Pickleball Magazine 1-5 | Page 4

FROM THE PUBLISHER Hello Fellow Pickleballers, Welcome to the this issue of Pickleball Magazine. These are exciting times for our growing sport - we have been blessed with a growing base of players and the growing pains that go with it. I don’t say that with any negativity at all, so don’t misunderstand me. Growing pains are necessary to anything that’s relatively new, popular and, well, growing. By addressing them, we learn and force ourselves to challenge ourselves for solutions. A perfect example of this is how the USAPA attacked the issue of inadequate numbers of permanent pickleball courts across the nation. The result was the USAPA Portable Net System, which you may be familiar with. On page 4, USAPA Executive Director Justin Maloof address some recent tweaks and improvements on this system, which has only been around for several short years, but has made it infinitely easier for players to lay down the base on which to play upon. Another arena where growth has challenged the leaders of the sport to respond has been in the area of refereed play. Page 14 has an update on the first five referees to be certified by the USAPA and how they will impact the sport going forward. And then, we have the diversity that growth can only afford us - new players to meet and learn about who are doing exciting things in their lives and serving as ambassadors of the sport. Take David Pike for instance - Page 16 - who traveled from his home in Michigan, down the East Coast and back up the Mississippi to Michigan again for fun, playing pickleball all the way. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but unsurprising given the amazing makeup of people we have playing this sport. My sincere hope is that you enjoy this - and every issue - of Pickleball Magazine. Once again, we welcome your suggestions for improvement. If you have any feedback or ideas for articles you’d like to see, please don’t hesitate to email me at: [email protected]. We, too, are growing and learn and improve from your responses to every issue. Wayne Dollard, Publisher Dollard Publishing Company, Inc., 11 Mayview Road, Canonsburg, PA 15317 412.833.8805 (cell) | [email protected] | www.ThePickleballMag.com 2 TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 724.942.0940 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM A Publication of Dollard Publishing Co., Inc. 11 Mayview Road, Canonsburg, PA 15317 www.thepickleballmag.com PUBLISHER Wayne Dollard [email protected] 412.833.8805 DESIGN Michael Miller ADVISORY BOARD Kevin Curley Dennis Dacey A.J. Fraties Irene Fraties Alex Hamner Rusty Howes Lynn Laymon Linda Laymon Jennifer Lucore Bob Nibarger Steve Paranto Paul Porch Brian Staub INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF Sarah Ansboury Christine Barksdale Prem Carnot Rob Elliott Wes Gabrielsen Jim Hackenberg Yvonne Hackenberg Christine McGrath Steve Paranto Paul Porch Tony Tollenar Steve Wong CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Chris Allen Celeste Horpel Sarah Ansboury Rusty Howes Judy Aron Tony Horpel Christine Barksdale David Jordan Mark Berton Linda Laymon Joe Borelli Lynn Laymon Dr. Alan Bragman Jennifer Lucore Anne Breghero Justin Maloof Prem Carnot Melissa McCurley Bill Clevlen Carolyn Milazzo Kevin Curley Alan Neff Dennis Dacey Bob Nibarger Dr. Sean Diamond Steve Paranto Joe Dinoffer Karen Parrish Steven Douglas Audrey Phillips Robert Elliott Paul Porch Barbara Fox Ed Remen A.J. Fraties Kevin Richards Irene Fraties Seymour Rifkin Randy Futty Dr. Allan Rosenthal Jim Hackenberg Jeff Ross Alex Hamner Chris Thomas Brian Hendrickson Alice Tym Michael Hess Barbara Wintroub Dollard Publishing Co., Inc. publishes six issues of Pickleball Magazine per year. Subscriptions are $24 per year. To subscribe, go to www.thepickleballmag.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS PROHIBITED. © 2016 Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.