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Chesterfield Pickleball News
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December Holiday Greetings to our Pickleball Family,
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You wouldn't even know it was winter ( well, except for the weather) with all the tournament notifications on FACEBOOK. Thankfully, we have indoor pickleball facilities now that can handle these. Some of these tournaments are for charities, so check those out especially. Also, Smitty is hosting a Party/Dance for pickleball players at Stonebridge Rec Center in support of his charity GO FORWARD GIVE BACK on Friday evening, Dec. 6th, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. He specializes in helping our youth with pickleball, school supplies, toys at Christmas. Please consider joining the fun. The donation is only a small Christmas toy.
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Beginners Play – Indoors at UMC
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Beginners are welcomed for Beginner Play and Practice at Bon Air UMC. Please see the calendar for the exact time and days. The group is very welcoming and encouraging to those newer to the sport at these specific times. I am sure you will enjoy it. You must have taken a class or clinic as there is no instruction for totally new players. It's just for fun so you can play with only others at your level.
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Now that we're in the chilliest of months, note that our outdoor Open Play times move to 12:00 - 3:00 PM and 5:00 - 8:00 PM at all locations. Check the calendar on the website for times and locations of indoor play.
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Reporting Pickleball Court Issues
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As some of you know, there was a "no lights issue" at Rockwood and Garland Dodd Park on December 1, but Parks and Rec staff jumped right in, located the problem and fixed it. Hooray for Chesterfield Parks and Rec, again. If you discover a problem on the Courts after hours, call the Parks and Recreation after-hours line at 804-748-1624 to report it.
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League Commissioner Needed
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PCCC has over 500 members involved in our Spring and Fall leagues, strengthening skills and friendships. There are leagues for every level of play, some Co-Ed, some age restricted, and some designated DUPR competitive. Leagues are each led by 1-2 League Coordinators who manage the weekly signups and rosters. To coordinate all the activities of the League Coordinators and players, a League Commissioner is essential. If you are interested in stepping into this role, please contact Lynze Kapp at pcccleagues@gmail.com.
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Member of the Year – Dave King
David King was a previous member of the month for all his volunteer time in developing players. Through additional nominations, we are happy to name Dave as our PCCC Member of the Year. David is an enthusiastic advocate for pickleball. He consistently offers classes, clinics and drills classes to pickleball players of all levels. David makes it fun and is probably the reason many of us are addicted to pickleball! He has organized leagues in Chesterfield County for years, making these leagues fun and educational. Despite unexpected health issues this past year, he modified his clinics and classes so he was able to continue helping all of us learn. It has been incredible to watch his commitment to the sport and his students.
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News Highlights from “The Pickleball Clinic”
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Below are a few highlights from the latest edition of “The Pickleball Clinic”. You can subscribe yourself by going to The Pickleball Clinic.
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How to Go from a 3.0 to 3.5:
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- Always run up to the kitchen line after you return your opponent’s serve. Plus, try not to hit short returns. Instead, try to hit higher and deeper returns so that you have more time to get up to the kitchen.
- Use your backhand volley if the ball is coming at your body. Also, hit a correct backhand, which has the back of your hand facing the net, not your inverted palm.
- Always go back to the proper ready position after you hit a shot. That means keep your paddle up and be ready for any ball to come at you.
A new report just came out created by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) and was released in conjunction with the USA Pickleball National Championships in Mesa, Arizona.
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- · For the third year in a row, pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in America, growing 51.8% from 2022 to 2023, and a whopping 223.5% in a three year span.
- · The sport grew in every age group, with the 25-34 age group leading the way, and more than 1 million children under the age of 18 taking up the game from 2022 to 2023.
- · Another great sign for the health of pickleball is that every region in the United States witnessed an increase in pickleball participation — the South Atlantic region led the way with 2.8 million pickleball players,
This explains which suggestions for 2025 rule changes have been approved and not approved.
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Season’s Greetings to all and I'll see you on the courts!
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