Desert Messenger

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Mon - Fri. 8am-5pm Sponsored by Quartzsite Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition By Joanne Winer Just when you thought you knew just about everything, some- thing comes along that you are not even familiar with that sounds like something you might like--when working at the Business Chamber one day, a gentleman came in and asked us if there was a Pickleball court in Quartzsite. Feeling rather silly, we told him we had never heard about it and what was it? He explained that it was a sport that had the same aspects as badmin- ton, tennis and ping pong, and was played on a court with a net in the middle. Not knowing any more, we looked it up on the internet (great for this kind of thing when you feel really out of touch) and found out all about it--really does sound like a lot of fun for seniors, adults and kids--the whole family. Pickleball started out in 1965 (can't believe it's been going on all this time and never heard about it before) on Bainbridge Island just off the coast of Seattle, Washington by three men who were looking for a way to keep their grandchildren occupied over the summer holidays when they usually get so bored. The three men--US Congressman Joel Pritchard, and friends William Bell and Barney McCallum came up with the idea of stringing a net across the driveway and lowering it so the kids could reach over it--us- ing a huge paddle (like a ping pong paddle but bigger) and a whiffl e ball. There were no rules then, just a lot of fun, and they made up some rules along the way as it gained popularity when more and more people heard about it and wanted to try it. By the way, it was named Pick- leball after a dog named Pickles who always chased balls and hid under a bush with them. By the 1970s, it had grown and expanded from a family game to a paddle court sport, and now hundreds of thousands of people all over the USA and the rest of the world are getting in on the fun. It has been played in countless schools, PE programs, YMCAs, parks and recreation areas, camps, and retire- ment communities--and is a very healthy way to get some exercise. It can be played indoors, but most people play on outdoor courts-- they are smaller than badminton or tennis courts (20 feet wide and 44 feet long) with a net in the middle. It is very easy to learn and once you have practiced a bit, you will be hooked on it! There are now several tourna- ments played every year all over the country, and it is very popular in Arizona as well as other senior communities--in fact there are several groups in the Phoenix area as well as other places in the state. If you are looking for information about this sport, you might want to check into the USA Pickleball As- sociation (USAPA) or the Interna- tional Federation of Pickleball--this sport was even highlighted on NBC Nightly News by reporter Brian Williams, who had never heard of it either until he did this story! If you are interested in learn- ing more about it, you can also google USA Pickleball and there is all kinds of information—it's hard to believe we had never heard of it before, and many people we asked about it since then have not heard of it either--who knows??? People of all ages and athletic abilities enjoy pickleball--wouldn't it be nice to have something like this in Quartzsite for our residents and especially to give something for our winter visitors to do as well?? Might be a good event for next year's Grand Gathering if they can mark off some courts some- where for a tournament or just for fun--something to think about for the future!!!

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