Pickleball Magazine 3-6 | Page 4

PUBLISHER’S PLAYBOOK U pon returning from the 2018 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships in Indian Wells, California, the best word I can think of to describe the experience is “AWESOME!” Not only was the 45-court venue (Indian Wells Tennis Garden) incredible from a spectator standpoint, it was also a memory to treasure as a player. Despite being the most highly competitive tournament in pickleball history, with 2,200 players from around the world, the camaraderie and true sportsmanship between the players was on display for tens of thousands of visitors. I witnessed 30 minute-blowout matches end in mutual smiles—and tough three-set losses end in shared hugs and tears. Pickleball is truly a sport of friendship and bonding equal to the world-class competition that is showcased. A perfect example of this exemplary sportsmanship—and one of my favorite moments at Nationals—occurred during the Mixed Doubles final match between Simone Jardim and Wes Gabrielsen against Sarah Ansboury and Tyson McGuffin. Wes and Simone felt there were two line call errors against their opponents. To rectify the situation, they intentionally served two balls into the bottom of the net to give the side-out back to their opponents. I’ve been around competitive sports for more than 35 years and I’ve never seen anything like that. But, that’s the pickleball community and there’s no other sport like it. There’s no shortage of 2018 National Championships coverage in this issue as well as news on the Hall of Fame, which recently inducted its second class of pickleball royalty. Much of the action from Indian Wells was broadcast live on ESPN3 where on-demand replays of the tournament are available through November of next year. On a personal note, I was bumped up to the men’s and mixed pro divisions and got a reality check. I experienced firsthand just how athletic the top players are and how much I need to improve. My wife, Lisa, did exceptionally well in the 5.0 doubles events and our youngest son, Tyler, held his own in men’s 3.5 singles. I was fortunate to play alongside him at the Parent/Child Round Robin – my favorite event of the tournament (Thank you, Kyle Klein and Christine Barksdale)! I find myself repeating this truth time and again—you’ll meet the nicest, most welcoming people through pickleball. Thank you USAPA and Margaritaville for an event I’ll cherish for years to come. See you on the courts! Wayne Dollard, Publisher Send Us Your Story Ideas! If you know someone in your pickleball community who is making a difference or has done something extraordinary, we’d love to hear from you! We’re also looking for interesting story ideas (little-known facts, history or other pickleball news). If you have suggestions, email us at [email protected]. 412.833.8805 (cell) | [email protected] | ThePickleballMag.com 2 2 TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 888.308.3720 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM TO SUBSCRIBE CALL 888.308.3720 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 EDITORIAL Tina Dollard [email protected] 724.942.0940 DESIGN Jan McEvoy CONTRIBUTORS Sarah Ansboury Jack Bandel Christine Barksdale Keith Bing Alex Hamner Deb Harrison Rusty Howes Mario Katarincic Craig Laughlin Don Locke Laurie Loney Jennifer Lucore Kelli McRobert Steve Paranto Philip Pickard Paul Porch Seymour Rifkind Alice Tym Andy Ventress Dollard Publishing Co., Inc. publishes six issues of Pickleball Magazine per year. Subscriptions are $24 per year. To subscribe, call 888.308.3720 or go to thepickleballmag.com. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR IN PART IS PROHIBITED. © 2018 Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.