Sunday, July 7, 2013....Pickleball Paddles....The Los Angeles Dodgers

Paso Robles Pickleball Club:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com

No Pickleball today.  We play again tomorrow.  Our summer schedule is a four day a week schedule: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday.  We are starting a little earlier (7:30 a.m.) to beat the late morning heat.  As mentioned in an earlier blog, we started Pickleball here on the Central Coast of California (in Paso Robles) on September 17, 2013.  Hats off to the only two players who showed up to that first class----Jerry LaFlame and Lori Stinchfield.  Since that day, we have had 128 different people come out to see what Pickleball was all about.  We average 15-20 players per day.  We have five courts.  Progress!!!!  We encourage travelers to pack their paddles and come by for a morning of exercise before they visit some of the 200+ wineries within 15 miles of Paso Robles.  What a great area to wine and pickle.

Today's rule coverage:  Questions are asked of me all the time as to what paddle to order.  We have many loaner paddles, and I encourage our players to try the different brands (and weights).  In general, paddles range in weight from 6.5 oz. to 10 oz.  Each person must find out what works for them.  The theory....the heavier the paddle, the more mass behind the "ball strike" and, therefore, the less work that needs to be done on the finish (follow through).  The heavier paddle may result in a little slower reaction time at the net during volleys.  Some players say yes, others say an ounce+ is not enough to make a difference.  You decide.  USAPA rules mandate that the combined length and width shall not exceed 24 inches.  Most paddles are approximately 8" wide by 15 3/4" long.  I will talk composition of paddles later.

Go Dodgers!!!!  The Central Coast of California (midway between L.A. and San Francisco) is decidedly Giant territory.  Don's see much Dodger gear up this way.  However, the Dodgers do have a dedicated fan in this Ambassador.  The days and evenings are nicer when the "Big Blue" wins.  Today was a nice day!