Pickleball Club

Description

General Club Information

Updated 11-7-24

Officers:

President: Beth Lewis lewis.beth@comcast.net

V. President: Jackie Manning rainbowkop@aol.com

Sec./Tres: Laurie Cotherman lcotherman2@gmail.com

Official Club Hours 

Hours will be on the monthly calendar, during these hours only club members will be able to play.

830am-1030am and 430pm-630pm M-F

Sat: 8-11 am

We now have 4 additional courts on the existing 2 tennis courts which are also available during club hours. Nets can be checked out by the club.

Typically Intermediate play: M/T/W/F 430pm-6pm TH 6pm-730pm and Saturday 8-930 am

Beginner play: T/TH 900-1030am

Next Level Play: M/W/F 9-1030 am and TH 430-6pm Saturday 930-11am

Court Etiquette

As with any organization there needs to be a basic set of guidelines that helps keep the game enjoyable for everyone.

1. Good sportsmanship is the rule. Yes, you love the game, but it is only a game. Respect all players.

2. Since these are not public courts, we generally do not use a paddle up system. When you come to the courts (especially if it is your first couple of times) introduce yourself to any of the players waiting to play. As soon as a game finishes those 4 players will come off the courts and anyone sitting will go in (if there are not 4 players sitting then one of the players coming off the courts will play again). * If you are sitting waiting to play an someone comes up to the courts, please introduce yourself, it is never easy being the new kid on the playground! Our goal as a club is to make everyone welcome and at the same time have some great pickleball play.

3. If the ball is “out,” and it’s on your side, call it out. If it’s close, give the benefit of the doubt to your opponent. This is hard to do when the game is close but do it anyway.

4. If you step into the kitchen on a volley, or if your partner does, call it. Be very cautious about calling kitchen or serving faults on others. (Most of us are at an age where our vision is questionable.)

5. Lower-level players don’t necessarily like playing with advanced players as they get beat up. And advanced players don’t like playing with lower-level players because they don’t get challenging play. Both points of view are valid. Since we are a club of many skill levels the following suggestions will make any game more enjoyable for everyone:

· If you are playing against a team where there is a significantly stronger player, play against the stronger player —you may learn something.

· If you are the strongest player of the foursome, play to the weakest players in a way they can handle the shot and learn. (Sometimes you can even ask people what they are working on — e.g. drop shots, lobs, etc. — and if they tell you, hit them shots they can use to work on those shots.)

· Good sportsmanship includes (for maybe just a couple of games) splitting up your foursome and inviting others to join you for a game.

· At the end of each game, find something positive to say to the other team at the net. “Thanks for playing with us!” is nice. But never leave a game without acknowledging the other team.

· And finally, don’t take advantage of a person’s physical limitations when you play them socially. If someone can’t go back for a lob when they’re at the line because of physical limitations, for instance, why lob over their heads?

Dues 

Yearly fee is $25 per person. Checks can be made payable to DWET Pickleball Club and can be left in the PB binder in the Gallery. You can also pay annual dues on the HEJA app. Go to your fees and it is listed.

Beginner Clinics

We offer a beginner clinic every other month to the first 12 club members who sign up. Clinics are scheduled on Saturday morning at 8am and last 1 hour. Non club members may sign up for the clinic at a cost of $20. To sign up please send an email to Laurie Cotherman (lcotherman2@gmail.com). We ask that you only attend 1 clinic so that everyone who wants to learn the game will have an opportunity.

Next Beginner Clinic: Saturday December 7th 10am

Elevate your Game

This is a series that we are starting for Beginners and Newer Next Level players and there is an advanced series for intermediate players. Clinic is free to club members. If you would like to sign up for the clinics please send an email to Laurie Cotherman (lcotherman2@gmail.com) or sign up on HEJA. Sessions are typically on Tuesdays from 630-8pm.

Elevate Your Pickleball Game Series

Target Audience: Beginners and Newer Next Level Players

Session 1: Elevate Your Serves and Returns.

Participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of the importance of the depth, placement, and strategies of serves and returns.

Session 2: Dink Your Way to a Win.

Participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of the importance of dinking in pickleball. We’ll discuss the strategies and mechanics of dinking your way to a win.

Session 3: Drops, Drives, and Lobs.

Participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of when to drive the ball, use a drop shot, and/or when to lob your opponent. Fun games will be played to develop your dinking skills.

Session 4: Putting it All Together.

Participants will put into practice all the strategies and skills learned throughout this series to begin elevating your game. Although it is not required, it would be more meaningful to attend this session if you’ve attended at least two of the previous sessions.

Advanced Elevate your Game

This is a brand new series to advance your Pickleball Game. These sessions are $5 and open only to Pickleball Club members. Please note this is an intensive 1.5 hour training session designed for players who have already mastered the basics, play consistently, and have a good understanding of the game. Advanced “Next Level” players and Intermediate players. We ask that you wear protective eyewear when attending these clinics. Please sign up on HEJA to reserve your spot. Enrollment is limited to the first 12 players. You can pick and choose which sessions you would like to attend or attend all 3. All sessions will be on Tuesday nights from 630-8 pm. If there are any weather delays, the sessions will be run the next day (Wednesday).

Sessions 1: Advanced Dinking Techniques

By participating in a variety of drills, games, and activities, participants will leave this Session with a greater understanding of how to apply pressure properly to your opponent by adding spin and placement to your dinks.

Session 2: Advanced Serve and Return Techniques

Participants will leave this session with a greater understanding of how to apply pressure to opponents and sometimes win points by adding topspin and sidespin to serves, while also learning how and when to adapt power and placement to get the most benefit from returns.

Session 3: Advanced Transition Zone Techniques

Tired of getting stuck in the transition zone? In this advanced session, participants will learn techniques of how to effectively move through the transition zone to get to the non-volley zone (kitchen). Resets, blocking and digging techniques will be covered in this session.

To those of you who are new to the PB club, we have three certified instructors who we are recommending if you would like to set up a group or private lesson. We have personally taken lessons from all three of these instructors. A Group lesson would consist of 4 players and typically runs $20 per person for an hour lesson. Their contact information follows if you would like to set up a lesson, I would recommend that you schedule your lesson outside of club hours so that you don’t run into a situation where the courts are full.

Jen Copus: 610-733-7770. email: jcopus1@gmail.com

Roseann De Tommaso: 704-564-9882 email: rdetommaso@icloud.com

Jeff Thrasher: 217-891-5449. email: pickleball2win.com

Ginger LeBlanc: 352-318-2696. email: spicegalgl@aol.com

Ball Launcher

We have a ball launcher that can be checked out by members for a 30 minute time period. Cost to non-members is $25 for a 30 minute session.

  Socials

We typically do a round robin event every other month for club members. We have drill clinics, guest instructors and vendors. Every other month we do a social event for club members.

Next Social:

December 7th. Holiday Party

Next Meeting

Our next club meeting will be held in the Gallery November 20th 7 pm. We would love to have everyone come out who has either joined or is thinking about joining so we can get a good idea as to what YOU would like to see happen with this club.

Whether you are just starting to play PB or have been playing for awhile; the attached Pickleball Paddle guide is a good guideline for helping you choose a paddle. JAX pickleball (in San Marco) is a good place to go and try out a paddle in the store (they have a ball rebounder in the store to try out the paddle) and they will usually let you check out paddles to try as well. Go Pro Tennis (Southside and Beach) will also let you check out several paddles to try out. Both of these companies will give you a discount on a paddle if you mention Del Webb eTown Pickleball Club.