FROM THE USAPA
Robert
Nibarger
COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
Years Playing: 5 Born & Raised: Anderson, Indiana Home Base: Cornelius, North Carolina
Favorite sport to watch( outside of pickleball): NFL
Current paddle: Pickleball NOW: Carbon Fibre
USAPA BOARD MEMBER PROFILE
In late 2015, the USAPA Board welcomed Robert“ Bob” Nibarger as the incoming Communications Chair. Nibarger, a retired emergency communications manager, has been playing pickleball for five years and currently lives with his wife outside Charlotte, NC, near Lake Norman.
Nibarger is a big advocate of pickleball. He sees a bright future for the sport, focusing on introducing it to all ages – not just the retirees living in his community. As the acting Piedmont District Ambassador in the USAPA’ s Atlantic South Region, his goal of growing pickleball has led him to develop a program that could be implemented across the country and start a trend that involves a larger USAPA junior program.
“ One thing we’ re starting to do is get pickleball taught to the young people in our community,” he said.“ This year, I personally wrote a pickleball curriculum that could be taught to a 15 + Youth Summer Camp led by the local Parks Department. The program was a success – we sold out in our first summer. It was wildly successful and we’ re ready for this upcoming summer.”
When it comes to his own playing, he’ s very modest about his level of play, saying he’ s probably a 3.5 player. He takes his training seriously and has a method for improving.
“ I like to compete against myself,” he noted.“ I look at Prem Carnot [ the Pickleball Guru ] and the other coaches out there and look at the 4-5 main strategies that they recommend for improving – and I work on those elements to make myself better.”
According to Nibarger, he likes to challenge himself. He sees open play not as a way to beat everyone on the court, but to work on the skills that will help him move to the next level. And while he does play in tournaments, he’ ll be the first to say that winning a medal is not the best part about competing.
“ The best part about being involved with a pickleball tournament is all the wonderful people you meet. Since retiring, my wife and I have traveled quite a bit and along the way we’ ve met and played pickleball with so many people.”
Last year, the Nibargers traveled west visiting 12 states and getting a lot of pickleball in along the way. In this new position he hopes to strengthen the USAPA’ s communication with its existing members through the member eNewsletter, Pickleball Magazine, and social media channels such as Facebook and Instagram. •
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It is an exciting time in pickleball nation and this, the first ever pickleball magazine, is just the right touch to get 2016 off to another fantastic year.
The growth of pickleball has been astonishing and the love of the sport has been shared by so many. Pickleball has gone from the“ sport with the funny name” to a sport phenomenon. It has not only
DAVID JORDAN become the sport for retires, but the sport for young and old alike and a great family game.
With schools and colleges recognizing the popularly of the sport, they have added it to their curriculums and cities around the country are building courts and opening gyms by record numbers.
But, let’ s not forget the importance the social aspect brings to the game. It is not only fun to play but it brings people back together through social interaction that seems is becoming 8 TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 724.942.0940 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG. COM
a lost commodity in our present society. Not only are we receiving health benefits from the physical activity it brings, but also mental strength from increased social activity that comes with the new relationships and old acquaintances we now enjoy.
Pickleball, for my wife Nancy and I, has been the catalyst that has brought us a new meaning to the word retirement and volunteering. We found pickleball over twelve years ago while searching for“ what we would do with the rest of our life”. It was then just beginning to catch on as a popular sport for retirees. We never imagined how it would snowball into the sport it is today, or how it would change our lives in the process. It has been a great time in our lives and we look forward to seeing how pickleball will continue to grow and change the lives of those who come along for the ride.
Congratulations and thank you to Pickleball Magazine for making yet one more stride in the development of this fascinating game.
From our court to yours, Happy New Year. May 2016 be a year of joy and happiness for you and yours.