

We Need YOU

HELP WANTED

Volunteers are required for the Following:   

·       Round Robin Captains 

·       Monitors for 2.0’s 

·       Tournament Player Registration (computer skilled) 

·       Medics for Tournaments 

·       Court Washing

Please be a Volunteer and help out with the work required to keep this Club running smoothly. 

Sign up on sheets posted on “Big Blue” where you can offer assistance or email below: 

·       Captains -    Alex Gendron   gndrn1948@gmail.com 

·       Moniters -  Jack Hays            jhayspg@gmail.com 

·       Tournament – Colin Caldwell  cdcaldell@shaw.ca  or Les Scott      rickieschance@aol.com

·       Medical – Marg  Ouimet  margouimet@gmail.com 

·       Court Clean-up – LeRoy Schmidt elrod2004@gmail.com

Orientation

WELCOME ORIENTATION

Palm Creek Pickleball

Wednesday’s

2:30 – 3:30 at the Courts

(Weather Permitting)

New to Palm Creek Pickleball? If you are familiar with Pickleball and would like information on Pickleball here, join us on Wednesday’s at the Pickleball Courts.

We will introduce to our courts; explain our play schedule; tell you about our beginner’s lessons, round robins and clinics.  We will have handouts and lots of answers to your questions.

We would like our orientation to be your first stop.

Congratulations and Welcome

Congratulations to our Palm Creek Medal Winners at the Tucson Senior Olympics

                                       photo courtesy of Pat Lively

Carol Lindow - Bob Bonack -  Morgan Robins - Tom Earley - Colin Caldwell

Lynn Carlson - Lance Thiede - John Jetelina - LeRoy Schmidt - Vance Christiansen and Dave Touchet

Not Shown: Don Simmons - Wayne Kennedy - Pat and John Lively
A full list of medal winners this season is posted under Club Information

Welcome to our new players, taking a lesson with Roger Fellows and Les Orcutt, from the pictures, you can tell they are naturals, they want to first learn the game and than have fun!

Announcements

•           Residents Tournament:  Please remind players that the “Residents Tournament” is February 17th to 19th and they need to consider choosing a partner and signing up.  This is a fun tournament and a great time to enjoy a tournament experience.   Sign-up sheets are online, or can be found at the “Big Blue” sign-up stand.  The completed forms can be put in the White Mail Box at the end of “Big Blue” for processing by registrar, Karen Fellows.

•           The Club is seeking computer qualified volunteers to offer their services for our upcoming tournaments.  The Resident Tournament and The Palm Creek Tournament.  We need to staff the check-in desk with about six or seven people for the Residents Tournament.  We are requesting that all volunteers interested in assisting please contact Les Scott (Vice President) or Colin Caldwell (tournament director) to add to our support list at the email addresses below 

Collin Caldwell    cbcaldwell@shaw.ca

Les Scott              rickieschance@aol.com

  

If Coordinators or Members want something included in the weekly announcement please e-mail Alex by Friday January 24^th, 2014. gndrn1948@gmail.com

Resident Tournaments

Have you signed up to play in our Resident Tournament?
No? You can sign up on line or you can complete a registration form, both are linked on this Blog under Club Information.
For new players, you will have more fun playing in the tournament than sitting on the sidelines, don't miss the fun!  Resident tournaments are not sanctioned, they are fun and a good place to try tournament play, your are on your own courts and playing with your own group!
On the subject of Resident Tournaments, there seems to be some confusion about the Robson Resident tournament on January 22nd, this is for their resident's only.  Robson's Sanctioned tournament is scheduled to start on March 19th you still have time to register.
If you have just completed the Referee Training program, the Robson Resident Tournament may be a good place to get some practice.  You may need to bring a chair, something to eat and drink with you..

Monthly Meeting Reminder

Monthly Meeting Reminder
Wednesday, January 15th
4PM
Sonora Room
Would you like a Club Shirt for our Resident Tournament, last chance to order will be after the meeting

Pickleball Guest Policy Reminder

The following Guest Policy was discussed at the clubs Monthly Meeting in December of 2012 and was amended in January 2013

Guest Policy-Amended  1/24/13

All guests using the facilities need to register at the office, the club member must be with them. Guest that are staying with members may use the facilities for 2 weeks.  Day guests and for guests from communities within a 100 mile radius, it is requested that you advise the Club President. Guests from communities within a 100 mile radius may play on the courts one time only

Additionally for many years, day guests were invited to play, when it would not take court time away from a resident club member, typically when round robins are not scheduled.  

This Weeks Announcements

·        Club T-Shirts:  Club T-Shirts will be for sale, Sunday January 12th from 12:30 till 2:30 in the Ball Room.  Shirts will be available to try on for size and the orders will need to be pre-paid.  Check out the colours available and your preferred material, Poly Dri-Wick or Cotton-Poly.  The colours available are Cardinal, Neon Orange and Neon Pink.  Price is from $10.00 to $19.00 depending on sizing.

·        Training Sign Up:   Please remind players who sign up for training to make sure they show up on time for the training,  or if they cannot make the training for any reason, please remove their name to allow those interested in training to be included.   The 3.5 drop/dink class today, 1-10-2014, had 25 players that signed up, but only 13 participants showed up.  Roger Fellows and the training team of instructors put a considerable amount of time in lesson planning and time lines, to accommodate this training. There were six instructors available, based on the sign up, so there would be one instructor per court.  Please make sure you show up if you sign up!

·        Round Robin Reporting:  Please remind players signed up for a round robin to report at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the round robin to allow the Captain to arrange play and required court assignments.  It is important that Players are warmed up and ready to play, when the round robin is announced by the Captain

·        Picking up the balls:     Remind players to pick up the game ball and replace it in the holders when they finish their round.

·        Residents Tournament:  Please remind players that the “Residents Tournament” is February 17^th to 19^th and they need to consider choosing a partner and signing up.  This is a fun tournament and a great time to enjoy a tournament experience.   Sign-up sheets are online, or can be found at the “Big Blue” sign-up stand.  The completed forms can be put in the White Mail Box at the end of “Big Blue” for processing by registrar, Karen Fellows.

Note:

The announcements above will made this week by the Round Robin Captains.  They will become part of the weekly Blog, to help all members stay informed

Skill Expectations

The Board of Directors prepared these guidelines to assist you in self rating your level of play.  From inception we have been a club that allows members to self-rate.  We also have a committee that can give you an official USAPA Rating or an informal evaluation.

SKILL EXPECTATIONS FOR EACH LEVEL OF PLAY

--these bullet points are a condensed version of the larger Pickleball Skill Level Definitions doc. --

Note: Above the 2.0 level, all levels should be able to demonstrate most of the skills for their level plus most of the skills from preceding levels. Thus a 2.5 level player, for example, demonstrates most skills in the 2.5 level list as well as most skills in the 2.0 level list, and so on.

2.0 Skill Level

●     Has taken the Palm Creek beginners lesson (or demonstrates equivalent knowledge)

●     Moves around court in balanced, safe manner

●     Gets some serves “in”, perhaps not regularly

●     Realizes aspects of score-keeping, rules and where to stand on court during serve, receive of serve, and general play

●     Has some basic stroke skills

2.5 Skill Level

●     Able to serve “in” more regularly

●     Knows two-bounce rule and demonstrates it most times

●     Knows where to stand on the court during serve, receipt of serve and general play

●     Is mastering keeping score.

●     Attempts to dink but not always effective at it

●     Working on their form for ground strokes, accuracy is variable

●     Can keep the ball in play longer

●     Sometimes lobs with forehand with varying degrees of success.

3.0 Skill level

a.      Knows the fundamental rules and can keep score

b.      Regularly gets serves “in” to mid-court or deeper

c.       Dinks mostly in opp. kitchen and is dinking lower over the net

d.      Able to sustain dinking in the game

e.      Using both forehand and backhand on returns and forehands on overhead returns

f.        Working at keeping the serve deep and return of serve deep

g.      Moves quickly towards the non-volley zone when opportunity is there

h.      Trying to make flatter returns (where appropriate)

i.        More aware of their partner’s position on the court and moving more as a team

j.        Developing more power in their shots

 3.5 Skill level

●     Demonstrates a broad knowledge of the rules of the game

●     Gets a high majority of serves “in”

●     Able to serve and return serve deep

●     Hits to the weak side of opponent often

●     Demonstrates more strategies of playing during games

●     Works better with partners in communicating, covering court, moving to net

●     With varying consistency executes: lobs, forehand/backhand ground strokes, overheads, net volleys, and sustained dinking

●     Starting to use drop shots in order to get to the net

●     Knows when to make some specific placed shots in the game

●     Working on mixing up soft shots with power shots to create an advantage

●     Hits fewer balls out of bounds or in the net

●     Has a moderate # of unforced errors per game

4.0 Skill Level

●     Primarily plays offensively rather than reactively

●     Controls and places serves and return of serves to best advantage

●     Puts strategy into play in the game

●     Consistently varies shots to create a competitive advantage

●     Works  and moves well with partner -- easily switches court positions when required

●     Very comfortable playing at the non-volley zone. Works with partner to control the line, keeping opponents back and driving them off line.

●     Can block volleys directed at them

●     Has good footwork and moves laterally, backward and forward with ease.

●     Uses strategy in dinking to get a put-away shot

●     Hits overhead shots consistently, often returning them to feet of opponent

●     Moderate ability to change a hard shot to a soft shot

●     Consistently executes effective drop shots.

●     Can poach effectively

●     Hits a low # of unforced errors per game

4.5 - 5.0 Skill Level

1.    Able to regularly convert a hard shot to a soft shot

2.    Exhibits patience at a superior level

3.    Shows noticeably increased skills, a higher level of strategy, quickness of hands and movement, judicious use of power, superior placement of shots, anticipation of play, sustained volleying skills, superior put-aways ---all with consistency 

4.    Makes very few unforced errors

Differences between 4.5 and 5.0 are subjective – but, generally, each of the four points above is even more pronounced at the 5.0 level.

A permanent link with this information has been added under Club Information for future reference

Round Robin Playing Policy

Round Robin Playing Policy

Round Robin venues will be played as scheduled and outlined by the Court Usage Committee, approved by the board.  Changes can only be made upon recommendation to the Court Usage Committee, and approved by the board.

Given that self-ratings are fairly subjective up to that point at which a person feels a certified rating is necessary, individuals shall play that skill level commensurate with their playing ability.  The USAPA has published guidelines for the various skill levels (as viewed on the USAPA website) and all players are encouraged to review those guidelines for assistance in determining their individual skill level.  As well, all players should continue to play at their assigned skill level until they have demonstrated a competent capability to SUCCESSFULLY compete at the next higher skill level.

Players must play in any one skill level round robin for a period of at least one week, measured Monday thru Sunday, and may not sign up for or play in, a different skill level round robin within that same week.

In the event individuals have chosen to play at a higher skill level round robin more than one full week and they wish to participate in the Palm Creek Residential Pickleball Tournament, they will be required to play at that higher skill level in the tournament.  This rule does not apply to the Annual Palm Creek Open Pickleball Tournament.

 Tomorrow's Blog : SKILL EXPECTATIONS FOR EACH LEVEL OF PLAY

Open Play Policy

Open Play?

You see this on the schedule but not sure if you should participate

Of course you should, this is a good amount of court time that is scheduled for you to play. The Board of Directors has written this policy to keep you informed.

Open Play Challenge Courts

7:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M.

  

Open Play Challenge Courts are designated with signs at each court by skill level.  Open play is designated for the hours of 7:30-10:00 a.m  each day.  Players can go to these courts during those hours to challenge the winners and participate in competitive social play.  This is an ideal time to find other players with similar skill levels and challenge in. 

In addition, Open Play Challenge is an excellent time for players to test their skills by challenging in on higher skill level courts.  This in no way prevents players from playing at their regular scheduled round robin skill level or their skill level designation for the resident tournament.

Tomorrow's Blog :  Round Robin Policy

Referee Clinic and Resident Tournament

Referee Training

           Reminder

 A Great opportunity

 to become a certified  Ref

Ref's are critical part of of successful tournament.  Not sure?  Attend the clinic and try it out, players from all skill levels Ref, as well as former players who would like to stay involved in the game.

Experienced Ref's who would like a refresher course, please attend Part II.

Dates:   January 7th - Part I

              January 9th - Part II

Time:    2 - 4 PM

Place:   Pavilion by Softball Field

Instructors:  Tom and Jeanne Gearhart

Resident Tournament

  

 Find a Partner 

 Register NOW!   

 Register without a Partner and you will be listed on                       Partner Search                                           

Sign up for Skill level and you will play 

 with members of your regular group

2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 4.5 5.0 

Sign up for Age and have the opportunity to play with all skill levels   
                This is YOUR tournament!

                     Don't miss the Fun!

Resident Tournament Registration

click on link 

The National Pickleball Association

The USAPA is comprised of dedicated volunteers who work to provide us with a National set of rules and guidelines, training tools and news about the sport on a National level.  They have  done a tremendous job of promoting our sport and getting our youth involved
Occasionally there is a misconception that the USAPA is only for Tournament Players or Players in our club that would like a USAPA skill level rating.  The USAPA is for all of us who enjoy pickleball.
Hundreds of our club members have joined, you may notice them wearing the USAPA tee shirt that comes with membership.  

Visit  www.usapa.org  to learn more

USAPA Membership Form

                                                                      Click on link to join or renew

Happy 2014!!!!!