Pickleball Magazine 2-2 Courtesy of Pickleball Channel | Page 4

FROM THE PUBLISHER With outdoor pickleball season on its way— nothing new for the snowbirds among us— our sport enters an exciting time of year. In my hometown of Pittsburgh, pickleball is still relatively new. Although the kids have been playing it here in high school and middle school for several years, it’s just beginning to really take root with the adults. Only last year, handfuls of us would get together to play on three indoor courts at the local gym. Now, there are multiple indoor facilities putting up six or more courts three to four times per week, with a line of people waiting to play. As a player and fan of pickleball, it’s exciting to witness this real-time growth in our region, and I’m sure many of you are seeing the same trends. This momentum is addictive and my wife and I have become official pickleball junkies. We are traveling to tournaments and enjoying the people we’re meeting along the way. The featured event in this issue is the Grand Canyon State Games, one of the tournaments we recently played in. The event took place in El Mirage, Arizona, at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort, Feb. 22-26. Situated on the edge of the Luke Air Force Base, the resort is a pickleball haven for hundreds of RV-ers. Not only was the pickleball a blast but it was also quite a treat watching the new F-35 fighter jets flying low overhead in perfect formation day after day, and meeting members of the armed forces in attendance and participating in the tournament. Soon we’ll be off to the US Open in Naples. Last year’s event topped 1,000 players. This year, I got word that the draws were already cut off around 1,300. If you’re anywhere near Florida, I recommend stopping down to check it out for two important reasons. First, it will be the single largest pickleball event ever held. Second, the competition will easily be the best ever. See you on the courts. Wayne Dollard, Publisher Dollard Publishing Company, Inc., 11 Mayview Road, Canonsburg, PA 15317 412.833.8805 (cell) | [email protected] | www.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 Judy Aron Christine Barksdale Khevin Barnes Mark Berton Richard Bevevino Steve Boone Ramona Boone Joe Borelli Dr. Alan Bragman Anne Breghero Prem Carnot Bill Clevlen Kevin Curley Rob Davidson Dr. Sean Diamond Joe Dinoffer Gary Feneley Barbara Fox Jim Hackenberg Alex Hamner Brian Hendrickson Michael Hess Celeste Horpel Rusty Howes John Jermstad CJ Jermstad David Jordan Jennifer Lucore Justin Maloof Christine McGrath Carolyn Milazzo Alan Neff Bob Nibarger Dick Osman Desire’ Osman Steve Paranto Karen Parrish Ray Pereyra Peter Phelps Audrey Phillips Jay Reddinger Ed Remen Diane Reynolds Kevin Richards Seymour Rifkin Nancy Robinson Dr. Allan Rosenthal Jeff Ross Chris Thomas Alice Tym Shirley Waterhouse 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. © 2017 2 TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 724.942.0940 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.