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Chesterfield Pickleball News
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October’s cooling weather makes it perfect for pickleball. Visit any of our many Chesterfield parks and/or indoor venues and enjoy!
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- Survey on Court Use
- Hurricane Helene Relief
- Pickleball Rule Changes 2025
- News from Parks and Rec
- Members of the Month – Andy and Karen Bradshaw
- Planning Play during League Season
- Reducing Injuries
Survey on Court Use – Please Participate
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Pickleball players love the game, but may despair the wait at popular court times. As more and more residents discover the fun, fitness and fraternity of local pickleball we find that courts aren’t always available. PCCC wants to hear from YOU, regarding your feelings about court availability today, and interest in new courts for future play.
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If you’ve not already weighed in, please respond by the October 5 deadline. If you lend 3 minutes to completing the survey accessed through this link, your voice will be heard. PICKLEBALL SURVEY. We appreciate it.
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Hurricane Helene Relief
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The southeast has endured a terrible week with catastrophic weather. PCCC members who want to make a donation to help our North Carolina neighbors can use the link below. This allows on-line donations to the North Carolina Red Cross Hurricane Helene victims.
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Pickleball Rule Changes for 2025
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There were 133 suggested rule changes by USA Pickleball members before the May 15 deadline. The Rules Committee considered all 133 and forwarded their recommendations to the Board of Directors to affirm or decline the RC recommendations. All approved rule changes will be published in the 2025 Official Rule book by Nov 1, 2024. If the deadline is met, you should be able to find the new rules on-line at USA Pickleball.org and search NRD. Rumors abound but nothing is official until the Board of Directors approve them. Do you have rule changes you would like to submit? After the first of the year you may submit them up until May 15, 2025.
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News from Parks and Rec
Stonebridge Rec Center - Chesterfield Parks and Rec has an overall strategy for building more pickleball courts. They know we like larger complexes rather than just a few courts spread around the County so they will not be repurposing any more tennis courts. The new pickleball courts will be built from scratch using player input. One big plan is to change out the floor at Stonebridge Rec Center/Richmond Volleyball from that Sports court floor to a wooden floor so it can be for our use during the day. We are hopeful this will happen soon. The extended plan is to build a large group of outdoor courts at that location too which will rival the 24 court facility at Pouncey Tract. This will be good for recreational use as well as bring in large tournaments to our area to enhance Chesterfield's reputation in Sports Tourism. If you know your Board of Supervisor (and you should) please enthusiastically support this with an in person chat, email , text or phone call.
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Adding more courts at CTC is a consideration but must be approved by the Chesterfield School Board since it is their property. We know how difficult that negotiation was last time. However it's a discussion worth having since there is room for more courts at that location, parking, and nice restrooms.
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- Youth Pickleball - Drop In Youth Pickleball is available each Tuesday from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Beulah Rec Center. I am there most Tuesdays to instruct new young players while others play round robin games. It's a blast! Bring your kids/grandkids to play.
- More news from Beulah. Starting in January, Monday nights will be available for Adult Indoor Open Play at this location. This will be a welcome venue for our cold Winter months.
- CTC will be getting a permanent awning over the walkway, a new backboard for practice behind court 3, and the replacement of the divider nets and gates with metal fencing material.
- New Cogbill Park - Slated to open Summer 2025, this will have a group of 4 new pickleball courts. These will be welcomed in that area. It may be a good place for Youth Pickleball.
- Last thing. Parks and Rec is looking at all courts - those that are on Parks property and those which are on School property that Parks and Rec maintains. Many need major renovations - not just coats of paint but taking them down to gravel and starting over. Perhaps when they do that they could add a few pickleball courts to the tennis complex at the same time. We are not advocating taking away any tennis courts. If you know of schools where this addition would be welcomed , please write/ email your School Board Representative and express your support. I know for sure James River High School would love some pickleball courts as I have had discussions with them regarding that. There are others I am sure -Cosby, Midlothian Middle,Swift Creek Middle etc. With all the young folks coming to play, I know they would love some courts right on their school property which would be so convenient for them and their parents.
Are there improvements you would like to see at the courts? Let us hear from you by answering the survey with the above link if you did not complete it earlier.
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Members of the Month: Andy and Karen Bradshaw
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Andy has been playing pickleball for a number of years, mostly at CTC but other localities as well. He even participated in the USTA League a few summers ago and I was told he won GOLD with his partner in the Las Vegas championships.
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So yes, he is a very good player and plays often but we are holding him up for his kindness and willing to reach out to new players. We have seen this in action and appreciate it so much. We also want to thank him and his lovely wife, Karen (who just retired as an extraordinary Nurse Practitioner). Karen also loves this game and now has more time to play.
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Once when I was teaching a class it started raining. Both Andy and Karen, who were not in the class, came over and helped us dry the courts so we could continue. Now, that is good sportsmanship!
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Recently, when the PCCC ordered 8 new benches to replace those which were warped and damaged, Andy and Karen not only came to pick them up, but put them all together and delivered them to CTC and Dodd Park. This was a big deal and we appreciate it so much. Thank you Bradshaws!
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If you have someone to nominate as a future PCCC Member of the Month, please email details of what he or she does for pickleball to Linda at pickleball4all@aol.com
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Planning your Play During League Season
To get on the courts during the fall league season of Sept – Oct, always check the PCCC calendar on our website or Facebook page. There are open courts at every park, but you may want to adjust which location you visit to find the most open. Other options include: (1) Schedule your play before or after leagues play. Most evening leagues run 6:00 - 9:00 pm. There are always at least 2 courts open at CTC and 1 court at each of the other locations during reserved league time. (2) Check our Facebook page to see what additional courts have become available that evening.
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Reducing Injuries With Positioning
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Restated from an article in Pickleball Magazine September/October 2024 by Dr. Noe Sariban AKA The Pickleball Doctor
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As we know, often (but not all) the time, injuries occur to new players who fall in love with the sport and immediately start playing 4 or 5 times a week, if they can find someone to play with them. Sometimes these players have had no training but are able to play a decent and fun game, quickly. Sometimes, they are playing with more experienced players and feel pushed passed their limit. That said, often their bodies are not used to some of the moves which are necessary in pickleball. With some dinks, we find ourselves overreaching, twisting and bending all at the same time and this can be detrimental to the lower back. We all know what backing up for a ball over your head can cause, falls that can result in bruises or sprains and sometimes more serious injuries like broken wrists, hips, even concussions. Over playing the ball (going after a ball that is out of our ability level) can cause severe injuries to the Achilles, hamstring, knees or ankles. Dr. Sariban suggest that to avoid these injuries we need to intentionally drill on FOOT WORK of the four main steps used in pickleball. I added another one.
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- Side stepping. Wide base of support, chest leaning forward, buttocks back. Take a step to either side. This is the step we use for a ball that is hit slightly away from us.
- Side shuffle. Several side steps. Move laterally to a ball that is hit a little farther away. This allows you to stay balanced as you hit the ball and stay out of the Non-volley zone.
- Pivot step. Use this when the ball is hit too close to your foot. Move the foot where you think the ball is going to land, stepping away to allow room for your shoulder to be able to move in the direction you wish to hit the ball and follow through to your target.
- Cross over. This is an emergency step and should rarely be used (never) by new players. This is when we can get our feet tangled by trying to get to the ball and avoid stepping on the non-volley line at the same time. Experienced players use the step more efficiently and with less potential injury but many still no don't recommend it. My last and only fall occurred when I used this step inappropriately. However, Ben Johns does it well and often.
- Open the Door. (I'm adding this one) It's just like it says, we use this step when we are turning to go after a lob rather than backing up. Open the door and run. Or, just say, "YOURS!" to your partner or "GOOD SHOT" to your opponent.....:-) No ball is worth an injury in Rec Play.
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