Free pickleball instruction begins

Multi-tournament player Mark Clark explains to want to be tournament players the art of winning.

Jackie Armstrong explains the concept of dinking.

Art House encourages novice students at the opening of instruction.

Instructor Sandy Priebe (facing camera) discusses the tactics of pickleball.

Sue Borgstrom explains what appears to be a complicated scoring system, which really isn’t, except to beginners.

Scott Johnson, holding ball, says all you’ve got to do is watch the paddle make contact with the ball.

Tournament player Karen Bush talks about continually moving your feet.

Pancho Epstein

On October 10, pickleballs flew as six teachers met 29 novice players who participated in the opening 2014-2015 session of novice instruction at the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club. Free instruction is given from 12:50 to 2:30 p.m. every Friday; yes, every Friday.

Joining chief instructor Art House in aiding the new players were Jackie Armstrong, Sue Borgstrom, Karen Bush, Scott Johnson and Sandy Priebe.

Emphasis was placed on the underhand serve, the double bounce rule (the ball must bounce on each team’s court before it can be volleyed), the non-volley zone (the area seven feet on each side of the net in which a player cannot volley the ball), line calls, faults and scoring.

As part of the learning experience all participants were give a summary sheet of the rules of pickleball.

Hydration off the courts was also emphasized.

At the other end of the teaching spectrum, following the novice instruction on the 10th, multi-tournament winner Mark Clark explained to 15 want-to-be tournament players what was involved in playing in a tournament and the nuances of what it takes to win.

Then, after that session, it was the weekly TGIF drop-in social play, which begins at 4:00 p.m. It’s fun and competitive play and everyone brings snacks to share.

Daily there are diverse activities at the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club which boasts more than 800 members. And soon the pickleball complex will have a total of 20 courts. Twelve are presently under construction.

The free novice instruction and tournament instruction and TGIF are just some of the benefits of joining the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club. Additionally there are ladders, skill level competitions, an email system for keeping members informed of the latest information, website (on which you can reserve a court) and great socials including the concert held on October 26, which featured the rocking rollicking PebbleRock Band.

If you’re interested in checking out this sport and want to know where to get the equipment you might be interested in finding it somewhere like pickleball paddles amazon, or places online where you can find them. Want to find out more about joining the club? Contact club secretary Bob Oswald at 623-476-7553 or email [email protected].

Improve your life and lifestyle; play pickleball, America’s fastest growing family sport. v