FROM THE USAPA
Pickleball and Social Media BY BOB NIBARGER, USAPA COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR
How many of you have members who are overwhelmed and have no idea how to connect on social media? You send emails, post your comments on Facebook, try Instagram and still there is a“ dark hole” that seems at times to get larger. I first experienced that techie gap when I published a newsletter for our local homeowners association. Our committee had high hopes and great enthusiasm. The only problem was that we only had 35 % of our residents open the electronic newsletter. The USAPA has similar experience with low open rates on some of our publications. Why? Well, the answer is quite simple.
It is a generational thing. How about those 3-year-olds using smartphones and iPads while Grandpa and Grandma still use flip phones? To assist you as you expand your club’ s outreach, use mass media to include Facebook, newsletters, texting, print, Instagram, the telephone, a dedicated web page or whatever is needed. I have found that a“ shotgun” approach is the most effective tool when trying to reach a techie and non-techie crowd. This will change over time, but keep plugging away and you will, somehow, reach your club members. •
USAPA Appoints Training Chair
Pat
Murphy
USAPA Training Chair
The USAPA Board, at their regular January meeting, named Pat Murphy as the new training chair, replacing Lynn and Linda Laymon. According to Murphy,“ I started playing pickleball in 2010 and became addicted to this crazy game. For the next several years I got more involved with pickleball. I started playing tournaments and meeting many great players. I wanted to share this with others so I became a USAPA Ambassador and an Area Team Liaison for Goodyear, Arizona. In 2015 I was elected as Vice-President of the PebbleCreek Pickleball Club and in 2016 I was elected President. The PebbleCreek Pickleball Club, one of the largest pickleball clubs, has 1,255 active club members and is a full-time job.” Murphy is most anxious to begin his new duties and both finish and start new programs. You may contact him at trainingchair @ usapa. org. •
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