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Back by Popular Demand
Pickleball Returns
to NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo
T
he 26th annual NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo at
the Walter E. Washington Convention Center
in Washington, DC, attracted more than 70,000
attendees and 250 exhibitors. The two pickleball
courts attracted curious onlookers as well as many attendees
who picked up a paddle and took a few strokes, including the
four Washington Nationals (baseball) Racing Presidents, the
NBC4 Peacock and NBC news anchor Doreen Gentzler.
Scott Keenum and Helen White, USAPA District
Ambassadors, oversaw the pickleball activities along with
13 local USAPA Ambassadors and more than 45 pickleball
players from the greater Washington, DC, region. They gave
brief clinics and played demo games during the expo. The
exhibition was a sanctioned USAPA event and was supported
by Gamma Pickleball.
Visitors to the 2019 NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo, the
largest free consumer wellness event in the country, saw
the 80/20 Rule in action. Generally that principle is a helpful
concept for understanding life events, where 80 percent of the
activity comes from 20 percent of the people. On the two expo
pickleball courts there was a unique twist on that definition.
Mixed doubles teams competed in the first match of an
Racing Presidents and the NBC4 Peacock along with Andy Leighton,
USAPA District Ambassador Helen White, Jackie Bradford, NBC4
News Anchor Doreen Gentzler, and USAPA District Ambassador
Scott Keenum.
80/20 doubleheader. All four players (Betty de la Cruz, Donna
Leonard, John Tremaine and Ron Grill) were more than
80 years of age and play the sport of pickleball regularly
to have fun and stay in shape. Later, four 20-somethings,
Josh Jenkins, Jim “Jimbo” Peterson, Jen Sampsell and
last-minute substitute Helen White, brought their “youthful”
games. Same rules, identical court, but at a somewhat faster
pace.
Simply put, pickleball can be played by people of all ages
and abilities. You could say it’s the sport’s 80/20 principle.
But don’t mention that to individuals outside that age range,
because they can—and do—play pickleball as well.
BATTLE OF THE PADDLE Helps Local Phoenix Schools Grow the Game
T
he fourth annual Battle of the Paddle tournament was
recently played at the brand-new public courts at Pecos
Park in Phoenix. Based on the
overall success of the previous
three events, the City of Phoenix
was convinced this area would
be an ideal home to 16 dedicated
pickleball courts that would be
open for public play.
The park, part
of the Pecos
Community Center,
boasts more than
38,000 square feet of space and a wide range of sports,
including a skate park, swimming pool, dog park and several
16
athletic fields. The pickleball courts may be the most popular
feature of this beautiful park.
The Battle of the Paddle tournament, which originally
started as a local club event with about 40 participants, has
now grown into an immensely popular event—reflected
by the turnout of 350 registered players for the latest
tournament.
The Battle of the Paddle has been hosted by the Pecos
Pickleball Club and, in 2018, the members decided to make
the event a charitable one, designating 30 percent of all
proceeds to the SW Regional Educational Initiative started by
the SW Regional Ambassador of Education, Steve Manolis.
Additionally, word went out that local schools were in need
of pickleball paddles, balls and nets for kids to learn the
game. The event collected two dozen paddles and donated
the balls used during the event to schools in the Phoenix area.
The Battle of the Paddle also received $500 in cash donations
and nearly $2,000 in products from several pickleball
manufacturers. •
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