Club Pickleball Mixer Tournament

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Sounds great!!!! Happy Holidays and a Great New Year.

Our latest "rated, blind draw, differential" Club tournament seemed to be a success.  We tried a new format for the tournament which centered around giving each player a skill rating, doing a blind draw for teams and seedings, creating a point differential, and, adding in some Club rules like no overhead smashes and no lobbing.  Seemed to make the play a little more equitable....and, therefore, maybe a little more fun.  The point differential mentioned above refers to a system whereby a team with a rating of 7.0 (a 4.0 player paired with a 3.0 player = 7.0 rating), playing a team with a 5.0 rating (two 2.5 players) would start the game trailing 4-0 (differential is 2 X 2 = 4; we multiply the differential 7.0 - 5.0 = 2  by 2 = 4).   Highlights of this double elimination tournament included the newer, less aggressive team of Richard La Vine and Ellen Frost losing their first two matches, 11-9 and 11-4.  No fun losing, but decent parity.  We also saw the team of Robert Belmonte and Nevin Linthacum go undefeated in the tournament.  Each match was one game played to 11 points (except for the finals....15 point match).  They won their preliminary rounds 11-4, 11-0, 11-9.  In the finals, they beat the team of Alan Belmonte and Steve Sidwell 15-12.  Third place winners Tony Domingos and Carol Linthacum lost in the first round 8-11, and then won in the loser's bracket 11-8, 11-8, before losing to Alan Belmonte and Steve Sidwell 10-12.

Thank you to the following players for participating:  Brett Noel, Bill Joyce, Pete Gomez, Janice Van Bever, Robert Belmonte, Nevin Linthacum, Kathi Stanley, Janet Van Boxtel, Alan Belmonte, Steve Sidwell, Scott Ellis, Kelly Forrestal, Ellen Frost, Richard La Vine, Tony Domingos, Carol Linthacum, Dick Solis and Rob Martin.

L-R:  1st Place - Nevin Linthacum and Robert Belmonte; 2nd - Alan Belmonte and Steve Sidwell

Playing Pickleball With Santa

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Happy Holidays and Safe Travels.

Santa visited our Club this morning, joining 24 Pickleballers having fun at Centennial Park here in Paso Robles.  Tomorrow, Christmas Eve morning, we will play at 8:30 AM.  Join us.  You will still have time to do some last minute errands.....after PB.

If we do not see you, have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

Looking Merry and Bright

Santa Picklin.  Doesn't Pete look good in Dodger blue!!!!

Merry Christmas From The Paso Robles Pickleball Club

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Nice way to spend the Holidays....Merry Christmas.

Enjoying our 15th month of Pickleball......Best Wishes For A Great Holiday Season

Club Pickleball Tournament

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Doesn't get much better!!!!

25 players today as we had a for-fun-blind-draw-single-elimination-tournament.  Prior to the start of the tournament, the "everyone up" call when out to the participating players asking them to gather round so we could explain the format, rules, etc.  Ever called out to a group of mature players (O.K., senior players) asking them to "gather up?" 10 minutes later.....

I digress.  This was actually a seeded, blind draw tournament, pairing some of our more experienced players with a less experienced partner.  We wanted the tourney to only go for the first hour of the two-hour class.  Thusly, the single elimination format.  Coming away with top honors was the team of Shelly Hanna-Tom Comar,  defeating Pete Gomez-Kelly Forrestall 11-8.  Third place went to Tony Domingos-Ed Rodriguez, who were victorious over Scott Ellis and Ellen Frost, 11-6.

A big thank you to the other participants in this tournament:  Kathy Stanley, Reggie Haggatt, Sue-Lin Bracken, Letty French, Steve Sidwell, Richard LeVine, Dick Solis, Cathy Brady, Don Odle, Janice Van Bever, Dick Beiden, Nancy Mello, Doug Bates, Keith Haynes, Cal French, Bob McLaughlin.

L-R: Pete Gomez, Kelly Forrestall, Shelly Hanna, Tom Comar, Ed Rodriguez, Tony Domingos

Christmas Pickleball

                                                          Did Santa Win Or Lose?

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Sounds great!!!!

Not Christmas yet, but today had all of us feeling like the festivities have started.  Our courts are located adjacent to Lewis Middle School here in Paso Robles.  The school P.E. instructors had their classes out doing fitness assessment workouts.  Not so uncommon.  What was particularly nice about their workout was the music---Christmas.  Two very large speakers and an instructor who may work nights as a D.J. combined to give us two straight hours of Christmas songs courtesy of Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, Brenda Lee (you know...."Rockin Around The Christmas Tree"), Elvis, The Carpenters, Bobby Helms (bet you can't name his most famous Christmas song), Bing, etc.  Could have used Chris Rea ("Driving Home For Christmas"....if you haven't heard it get on iTunes and listen), Mannheim Steamroller and Manhattan Transfer.  It was a perfect day to play.

On a Pickleball related subject, I'm compelled to write about positioning----once again....yawn!.  We encourage players to get to the NVZ line as soon as possible.  What is important to understand is that "as soon as possible" means when you or your partner hits a shot---dink or lob---that allows you to get to the 7' line.  You can't rush the net on a poor shot that hangs up for your opponent to BANG DOWN on, because you have very little reaction time as a result of being too close.  Work your way to the net based on your return shot.  Good return---soft and at their feet---get to that line.  Poor return---in their "hitting down" zone....stay deeper for more reaction time and try---again---for the soft shot that allows you to advance.  Yes, we want to get to the 7' line, but only if your shots allows you to do so.

Back to the Christmas music.  Very festive and relaxing.  Makes you wonder why you don't have your iPod strapped to your arm?  Better check the IFP rules on that one!!!!

Happy Holidays......

Central Coast Pickleball

Excellent Badminton Player Now Playing Pickleball

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Sounds great!!!!

23 players today....again, we only have five courts, so we were full, but the wait is never long.  Many reading this blog will not think 23 is a large number.  We were true Central Coast Pickleballers today, as we had players from Cambria, Atascadero, Heritage Ranch (Lake Nacimiento) and, of course, Paso Robles.  Great play today on a beautiful, but cool, Saturday morning.  30+ degree weather is not deterring us.  We start at 9:00 a.m. and by 9:30 we don't even notice the temperature.  By 10:00 we were up to a warm 45 degrees....but remember, we don't even notice the temp!  Our numbers continue to grow, as we have had five new players this week.  Our numbers are up to 60+ players on our active list and 350 players who have visited in 2013.....this includes players from 10 different states and 20 different cities in California.  Paso Robles truly is a destination for travelers, many choosing to pack their Pickleball paddles when they venture this way.  Lucky for us!!!!

Pickleball Ambassadors

Our Paso Robles Pickleball Club Website:  www.pickleballpasorobles.shutterfly.com  Join us for Pickleball anytime you are visiting the Central Coast of California.  Paso Robles was recently named the 2013 "Wine Region Of The Year" by Wine Enthusiast Magazine.  Pickleball and wine tasting.  Sounds great!!!!

19 degrees this 8:00 a.m., but it did not deter 16 hardy, (or is it hearty?) and, I might add, extra layered PB players who were looking for a little fun and exercise, despite Mother Nature's attempt to discourage play.  By 9:00 a.m. it had warmed up to a comfortable 29 degrees.  Yes, we are playing outside, as access to our Centennial Park gymnasium is not a possibility at this time.  We might be one of the few places in the country playing outside in sub 30 degree weather.  We love the game!

St. George, Utah Ambassador Don Odle is here visiting family, and he has come to play with us on a couple of occasions, including today.  Don is very all known in Utah and across the country for his contributions to Pickleball.  He is responsible for introducing the game to the Huntsman World Senior  Games in St. George.  He is also an excellent player.  We are fortunate to have him visit and play with us.

I haven't asked lately "how the ball is coming off your paddle?"  Hopefully, with good placement and patience.

St. George Ambassador Don Odle with Central Coast Ambassador Jack Hodges