Another Mixed-up Whistle-Stop Tournament

It was a wild day at the Wasatch Rec Center on Wednesday morning, April 26th as 48 picklers (27 women and 21 men) took to the courts. The format was the same except everyone scurried to get one group off and the other group on when the whistle blew every 11 minutes. No resting or lollygagging allowed! Some groups finished well ahead of the whistle when winning by 12 points; other groups didn't make game before their time was up. The most points possible was 72, and the top score posted was 64 points by Tom Reed. Quite a feat to be sure!

Group 1 results had 3 men and one woman getting honors.
    First Place: Doug Jenkins
    In a 3-way tie for 2nd: Rod Freudenberg, Craig Stark, and Marie Bird

Group 2 winners were separated by only 1 point, 64, 63, and 62. Wow!.   
    First Place: Tom Reed
    Second Place: Kerry Belcher
    Third Place: Lea McDill



Myrna, working to defend her title, with partner Jen

Ken and Carlos, a dynamic duo!

 

 

 

Kris and Tom with a 12-point win

 

Judie and Jan, what great form!
 

                                                                                                                 

This demure twosome, Cary and Charisse, beat 2 of the 2nd place winners, Craig and Rod, 9-7.
Charisse is one of our newest members and the rookie star of the year!

The Intrepid, Always-Great Field of Players: (Yay Us!)

Group 1: Doug Jenkins, Dale Beeman, Marianne Wicks, Jack Richardson, Rob Whelan, Charisse Sampson, Brad Belcher, Ann Crooks, Jan Steinbach, Merry Duggin, AlyseWeisiger, Connie Green, Karen Reed, Kevin Chaidez, Rod Freudenberg, Craig Stark, Josh Richardsen, Steve Laneri, Leslie Oksner, Mike Duggin, Susan Lockhart, Penelope Peterson, Marie Bird, and Cary Hobbs.

Group 2: Carlos Monssen, Melinda Weishar, Jan Baker, Tenie Theobald, Myrna Lueck, Michelle Miller, Kris Beer, Paul Tayler, Dan Weishar, Jan Altieri, Jen McCarthy, Mary Freudenberg, Bev Chaidez, Jim Jones, Kerry Belcher, Hans Stocker, Pam Jepperson, Judie Eaton, Tom Reed, Craig Power, Lea McDill, Carma Isaac, Ken Mickelsen, and Micki Oksner.

 

As usual, with the leadership of Ken Fakler and Mike Eaton, the 6 games for each player went off without a hitch. Carol and Ron Lee helped with registration, timing and scorekeeping.



Ken's pre-game instructions warned the slammers they would be cited for a slamming violation. No one kept track of the individual slams, but there were a few who "just couldn't help" themselves. The non-slammers were grateful for the reprieve as no one left with more bruises than they came with.

Another great HVPC tourney followed by lunch at The Spin Café with awards given the winners. Such a fun time!
Look for more tournaments and clinics from Ken and Mike.

Outdoor Play

Who knows when the snow and rain will quit falling, but we know it will sometime. And when sun and warmer temps arrive, many of us will be outside playing again. The Southfield courts will be busy between 9 and 11 for sure. We'd like to keep the courts available for open play during those hours. So, for those who don't like to wait to play, we suggest scheduling your own times and people with whom to play.

There will be a system of rotation on and off the courts, probably much like last year, with placement of paddles on the fence. But if anyone has a suggestion for a more efficient system, please let us (the Board) know. In the meantime (while it continues to be wintry), we'll see y'all at the Rec Center!

The Men's Turn to Tourney

Thursday, March 23rd gave the HVPC men their turn to compete. And, boy, was it a wild whistle-stop time!



Craig, Kevin and Cary win the balls!

The top 3 wild men were:

1st Place - Kevin Chaidez
2nd Place - Craig Stark (only 1 point behind)
3rd Place - Cary Hobbs (only 3 points behind)

Judy, Karen, Ken and Merry tally the scores.

The rest of the field of players were Mickey Oksner, Hans Stocker, Doug Jenkins, Mike Duggin, Mike Ho, Chesley Smiley, Rod Freydenberg, Mike Scheuer, Jack Richardson, Mike Eaton, Richard Longo, Jim Boldu, and Connie Green. Richard and Jim had participated in the Beginners' Clinic on Tuesday and joined the club. Their instruction (and instructors) must have been awesome for them to want to play in their first round robin tournament only 2 days after learning. As one person was a no-show, Connie stepped in as the 16th player. Her hard-hitting skills are equal to any of the men!

Mine, no mine...Mike and Cary go for it.

The games were fast and furious, with the lead changing at least 5 times during the 6 games. After the tournament, a group went on to lunch at the Soldier Hollow Grill.


Kevin and Mike ready for action.

Whew, that was a workout!
Mike and Chesley take a break.

Jack and Rod ready for play.

Coming Events

Mixed Doubles Whistle Stop Tournament - April 26th

Let Ken know as soon as you receive his email if you want to participate. He hopes to have 40 players on 5 courts. The same format as Women's and Men's Tournaments will apply, with teams assigned randomly so no 2 people will play together more than once. Awards luncheon will follow.

Clinics

Beginners Clinics - Wednesday, April 12th and Thursday May 11th at 10:00 am

If you know of anyone who would like to learn to play pickleball, have them contact Ken at kmfakler@msn.com. These clinics are free of charge and participants do not need to be members of HVPC to attend. See Ken's latest email for more details.

Intermediate and Advanced Clinics - Dates TBD

The 2 clinics put on by Kevin Priebe and Ronni Edler will be rescheduled, so if you signed up and are still interested, Ken will send out information as soon as he has dates.

Utah Tournaments

If you are interested in playing in a tournament, you can find more information and register for the following tournaments on www.usapa.org or www.pickleballtournaments.com.

Ogden Pickleball Association - June 9-10
Eric Schuette, Brigham City - June 22-24
Alpine Days Pickleball Fest - August 4-5
Riverton Fall Classic - September 15-16
Fall Brawl, St. George - October 10-14

Stay tuned for information about outdoor play, court-building, fund-raising, and ways the HVPC members can help in the next blog.
 

 

Upcoming Events - Mark Your Pickleball Calendars

 

St. Patrick's Day - Friday. March 17th 

The wearin' o' the green will highlight Friday morning's regular play. Come for a game or 2; then come to Soldier Hollow Grill for lunch at 11:30. Write a limerick to read, with the top 3 winners (loudest applause factor) will be awarded "spirits."

Call Alyce Weisiger (608-229-9007) or Judy Eaton (801-368-6038) to reserve a spot for lunch (on your own coin.) 



 

 

SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES

Note: See Ken's email for details about what will be taught in each of the clinics.



Beginners' Clinics - Tuesday, March 21st & Friday, April 14th

Ken Fakler and Mike Eaton will teach a FREE basic beginners' clinic from 10:00 to noon at the Rec Center. Participants do not need to be HVPC members, so if you know of someone who wants to learn the game, Ken (kmfakler@msn.com) will take their names and contact them will all the information.
 

Men's Whistle Stop Tournament - Thursday, March 23rd

The first 32 men to sign up with Ken (kmfakler@msn.com) will play from 9:00 to about 11:15. Be at the Rec Center by 8:30. Your group and player number will be assigned by order of signup. So let Ken know ASAP to ensure your spot. Members ONLY.

An awards luncheon at Soldier Hollow Grill will immediately follow the tournament. All club members are invited to attend. Alyce will have menus at the tournament and will phone in your orders. Let her know if you'll be there. (ajweisiger44@gmail.com)

Intermediate Clinic - Tuesday, April 4th

Kevin Priebe and Ronni Ebner will teach a FREE clinic for club members at 11:00 to 12:30. The clinic is limited to 16 participants, so let Ken know if you want to attend as the clinic will fill up quickly. (kmfakler@msn.com) Members ONLY.

Advanced Clinic - Thursday, April 6th

Kevin and Ronni will teach advanced players "How to Win at Pickleball" for $20 per person. The clinic is limited to 16 participants, so let  Kevin know ASAP. (kepriebe1@hotmail.com) Members ONLY.

Mixed Doubles Whistle Stop Tournament - Wednesday, April 26th

A maximum of 40 players (members ONLY) will be able to participate following the same format as both Women's and Men's tournaments. Ken will send an email with more information about the tournament and lunch afterwards after the first of April. Watch your email for details.

All Winners in the February 22nd Ladies' Tourney

But...
Some were more winners than others...

So, The More Winners were:

A tie for 1st place:
     Marie Bird and Bev Chaidez      

 

2nd (or 3rd?) place:
     Sheri Paskins

And the Winners were:

Alyce Weisiger, Kris Beer, Jane Bower, Judie Eaton, Melinda Weishar, Lea McDill, Connie Green,
Beth Lawrence, Louise Taylor, Jan Baker, Pam Jepperson, Penelope Peterson, and Minou Boyer

Soooo Fun!

Mine! No, mine!

A winning team

Let's Pickle!

Perfect position



I really WON a game?!?



It's a point!



Just hit it to me, will ya?



 

I hate these lobs!
 

It takes teamwork!

 

Thanks to...

Of course, it takes a dedicated support crew to put on such a fun time. So, a huge thanks to very important winners Ken Fakler, Mike Eaton, and Karen Fakler for all their time, energy and whistle-blowing skills.



Yes, I do love this game!

Where's Karen? Karen, I need YOU!

Post-Tourney Lunch at the Heber City Café was also a Winner

Thanks to Alyce Weisiger and Judie Eaton for planning, awards to the More Winners, and gift bags to the Winners and any others who joined us, whether players or spectators.

And thanks to Cary Hobbs, photographer extraordinaire, for all of these great pictures!

Stay tuned for another blog in a few days. All about St. Paddy's Day, Men's Tourney, and clinics to come.
 

A New Year and Lots of News

A few words from the Board:

We encourage all of you to check your emails regularly as you will receive news of tournaments and clinics, some of which may be time-critical. For example, there may be a limit to the number of participants. If you don't see the email in time, you may be left out. You'd miss it; we'd miss you! And that would be sad!

Each time the blog has a new post, you'll also receive an email. You can certainly look at the blog anytime, and all the past posts are accessible all the time. Hey, you can even tell any and everyone you meet about the club and give them the website info. Anyone who searches for pickleball in Heber on the Internet will see the blog. It's actually FIRST on the list!

We are working on ways to improve rotation for all levels of players. No one likes to sit out waiting to get in a game. We hope that you'll be aware of new players who could benefit from your experience and skill. Take a turn to play with people you may not know or haven't played with.

Finally, we hope that you are continuing to improve your game. We'll have clinics to facilitate skills and strategies, but you can also watch videos that show specifics of the game. The following websites are fabulous resources:

• www.usapa.org - videos plus information on rules, places to play across the country (really great if you're traveling), tournaments, membership, equipment, etc.
• www.pickleballchannel.com - Tips from the pros, training videos
• www.PickleballCentral.com - Instructional and Tournament videos
• YouTube - search for Pickleball videos

And then there's You, You, You - share your knowledge and experiences. Our club would benefit so much if you have tips and tricks.

 

Tournaments

Ken Fakler and Mike Eaton are putting together a fabulous tournament series, planning for once-a-month Whistle-Stop type tournaments. There will be a participant limit, so pay attention to your emails. More info coming soon!

Pickleball tournaments abound all around the state and surrounding areas. We'll try to keep you informed of all that we know about in case you want to start competing. And if you hear of one that might be of interest to others, let us know!

 

Clinics

Ken and Mike also plan lots of clinics to benefit beginner, intermediate, and advanced players. These too will have a limit. In addition, Kevin Priebe will be offering free skills and strategies clinics once a month for level 2 & 3 players. The first 16 people to sign up will participate.

Save the Date - St. Patrick's Day, March 17th

Lunch at the Soldier Hollow Grill for all members

It's a Wrap...

The "Whistle-Stop Mixed-up Tournament,"

held on Thursday, December 8th, was a grand success with 40 players in 2 groups changing courts, partners and opponents every 10 minutes or 15 points. A wild morning at the Wasatch Rec Center and so so much fun! Thanks to tournament directors Bill Miano and Ken Fakler, and assistant scorekeeper/recorder Karen Fakler, who kept us all on track and moving! And to Leslie Oksner who provided snacks to keep our energy flowing!

First and second-place winners were announced and prizes awarded at the holiday party on Friday night. In Group 1, honors went to Myrna Lueck (1st) and Kevin Priebe (2nd) and in Group 2, Dale Beeman (1st) and Warren Dinter (2nd). Sportsmanship awards were presented to Alyce Weisiger and Carol Lee. Congratulations to them and to all who participated!

Penelope Peterson, Myrna Lueck, and Mickey Oksner

We hope to continue a tradition of fun tourneys in 2017! Your input is always welcome!

The Mingle Jingle holiday party and annual meeting,

held on Friday, December 9th, was attended by about 50 members who loaded the appetizer table with great food. Board members outdid themselves with a wide assortment of delectable desserts.

Doug Rosecrans and Leslie Oksner check members in and collect dues for 2017.
Also pictured: Marianne Wicks in back, Alyce Weisiger, and Beth Lawrence

Outgoing President Lynn Keller spoke about the ongoing effort to build new courts in the Heber Valley and how the club's growth can be a motivating force with the city and county officials. The club will continue to make presentations and lobby for funds to accomplish this goal. If any club members are willing to help with this important project, please let the new Board know.

President Lynn congratulates the tournament winners:
Warren Dinter (seated center)
and Myrna Lueck (seated front right, back to camera)

USAPA (USA Pickleball Association) and the Ambassadors program

Kris Beer talked about the USAPA, encouraging all to check out the website (www.USAPA.org) and to consider joining the organization, which offers several benefits to members. She also explained the purpose of the USAPA Ambassadors and her role to help grow the sport of pickleball in the local area. The Ambassadors Forum is a discussion center for all types of issues, rules, etiquette, tournaments, etc. Such things as the color of balls and how to break in the new Onix 2 ball (microwave, 40 rubs...and on and on), plus really important info about how to fundraise for new courts. The latest initiative of the Ambassadors is to reach out to the schools to start a pickleball program. Look for how the Heber Valley Pickleball Club could help in this effort in 2017. Members' ideas on how to proceed with this initiative would be great!

Across the country the sport is growing at about 10% annually, now with approximately 2.3 million players. With growth, however, comes the challenge of not having enough courts, a problem all areas face. Another common challenge is to provide good competition for all levels of players. The Club will be working on different ways to address this issue so everyone's needs are met. Also a self-ranking system will be published in the next blog for interested players.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Lynn thanked the board members who have served the past year and led the unanimous election of the new board, who will take over January 1st:

President - Mike Duggin
Vice-President - Cary Hobbs
Secretary - Karen Fakler
Treasurer - Carlos Monssen
Membership Chair - Doug Rosecrans
Social Co-Chairs - Alyce Weisiger & Judie Eaton
Training &Tournaments Co-Chairs - Ken Fakler & Mike Eaton
Past President - Lynn Keller



Mike Duggin promises to keep his words to a minimum
while Ken Fakler and Mike Altieri look on
 

President-elect Mike Duggin made a few remarks before the party resumed. It was a festive and fun evening in the beautifully decorated Valais clubhouse.

💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖

The following was submitted to the blog by ardent pickler,
 Jack Richardson, not sleeping but counting pickleballs....

"Ode to Pickleball"

Summer, Winter, or Fall
I dream of the Ball;
The feel of the Smash;
The sound of the Bash;
The adrenaline Clash;
     The Dash to the Net -
The shot I'd like to forget,
The angle Perfect!
The Camaradarie;
Friends full of Glee.
Can't wait for tomorrow,
To meet on the court;
What a Wonderful Thing,
This Pickleball Sport!

 

 

 



Pickleball for Christmas

If you're thinking about getting or giving "anything pickleball" for Christmas or, for that matter, any time...there's a way for you to save money and to send some the Club's way too. What a deal, huh?

Not only would your purchase benefit you with a 5% discount, but a 5% credit would go to the Club as well. Here's how it works...

Log on to www.pickleballcentral.com and check out all the equipment, clothing, and gift ideas available. You can buy and try a paddle for 30 days and if you're not completely satisfied, send it back for a refund or exchange for a different one. They also guarantee the lowest price for identical products. There is a lot of information about paddles by weight, grip, type, use and brand. Use the Pickleball Paddle Guide to assist you in your choice. Balls, clothes, bags, nets, etc. are all available in one place. Even the new Onix PURE 2 balls are for sale. Free shipping on orders over $69 too!

The Club Rewards Program:

When you check out, provide the club code CRHeber in the coupon code box and hit the "apply" button.. You can also call them at 888-854-0163 and provide the club name. Every February the club will receive a gift card for the value of whatever is in the club's Reward Account from the preceding year. The can be used to purchase anything Pickleball Central sells.

There is still time for the Club to earn rewards before the end of the year!
Again, the website is www.pickleballcentral.com.

Happy Shopping!