Choose Pickleball Canada

Pickleball Canada is the true national organization. Don't be fooled by imposters who carry hidden agendas who even simply switch around the name to appear to be the same group. I personally know most of the directors of Pickleball Canada, and I hear how they have current and future goals to further the sport and name of pickleball in Canada. Tournaments, new community programs, clinics, school instructional. $12 for 1 year or $32 for 3 years. Whether you are the recreational player at a local rec center who plays for health and friendship, or you're the advanced player who longs to see the sport grow with tournaments, then support your true national organization, support the sport you love, support Pickleball Canada.

Pickleball Strategy: Tournament doubles

This picture of the men's open doubles was from the recent Pickleball Canada open nationals recently held in Abbotsford BC.  Chris Miller & Billy Jacobsen, arguably among the best pickleball players in North America currently took gold, Zhekovsky & Skinner took silver, and Wagner & Power took bronze. ***Note - No Chris Miller did not win by wearing flip flops*** All 3 teams had some different strategies that allowed them to win points, yet there were some universal strategies that could be passed along to everyone that could benefit us all.

1. Move your feet: anticipate the shots. get ready to move from side to side, on the balls and toes of your feet. The second that you plant your feet will be the exact second that a winning opponent shot is put past you.
2. Anticipation: Always assume that the ball will be hit back at you, so be ready. If you have just hit a shot at your opponent, anticipate how he will react.
3. Angles: Your goal should be to make your opponents move. Look for those uncovered areas where you can place a shot. Hit those open shots. Often times the center line, called the doubt line for a reason, is a steady consistent aim zone.
4. Don't gift wrap shots: The best pickleball doubles players are playing rallies of soft shots at the net, back & forth until the space opens. Often the more unexperienced doubles players are the ones that will give their opponents perfect shots to smash, play a soft outward spin shot. 
5. Keep your paddle up: Especially true when all four are at the net. Keeping the paddle in front of your chest or face allows you to react quicker at the net. We have no chance to make a good shot, or react fast enough if we keep the paddle by our side. I hear some people say, "But I need the paddle down so I can get maximum power on the return." WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! The ball at the net is coming so fast, that you with the paddle down won't be able to put the ball in the right place even with your power. And you think the opponents won't know what to do with your power? Wrong again. All they need is to simply have their raised paddle at the ready and "pop" it's back at your side in a split second. 
6. Keep the ball in play: Mark Friedenburg says in his book (The official Pickleball handbook) that 75% of all shots are won on errors. Be patient and just get the ball back. This is the key to all strategies in competitive pickleball. We can think of all the shots in our reptoire, and we often get mad at ourselves that we didn't do that particular shot. when the opportunity allows itself then go for that shot, preferably down the middle at the opponents feet. Let your opponent make the mistakes.
   
   
   

Pickleball Strategy: Preparedness

Attached is a pickleball article from a site called RetrofitPilates: entitled pickleball fitness. There is concern about how many injuries pickleball causes. This should not be the case, so I decided to address this issue with a few training tips and some words of wisdom.

• Improve your mobility by jogging both forward and backward.
• Without using your hands to pull yourself up or down rise from a chair and sit down in a controlled motion.
• Loosen your torso by twisting from forehand to backhand in cross punches.
• Before you play stretch your chest muscles on both sides by holding onto a pole while turning away from it (photo 1).
• Hold onto the net while rounding and flattening your back (photos 2 and 3).
• From a sitting position extend one leg straight in front of you and lean forward to stretch hamstrings.
• Stretch hip and calf muscles by doing a runner’s stretch (photo 4).

Beginning a new sport requires an honest evaluation of your fitness level. If you have been a couch tomato or potato for some time, you really need to begin playing pickleball slowly and non-competitively until you can do my exercises easily. Do them every day and start a walking program, increasing your distance or time each week. It’s no fun being injured. Pickleball is way too much fun to not be able to play.

RetrofitPilates July 2012

The "OTHER" awards from Canadian nationals 2012

So it was just over a week ago that pickleballers from all over North America descended on the city in the country of Abbotsford, for the first ever Canadian Nationals 2012. Sure there were lots of awards for best mens, ladies, mixed doubles, and even singles play, and I applaud everyone of the winners, and even those that just participated in this grand event. But what were some of the other highlights, or awards of mention that didn't get a medal from that weekend?
 I was there, and this is my list of deserving people(s). 

**Best diving/roll shot return in a singles game: Chris Miller's return shot to Billy Jacobsen in the Gold medal game of Men's open singles. Chris dove to the outer edge of the baseline corner for a shot (looked like a hard crash), hit the ball in the midst of a roll, rolled onto his feet for a speed shot to the kitchen, and then a smash to the opposite corner! Chris would take that hard fought point, but would end up losing the game and gold medal to Billy Jacobsen.
**Best team community: The pickleball club from Nanaimo all wore matching red athletic shirts, and would make it a habit to support each other as cheerleaders. It seemed that there were always a minimum 5 Nanaimo cheerleaders supporting their fellow harbour city picklers.
**Most camera clicks/minute: Ed Burke, cameraman for Pickleball Canada, who reportedly filled 2 16G memory cards in an afternoon.
**Best community winners: I've got to hand it to the pickleballers from Kelowna and the Okanogan. They are always strong, and very formidable opponents. Talking with some Okanogan picklers who said they play almost daily outside, and regularly clinic each other so as to improve their skiils.
**Biggest OOPS moment: Abbotsford mayor Bruce Banman, who credited Canada as the birthplace of Pickleball.
**Best scorekeeping with a marker: Pickleball Canada past president Bill Canning. Nothing got between Bill with his black marker, and the scoreboard. Thanks Bill.
**Lost track of time award: Linda Evans, who didn't show up for her assigned ladies doubles time slot. Overheard as she entered, "I was admiring the yummy raspberries and strawberries Abbotsford is famous for. She later went on to win.............the 50/50 pot$$.
**Furthest Canadian participants: Ontario
**Furthest American participants:Texas
**Hours of behind the scene award: Dave & Shirley Shepherd (tournament directors) They helped facilitate a pretty respectable high class pickleball tournament, and were tirelessy working early in the morning and late at night in the months, weeks, days, even hours before the tournament.

Pickleball Canada Sling bags available

I have some great Pickleball Canada sling bags available. These sharp looking bags will hold 2 or paddles, a couple of balls, and a waterbottle. There is even a zippered pocket up front to hold your car keys, or ID. And the added bonus you can show off to people the sport you love with the colourful, eye-catching graphics of Pickleball Canada. Partial proceeds go directly to Pickleball Canada to help establish more tournaments, clinics, and new clubs. Order yours today from us for $20/each.

Under 55 pickleball tournaments needed in Canada

After just wrapping up the Canadian Pickleball nationals in Abbotsford this past weekend, I am appealing to pickleball clubs across Canada that have pickleball tournaments, or are thinking of having a pickleball tournament. There are always countless pickleball tournaments that are open to the over 55 crowd, which I think is great, as it allows some great competition and exercise to take place for this age group. Also this age group (if they are snowbirds) play pickleball non-stop throughout the warm winters that they are down south. And I personally love playing against and with these wonderful folks, most of who would give any under 55 crowd a real pickleball game anyday. But getting back to us younger pickleball folks, who love the game, more than just an exercise event 1 or 2 days a week, but truly want to see the sport grow, and maybe take some of the stigma off how people see our sport. Pickleball is a game for all, which offers exercise, competition for all ages (Except age appropriate tournaments.) This year in BC I, as an under 55 pickleball player, I have the opportunity to attend 3 IFP regulated pickleball tournaments in 4 months (Kelowna, Abbotsford, & Nanaimo.)  For me can it be a sport, or with that few tournaments is it a hobby. Maybe it's just that those 3 cities are the only pickleball groups that have groups of younger pickleball players? My 10 & 12 year old sons wants to enter a pickleball tournament, and they are both pretty good, but there is barely any time slots available even at lower mainland rec centers for his age, let alone under 55 age.  I love pickleball, and I want to see Pickleball in Canada reach it's full potential, and I want pickleball in Canada to have a future. Who can help?

1st Ever Canadian pickleball nationals

If you are a Canadian (or American) pickleball fanatic, then being in Abbotsford, BC, Canada last weekend, July 7, 8, 2012 was THE place to be. The first ever canadian pickleball nationals drew 180 participants from all over North America. It was neat to talk with players from California, Arizona, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Washington, and many others. There were some that had played in countless tournaments, and others who were entering with virgin experience, but in the end everyone enjoyed the experience. American Pickleball champions: Billy & Darcie Jacobsen, Chris Miller, and Jennifer Lucore displayed their pickleball prowess winning many golds. Asked why they would come up to Abbotsford, and they replied, "This is the first ever Canadian nationals for pickleball, and British Columbia is a growing hotbed for pickleball." 2012 Pickleball Canada National Open Championship on July 7 -8, 2012:  Here is the list of winners (highlighting our Abbotsford/Chilliwack winners)

20  Events     GOLD                SILVER              BRONZE

OPEN Singles Mens Billy Jacobsen (Seattle,WA) Chris Miller (WA) Brian Lam (Coquitlam, BC)

OPEN Singles Womens Jennifer Lucore (San Deigo,CA) Darcie Jacobsen (Seattle, WA)

OPEN Doubles Mixed Zhekhovskaya/Zhekhovsky (Surrey,BC) Caldwell/Orcutt (Surrey,BC) Iggulden/Iggulden (Surrey,BC)

OPEN Doubles Mens Jacobsen/Miller (Seattle, WA) Skinner/Zhekhovskiy (Surrey,BC) Power/Wagner (Kelowna,BC)

OPEN Doubles Womens Lucore/Jacobsen (Seattle,WA, California) Lerner/Zhekhovskaya (Surrey,BC) Orcutt/lehman (Surrey, Nanaimo,BC)

Under 55 Doubles Mixed Schwarz/Schwarz (Kelowna ,BC) Lam/Postler (Coquitlam,BC/Kelowna)Fosbery/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC)

Under 55 Doubles Mens Schwarz/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC) Power/Wagner (Kelowna,BC) Gene Latray/Ken Franz (Abbotsford, BC)

Under 55 Doubles Womens Schwarz/Fosbery (Kelowna,BC) Iggulden/Coss (Surrey,BC) Saunders/Power (Kelowna, BC)

55+ Doubles Mixed, NicholsBourne (Vernon, BC) Jmaeff/Jmaeff (Kelowna,BC) Stern/Savoy (Nanaimo, BC)

55+ Doubles Mens, Ellis/Iggulden (Surrey, BC) Evans/Priebe (Regina,SK/Surrey,BC)McWilliam/Morgan (Kelowna,BC)

55+ Doubles Womens, Postler/Edwards (Surrey, BC) Jackson/Jmaeff (Kamloops/Kelowna,BC) Debbie Holley/Claire Pool (Abbotsford, BC)

60+ Doubles Mixed, Kusch/Lerner (Surrey, BC) Saunders/Saunders (Kelowna,BC) Gillis/Mah (Surrey, BC)

60+ Doubles Mens, Kusch/Touchet (Surrey, BC) Bourne/Banns (Surrey, BC) Matt Khan/Henry Meerkerk (Abbotsford, BC)

60+ Doubles Womens, Kathy Parkes/Judy Van Aert(Chilliwack,BC/Langley,BC) Crawford/Peusepp (Kelowna, BC) Roper/Kusch (California, USA/Surrey, BC)

65+ Doubles Mixed, Hill/Oehlenschlaeger (Nanaimo,BC) Darvill/Griffiths 
(Ladner,BC/Chilliwack,BC) Jetalina/Jetalina (Surrey, BC)

65+ Doubles Mens, Darvill/Meltsner (Ladner, BC/Blaine,WA) Ross/Saunders (Surrey,BC/Kelowna,BC) Hill/Parkes (Surrey,BC/Chilliwack, BC)

65+ Doubles Womens, Hill/Jetelina (Surrey, BC) Booth/Brown (Kelowna, BC) Mandy Witt/Gerry Logan (Abbotsford, BC)

70+ Doubles Mixed, Kennedy/Loskot (Surrey,BC/CA) Haworth/Hill (Chilliwack,BC/AZ) Orlosvky/Orlovsky (North Vancouver, BC)

70+ Doubles Mens, Jetelina/Kennedy (Surrey,BC) Mezei/Metivier (Surrey, BC) Ed Burke/Jerry Rudolph (Kelowna,BC/ (Abbotsford, BC)

70+ Doubles Womens Haworth/Loskot (Chilliwack/BC/Surrey,BC) Stockman/Griffiths (Lynden,WA,Chilliwack,BC)Penink/Thompson (Kelowna, BC)