NEWS
For the latest news, announcements, and tournament results about pickleball at IronOaks, please check the SLPCIO bulletin boards at the IronOaks Fitness Center, read the articles in the Sun Lakes Splash, and watch your email.
June 24, 2015
Pickleball Fundamentals Book Available
Dianne Zimmerman, Author Mary Littlewood and David Zapatka
Pickleball contagion is running deep across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia. Numbers of courts and tournaments are doubling. Players are all ages and coming from all walks of life for the exercise, fun, friendship and competition. Sun Lakes now has three pickleball clubs with over 500 members.
Pickleball Fundamentals by Mary Littlewood is the first book written and endorsed by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA). This book teaches the basics of the sport so effectively anyone can join the fun on the court right away. According to USAPA executive director Justin Maloof, “by combining key elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, pickleball has become one of the fastest growing sports around. Pickleball Fundamentals will help you serve, volley, dink, lob and smash your way through a successful game.”
Mary is well known to many Sun Lakes and Arizona residents. Mary was the head softball coach and head volleyball coach at Arizona State University. In retirement she began playing pickleball competing in the Arizona Senior Olympics and Huntsman World Senior Games earning numerous gold, silver and bronze medals. Mary was instrumental in the creation and promotion of pickleball clubs in Show Low, Sun Lakes and Ahwatukee. She wrote The History of Women’s Fastpitch Softball: The Path to the Gold, Teaching for Success in Pickleball, Drilling for Success in Pickleball and Pickleball: A Guide for Teaching. She also published From Rags to Riches, a memoir of her experiences at ASU from the pre- to post-Title IX years.
When Mary needed high-level, experienced pickleball players to model the shots and strategies taught in the book, she called on Gigi LeMaster (multiple national open
champion), Jaimi Foster (multiple national junior champion) and Sun Lakes’ very own top female and male players, Dianne Zimmerman and David Zapatka. Following 1 ½ years of work on the book and several modeling sessions, the book was delivered to USAPA for distribution last month.
“I was honored to be asked to model for this project. It was a fun and exciting experience. I'm so proud of Mary and the entire team for completing such a wonderful book. Mary's knowledge makes this an outstanding tutorial for players of all ages to improve their skills and strategies. This book is an important part of advancing this great sport,” commented Dianne Zimmerman.
“I have known Mary Littlewood for many years. Everything about her is first class and her dedication to teaching others is alive in this excellent book. The basics are sound and the illustrations are clear. I recommend every Sun Lakes individual interested in pickleball purchase a copy of this book for themselves and their friends. It will quickly become the standard in the sport,” said David Zapatka.
Special Sun Lakes residents pricing for Mary Littlewood's new Pickleball Fundamentals book is $18 each for 1-2 books purchased and $17 each for 3 or more purchased. Please contact Dianne Zimmerman at 480-883-9266 or David Zapatka at 480-802-0954 for book purchases.
Pickleball Fundamentals is also available at www.Amazon.com and www.ebay.com.
April 5, 2015
Volunteers Needed
Together with Bev Krueger, David Novikoff and Pete Macksam, Greg Mather and Dave Zapatka had a vision of building a pickleball club that would provide fun opportunities for pickleball players of all skill levels when we recognized the void and pressing need to promote pickleball, provide lessons, clinics, mixers, leagues, tournaments and events in IronOaks two years ago. After two years, it is time for the administration of the club to evolve. There will be opportunities for new volunteers to bring fresh ideas and energy to promote the SLPCIO and manage the club’s activities and events. Greg has moved on to Ahwatukee as his home club, yet out of his dedication and loyalty to us, he has continued to take a major role in our mixers, leagues and tournaments. Dave Z is now a member of two other clubs, yet has continued to take a major role in our mixers, leagues and tournaments as well as our publicity director and HOA liaison. David Novikoff will be retiring from the executive committee and from his task as the SLPCIO webmaster. We will be needing someone with the requisite computer skills to assume this responsibility. Pete Macksam is our club treasurer and Bev Krueger is our membership chair. Both Greg and Dave Z are willing to continue to serve the SLPCIO, but in a reduced role in the upcoming season.
Our club is seeking volunteers willing to continue to build the momentum and continue the on-court activities our club has enjoyed these past two years. We have some outstanding and very enthusiastic members who we believe will step up and carry the momentum to its next level.
Help will be needed in the following areas:
Coordinating, planning and running club activities such as mixers, lessons, clinics and tournaments. (These responsibilities may be shared among several volunteer members.)
Publicity.
HOA liaison with Jenny Browne and Pam Barker.
Webmaster
We will help new volunteers learn and get up to speed with their new responsibilities. Just let us know which area(s) you are interested in.
Please step forward to help! Contact any of our executive committee members to volunteer and proffer your support of our wonderful pickleball club:
for executive committee email addresses and phone numbers
on the club website
February 4, 2015
SLPCIO Winter Newsletter Available
The SLPCIO Winter Newsletter has been posted on the bulletin board at the fitness center and may be viewed here:
2015 Winter SLPCIO Newletter
January 27, 2015
NORRIS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT RATINGS GUIDANCE
The NIT events have 4 ratings divisions: 4.5/4.0, 3.5, 3.0, and 2.5 using the Cottonwood ratings system which is similar to but more refined than the USAPA system. IronOaks A players should enter 4.5/4.0. IronOaks B+ players should enter 3.5. (Some of the better B+ players should opt to try the more challenging 4.5/4.0). IronOaks B players should enter 3.5. IronOaks C players should enter 3.0. IronOaks D players should enter 2.5.
January 21, 2015
NORRIS INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT
The Sun Lakes Pickleball Club at Cottonwood (SLPC) is sponsoring the second Norris Invitational Tournament on March 2-6, 2015. The NIT is open to all residents of the three Sun Lakes Communities, whether they are SLPC members or not. If you are interested in participating, you can find more details and entry form on the SLPC website:
Spectators are welcome. Come out, join the fun, and support Pickleball at Sun Lakes.
January 17, 2015
AHWATUKEE M''ARC''H PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT
Our friends at the Ahwatukee Pickleball Club at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center (ARC) are holding their second annual fundraiser tournament. It is geared towards beginner pickleball players. There will be Men's, Women's, and Mixed Doubles events at 1.5/2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 USAPA rating levels. Everyone is welcome to enter - you don't need to be a member of ARC.
The tournament will be held March 3-5, 2015 at the ARC Pickleball courts. If you are interested in participating, for more details and entry form:
Spectators are welcome. Come out, join the fun, and support our Pickleball friends at Ahwatukee.
October 22, 2014
Sign Up for Team Pickleball
Sign Up NOW for our second (last year’s was rained out)
SLPCIO TEAM PICKLEBALL
Saturday, November 15, 2014
8am – 4pm
For Details on the SLPCIO Website
Sign up sheet is on the patio (glass bulletin board)
or
email Greg Mather: glmather@cox.net
If you have not already done so, please renew your SLPCIO membership. Annual dues remain the same at $10. Fill out an application form and submit it with your dues to Bev Krueger (bevjank@aol.com, 480-883-8276) or to Pete Macksam (pkmacksam@gmail.com, 480-336-8702). You may obtain the application form from Bev or Pete or you may print out a copy from the club website:
for the SLPCIO application form on the club website
Please encourage your Pickleball friends to apply for SLPCIO membership.
September 23, 2014
Membership Sign-Up and Renewal
Your IronOaks HOA Pickleball and your SLPCIO memberships will expire at the end of this month and will need to be renewed.
At the last IO HOA BOD meeting, it was decided that the annual IO HOA pickleball fees will increase from $40 to $45 for IO homeowners. Also note that pickleball memberships are no longer included with tennis memberships. Non-IO-homeowners who are currently IO HOA pickleball members may renew their memberships at rates that will be determined at the next IO BOD meeting. No new non-IO-homeowner memberships will be accepted.
Your SLPCIO membership will also need to be renewed. Annual dues remain the same at $10. Fill out the application form and submit it with your dues to Bev Krueger (bevjank@aol.com, 480-883-8276). You may obtain an application form from Bev or you may print out a copy from the club website:
for the SLPCIO application form on the club website
Please mention to your Pickleball friends that they may apply for SLPCIO membership when they renew or signup for their IO HOA Pickleball memberships.
July 5, 2014
Previews of Coming Attractions
The SLPCIO Executive Committee has formulated a tentative schedule of events for the 2014-2015 pickleball season. Look forward to another year of fun, social, and competitive events for all levels of pickleball play.
to view the calendar of upcoming events.
Save the dates in your personal calendars.
SLPCIO Summer Newsletter Available
The SLPCIO Summer Newsletter has been posted on the bulletin board at the fitness center and may be viewed here:
2014 SLPCIO Summer Newletter
East Valley Interclub League
Players and captains are needed for next season's East Valley Interclub League teams.
Last season was a very successful inaugural season for the East Valley Interclub Pickleball League. SLPCIO came out on top of Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood, Trilogy and both Ahwatukee teams. Play was very competitive and it came down to the last week of competition. Everyone had a great time with our home and away matches.
Looking ahead to the 2014-2015 season all four clubs have shown interest in another league with women’s and men’s teams.
Men’s team members from last season were Art Baessler, Bill Aichele, Bob Zimmerman, Bill Wilkinson, David Novikoff, Gary Williams, Greg Mather, Jim Nulty, Jim Rainwaters, John Reed, Rocky Myers, Steve Smitham, Todd Williams, Tom Snider and David Zapatka. The team was captained by David Zapatka.
Members showing interest in playing on the 2014-2015 women’s team are Bev Krueger, Sara Osborn, Monica Dickens, Jeanine McKinna, Sheila Parkinson, Kim Sanders, Ellen Forbes, Pat Monson, Janet Myrick and Debra Fliethman.
To make this happen, we will need someone to volunteer to captain the men’s team and another volunteer to captain the women’s team.
Please email your interest in playing on or captaining either team to David Zapatka at dzapatka@wbhsi.net. (Women listed above do not need to email again.)
Thank you for your interest. We look forward to another fun season of pickleball in the East Valley.
May 8, 2014
The second SLPCIO
Summer of Love Mixer
held
Saturday, May 3, 2014
was a huge success.
CLICK HERE to read the full story and view the photo gallery on the SLPCIO website. Photos in the gallery may be viewed, downloaded, shared with your friends, and more, in full resolution.
May 6, 2014
Final Interclub League Standings
In our final match of the season held on Wednesday, April 29, 2014, the SLPCIO team defeated Ahwatukee 2 on the IronOaks pickleball courts by a score of 15 games to 10.
All teams have completed their matches in the very successful inaugural 2014 Men's Interclub Pickleball League. The SLPCIO team came out on top as the first league champions, and Captain Dave Zapatka will be presented the soon-to-be-made perpetual trophy.
to see the final results for the 2104 Men's Interclub League
on the SLPCIO website.
In the next season, we hope to form both Men's and Women's pickleball leagues! Watch for information in the Fall.
April 2, 2014
Sign Up for "Summer of Love" Mixer
For Details
March 22, 2014
SLPCIO Spring Newsletter Available
The SLPCIO Spring Newsletter has been posted on the bulletin board at the fitness center and may be viewed here:
2014 SLPCIO Spring Newletter
March 22, 2014
NBC Airs Pickleball Report
NBC has recently aired a report on Pickleball. You may view this video at:
http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nightly-news/54713899/#54713899