ATLANTIC SOUTH PICKLEBALL
MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
February 15, 2013
The Atlantic South Region (ASR) E-Newsletter is distributed on the 15th of each month to all ASR Ambassadors. This newsletter is intended to keep all of you apprised of what is happening in your region and to consolidate our news into a once/monthly communication. Please forward this information to all USAPA members, all pickleball players/clubs in your regions and post to your local pickleball Blogs or Websites
The Atlantic South Region hosted their very first Regional Tournament, Feb. 1-3, at the East Naples Community Park in beautiful Naples, Fl. Sixteen lighted courts were filled with some thrilling competition for three days. Tournament directors, Nancy Meyer and Cindy Eddleman spent months in preparation for this significant milestone for our Region, and they should be commended for giving us an absolutely outstanding tournament.
Special thanks to our Gold Sponsor, Pickleball, Inc. represented by Greg Gott from Seattle, WA. Who took the time to attend the tournament. Special thanks to our Silver Sponsors, Teksoft Ventures, Quality Inn and Suites, and Pickleball Specialties. Special thanks to our Bronze Sponsors, Ashworth Awards, Associates in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, and Whole Foods. Thanks also to our Friends of Pickleball: BB&T, Tanglewood Pickleball Club, City of Aiken, SC, Daytona Shores Pickleball Club, Lee County Insurance Agency, SType Sports, Camping World, and Mt. Olive Pickle Company.
Another very special thanks to all the volunteers and those who tirelessly refereed for three days, allowing us to meet the sanctioning requirements.
Nearly 250 players from 21 States across the country took to the courts for a double elimination competition in doubles, mixed doubles and singles play. We were recently notified by the USAPA that our tournament qualified for Tier 3, so points will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners based on Tier 3 instead of Tier 4.
The tournament was open to players 19 and older. Regional Directors and local ambassadors from across the country came with their players to represent their locations. We also welcomed the two-time National Pickleball Champion, Jennifer Lucore from California. She partnered with National Champion Phil Bagley from Florida in the mixed doubles making the 19 and over competition exceptionally exciting.
Complete information on the tournament is available on our Atlantic South Website and includes information or links for tournament and player social, tournament results, awards, sponsors/donations, tournament photo gallery and more…………CLICK HERE
WELCOME NEW AMBASSADORS
In Florida…..
Irene Boulgakova joins us from Florida, representing the historic city of St. Augustine, FL. I was born and raised in USSR. Growing up I played tennis and after finishing College went to San Francisco as an exchange student. It was there that I met my husband. Three years ago we visited St. Augustine, FL as tourists and absolutely fell in love with historic downtown, the great beaches and the nice people. We decided to relocate from San Francisco. Our e-commerce business allowed us to make the move in a short period of time.
I discovered pickleball on-line, just a few months ago and was intrigued with the game right away. I purchased paddles and balls and a net and began playing with my tennis friends on the tennis courts.
Plans are to promote the game first in their own community with the help of their social club and to introduce the game to some of the ocean communities and/or tennis centers. Irene hopes also hopes to build a pickleball website for her area. She has lots of help with nearby Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra ambassadors eager to have some new competition in the area, and ready to help her with demos or clinics. Says Irene: I truly believe that many people will enjoy pickleball in the Nation’s Oldest City.
Rayon and Doreen (Reenie) Gilbert are our new Joint Ambassadors for Gulf Breeze/Pensacola, FL. They both took up the game while living in Hot Springs Village, AR in 2009. Pickleball grew on both of them, as it did in the Hot Springs community. Hot Springs Village now has a thriving attendance of over 60 players, and it is growing by leaps and bounds. Raybon and Reenie are both retired from the Financial Services industry where they were both brokers for several large investment companies and soon after, took up careers in banking as well. Raybon is originally from Las Cruces, NM and Reenie hails from Chicago, IL.
Regarding Pickleball, they have competed in numerous venues to include tournaments in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, and Arkansas. After moving to Florida in 2011, Raybon
was disappointed to learn that no one was playing pickle ball in the area, so they let the game go. After a year of withdrawal symptoms, he and Reenie decided to volunteer to get the game going in Gulf Breeze and assist those wanting to play in Pensacola to make it happen. Nearby Destin, FL has established the game, so Raybon and Reenie’s goal will be to grow Pickleball in Gulf Breeze/Pensacola Area to get folks enjoying the game. From there, they will plan for good spirited competition with neighboring cities along the coast and various USPA sanctioned events. What a fun time to be involved with the USPA and Atlantic South Region.
Bob Musella joins our ambassador family from Boynton Beach, FL: After graduating St. John's University in 1970, Bob worked as a recreational therapist for New York State Department of Mental Hygiene. Since then coaching and playing various sports has been an integral part of his life. He was a T-ball coach, a girls' softball coach and a recreation director for a private elementary school in Taos NM. His work experience was diverse, but all had teaching his peers as an integral component. He loves to learn and he loves to teach and he loves to play games
During the summer of 2012, while in Taos NM, Bob was introduced to what is now his favorite passion… Pickleball. Here in Florida Bob plays as an original member of the group that ambassador Josh Kalin of Delray Beach put together, where week after week more and more folks show up to play. Bob lives in Boynton Beach, a city of 65,000 with 31 city parks, six with tennis courts, 10 with basketball courts, 1 gymnasium and a full on Tennis Center. If he can show a need, the city will be interested. Delray Beach has 4 pickleball courts; and he’s sure that Boynton will follow. The YMCA in Boynton Beach has already been approached and is considering blocking out three mornings a week for pickleball. So the seeds are there, they only need some cultivation. Also west of Boynton are dozens of retirement communities which have inquired about setting up demonstrations.
Bob spends six months in Boynton Beach in the winter, and then summers in Taos NM where he will also serve as a USAPA ambassador.
In North Carolina….
Joe Vartanesian – Please welcome Joe Vartanesian recently appointed as our ambassador to Wake Forest, NC. Joe is now retired after 30 years in corporate America, (IBM). He’s been the General Manager of a professional soccer team, and is active in Wake Forest with various organizations, including pickleball, where
about 30 players already enjoy the game.
Joe is also the Chairman of the Board of Governors at a multi-million dollar condo complex and is very active in mission work at his church. He now has his 3 year membership with USAPA has purchased a portable net and is ready to start promoting
pickleball even more in the Wake Forest area.
Pickleball will soon be featured in the local newspaper, and later this month Joe is scheduled to meet with the Parks and Recreation Department folks to sell them on the idea of expanding pickleball to seniors in the community. Discussions have commenced on a low scale with the local high school about offering this to the youth in the area and he’s already got sponsorship from a local therapy organization and his group continues to grow and expose our game to the local communities.
Jim Wilson joins our Atlantic South Ambassador family from North Carolina. I am excited to be the ambassador for the Chapel Hill/ Pittsboro NC area, as there's no pickleball around here. So, there is nowhere to go but up.
I am 71 years old and just celebrated my 49th wedding anniversary with my sweetheart, Lee. I am a gym rat who took up pickleball when I got fed up with my deteriorating golf game.
I have played the game for 3 years after retiring from careers in retail and business consulting. I am an enthusiastic, energetic guy and an ardent promoter of the game. I play doubles and singles at a pretty high level, I am told, but see lots of room for improvement.
I've been playing in Cary, NC 2-3 times a week (a 90 minute round trip) with a great group of people. Mike Walsh, Luis Vasquez, and Joe Borelli are the ambassadors in that area and have done a super job. There are now over 150 players on the email list. Mike got it started- from scratch. I will elicit their support and follow their model to secure locations and grow the game in my area.
2012 PIONEER AWARD
(Presentation at the Atlantic South Regional Tournament Social by Regional Director, Donna Donald)
The Pioneer Award was introduced by USAPA to recognize exceptional performance over a period of time on the part of our ambassadors. What a better time and place to introduce our 2012 Atlantic South Region recipient than here at our very first Regional Pickleball event.
We are recognizing the outstanding and tireless dedication, commitment and personal leadership of two individuals who support and promote our great game of pickleball to people of all ages, not only in their own area but across the state and beyond……………….
We are so glad they joined our pickleball family! They were introduced to pickleball in 2005, became USAPA members and ambassadors for N. Ft Myers, FL back in July of 2008. Since that time they have been absolutely unstoppable. They have expanded pickleball significantly in SW Florida with beginner and intermediate clinics at both private communities and public venues.
These two ladies also introduced USAPA Sanctioned Skill Level tournaments to our Region, the first one held at the Riverbend RV Resort in Labelle, FL in December of 2011…………… and two more will take place this year, one in Naples and one at the Skatium in Ft. Myers. They were tournament directors for the Battle of Franklin in Franklin, TN and most recently for the Atlantic South Regional tournament here in Naples.
They also introduced pickleball to Corporate America. In December of 2011, they introduced pickleball to the IT Department of Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy as part of the Employee Team Building Program.
Nancy Meyer and Cindy Eddleman, were both presented with a Pioneer Award Plaque, and will receive a USAPA T-Shirt with the new logo, and a 3-year free USAPA Membership renewal, with our thanks and appreciation, as the recipients of the 2012 Atlantic South Region Pioneer Award.
CLICK HERE to read the full presentation…………
RECENTLY IN THE ATLANTIC SOUTH NEWS…..
2013 Geezer Meister Tournament: This very popular annual tournament took place from January 17-19, 2013 on the beautiful pickleball courts at the Del Webb Spruce Creek Community in Summerfield, FL. Some of the very best players from across the state and beyond, participated in this USAPA Sanctioned Tier 3 event. That made for some great fun and some outstanding competition.
Congratulations to the tournament directors for another great pickleball event.
Jim Claycomb of Spruce Creek
shared the following: We had 203 players this year--a new record. A little rain and wind pushed us to the third day. Even with 12 courts used for match play, and 3 portable nets for warm up on the tennis courts, we still played well into the evenings. Thanks to all the volunteers that made this tournament a huge success!
Tournament results can be found on the USAPA Tournament results page or you can CLICK HERE for pictures and names of all winners. CLICK HERE for more action shots.
FT. Myers Pickleball Expo: The Harbor Lakes RV Resort in Port Charlotte, FL was host the 2013 Pickleball Expo on Wednesday, February 6th. Players from the Peace River RV Preserve in Wauchula and the Pioneer Village in North Ft. Myers joined the players from Harbor Lakes for a day of fun, food and great pickleball. Special thanks to Harbor Lakes Manager Kim Harper and the hardworking residents under the leadership of Marty Keinhofer for a well-organized event in both men’s and ladies’ doubles competition.
But it was the Peace River Preserve that sent the largest entourage of players and who went home with 5 of the 6 awards. No matter – it was so much fun – that everyone went home feeling like a winner – even the spectators!
Another Equity Life Styles (ELS) Expo will take place in March and the pickleball courts at the Bay Indies community in Venice, FL will be the host of the pickleball competition on March 6th. CLICK HERE for more photos and tournament winners!
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USAPA GRANTS AT WORK IN FLORIDA
January 22, 2013
On behalf of The Corkscrew Picklers THANK YOU to USAPA for the generous grant of $250.00.
Corkscrew Picklers,
C/O Jane A Niehaus, President, Estero, FL
UPCOMMING TOURNAMENTS AND EVENTS
Additional information and all links to registration forms are available in the Upcoming Tournaments/Clinics/Events section on our Atlantic South Website: www.south.usapa.org
• Pickleball Demo/Clinic, February 13, 2013, Tamarac, FL
• Delray Beach Senior Games, February 14, 2013, Delray Beach, FL
- City of Ft. Myers Skatium Classic – February 15, 16, 17, 2013, Ft. Myers, FL Skill Level Tournament open to ages 16 and up. (Tier 4)
• Gulf Coast (Manatee County) Senior Games, February 19-20 2013, Englewood, FL.
• Lee County Senior Games, February 22-24, 2013, Ft. Myers, FL
• Doubles Tournament, Marcus Jewish Community Center/Atlanta, Dunwoody, GA, March 3, 2013
• Polk County Senior Games, March 5-6, 2013, Poinciana, FL, REGISTRATION DEADLINE, FEBRUARY 6, 2013
• Fifth Annual Cypress Cove Pickleball Tournament, March 8, 2013, Kissimmee, FL
• Capital City Senior Games, March 15-16, 2013, Tallahassee, FL
- Charlotte County Senior Games, March 15-17, 2013, Punta Gorda, FL, USAPA Sanctioned (Tier 4)
• Heartland Senior Games, March 15-16, 2013, Sebring, FL
• 2012 Good Life/Pinellas Senior Games, March 19-20, 2013, Seminole, FL (Singles – Clearwater – April 6th)
• 3rd Annual Riverbend Resort Classic, March 23-24, 2013, Labelle, FL – Skill Level Tournament open to ages 16 and up.
• Gardens Senior Games, March 27, 2013, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• 2nd Annual Englewood Pickleball Tournament, March 29, 2013, Englewood, FL
- East Naples Skill Level Tournament, April 5-7, 2013, Naples, FL
• Pura Vida Pickleball Adventure, May 2-9, 2013, Westin Playa Concha, Costa Rica. (Registration is Full – Closed)
- Mid-South Regional Tournament, May 30 – June 2, 2013. Mandeville, La
- National Senior Games Association (NSGA) Pickleball Tournament, July 21 – August 5, 2013, Cleveland, OH
Do you have a tournament/round robin or social event that should be listed here?
REPORTING IN FROM ACROSS THE REGION
FLORIDA
Alan Butler, Clearwater, FL: At the Long Center in Clearwater, FL, in addition to our regular open play time, we have established two three hour sessions per week that we call "Pickleball Leagues" or "Mini Tournaments". We have League play every Monday and Wednesday. The League sessions start at 11:30 am and end at about 2:30 pm. The Leagues are designed for players who desire a more competitive level of competition during the week, without spending long wait times between matches, or having to spend an entire day as in a conventional tournament.
We have both Advanced Leagues and Intermediate Leagues for players to choose from, depending on the player's skill level. One does not need a partner to play in our Leagues. We use what is called the "Wiseman Mixer" format, which consists of seeded round robin groups, in which each player partners with each of the other players in his group once, and opposes each of the other players twice. In league play, there is very little wait time between matches. A player will be actively playing about 80-90% of the time in a typical 3 hour League session.
There is no long term commitment to join our Leagues. You may sign up for one session at a time, or we have what is called a "League Pass" for those players who will be playing in a given League on a regular basis. Players with the League Pass are always guaranteed a spot in every League session. We now have about 20 active League players, from ten different cities in the greater Tampa Bay area. The Leagues have been in existence for about nine months. We are in the process of reaching out to new players so that we can increase attendance. We now have six indoor courts which will enable us to expand the number of players participating in the Leagues to 23 players per session, and still keep the playing time within the 80-90% range.
The Long Center also offers regular clinics and coaching sessions. Visit our website at: www.Pickleball-Leagues.weebly.com for additional information and contact information for Alan Butler(league play) and Bob Cicetti (clinics and coaching) can also be found on the website.
Josh Kalin, Delray Beach, FL Our very first public pickleball demo/clinic for Palm Beach County was held in January at the Patch Reef Park Tennis Center in Boca Raton, FL. WOW, was it well attended. Someone counted over 200 curious people. We counted 188. Whose arithmetic is better?? Either way it was a huge success for our Delray Beach pickleball group.
We demonstrated the game and people started emerging from their seats, lining up in three lines ready to see what this Funny Name.... Great Game.....Pickleball is all about. They all had fun trying to hit the ball and serve. As a result of the demonstration, several people are now converted players and playing with us. The picture shows the fans watching the demo/clinic. Start counting - they are all engrossed!
My wife, Harriet and I have worked hard to introduce pickleball here in Palm Beach county, and have had great success, thanks in part to the fantastic pickleball article in the local sun Sentinel newspaper, published the day before our demo, that sparked the interest of people who never played before as well as those who play up north.
Pickleball continues to expand along the south east Florida coast. Since January USAPA ambassadors from Dade/Broward County - Mitchell Ball, and Boynton Beach, Bob Musella, have joined me and fellow Palm Beach County ambassador Dick Freshly in introducing new places to play this great game along Florida's southeast coast. 
Mitchell Ball – Dade/Broward County, FL - Mitch just joined our ambassador family in January and he has been on fire in southeast Florida. He set up an on-line pickleball website/meet up and has attracted about 20 people to the game, has set up open play several days/week, added a new location to our places to play page, met with recreation officials and has been able to schedule a demo/clinic in Tamarac, FL this month, which hopefully will be one more venue for players.
Larry Neely, Land O’Lakes, FL: Linda Inslee of the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club contacted me and asked to have pickleball introduced to the residents of the Lake Jovita community in San Antonio, FL.
With the help of fellow ambassador, Don Bass of Wesley Chapel, FL, a Pickleball Start-Up took place on the community tennis courts on February 10th.
More than 25 people attended! Seemed to me to be very successful.
Rich and Donna Donald, Florida Heartland: On Saturday February 9th, we hosted a Pickleball Skills/Techniques Clinic for the players at the Thousand Trails RV Preserve, along the Peace River in Wauchula, FL. Rich (pictured top left) provided almost two hours of instruction on everything from effective court positioning, proper ground stroke techniques, dinking, volleys to the ever important “third shot”
About 20 players came out to listen, observe and try…………….and they were still out on the court practicing when we left!
GEORGIA
Ann Earley, Canton, GA: Despite the morning temperature of 44 degrees, the North Georgia Pickleball players had three courts filled and a few folks sitting out. Everyone seemed to have a really good pickleball day! The sun was great and we had very little wind but by 1:30 when everyone left, the temperature was still only 47 degrees! A little later in the week, on Saturday the players were invited to bring their chili fixins’, desserts or drinks and join the chili “linner” (meal between lunch and dinner) after pickleball play. Who could pass up Ann’s Texas chili and Tom’s rosemary bread!
We are so proud of our North Georgia Pickleball Club members who drove down to Naples, FL to the Atlantic South Regional Pickleball Tournament and won several categories. Pictured, (front row) Lana Chadwick, Bill Hess, and Pat Dunn. Row two is Steve Dunn and Floyd Moody. Top row is Carole Hess. Not pictured, Renate Hess and Stephen Hess. Congratulations to Steve & Pat Dunn, winning silver in mixed doubles, Pat Dunn and Lana Chadwick winning silver in women’s doubles, Renate Hess, winning Bronze in the ladies doubles. and to Bill Hess &; Steve Dunn winning silver in men’s doubles.
North Carolina
Mike and Nancy Falkenstein, Franklin, NC: We continue our indoor play at our Armory with 3 courts for play. We have a regular group of 12-16 most days and the competition is fierce!
Three of our regulars competed in the Atlantic South Regional Tournament in Naples. Don and Judy Wirth won the Bronze in Men's Doubles and Women’s Doubles respectively. We are very proud of them! Don and Judy call Naples home and have started a group in Naples that is growing by leaps and bounds!
Paul Baillargeon traveled from Franklin, NC all the way to Naples where he played Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles. The tournament sponsors found him a Mixed Doubles partner and he played with Steve Hess from Deaton Creek, GA in Men’s Doubles. This was Paul's first tournament and he reports not only was it great experience, it was extremely well run and he'll go again!
And Don and Judy Wirth sent along some pictures of the two of them with Paul and Joyce Baillargeon, taken at the player social prior to the tournament, pictures of the medal winners and a group photo of the players from Fleischman Park in Naples. Judy reports: “I was a referee today since I wasn't playing. It was a lot of fun and the players were all so nice to me. Great experience.
While at the tournament she picked up some extra registration forms for the players back at the Park for the upcoming Skill Level tournament in Ft. Myers and sent ahead a note to the group: Cindy &; Nancy are the organizers. They did a fabulous job with the first USAPA Regional in Naples. We are so lucky to have this caliber tournament here in Naples. I expect we will continue to see more players joining us at Fleischman Park.
Rick Laskey, Jacksonville, NC: Mike Spencer, photographer for the Star News in Wilmington NC, stopped by the First Baptist Church Activity Center last Monday, January 28. The Activity Center has six indoor pickleball courts and open pickleball every Monday evening from 6-8pm. One of the his pictures appeared with a caption in the Area Calendar section of the paper on Tuesday, January 29.
This is one picture from that evening.
CLICK HERE to see all the pictures in the photo gallery at starnewsonline.com
A message from your editor: I know that last month I reported a change in the handling of the monthly newsletter and the website. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I will for the time being, continue to write and distribute this newsletter and continue with the website. As you can see from the write –up above Mitch is on a pickleball rampage in South Florida! My apologies for the confusion.
Thanks
Donna Donald
If you have ANY story, news or information from your area that you would like to share with our readers in our monthly newsletter or on our Website, please send it to Donna Donald at rddonald2@gmail.com
