Pickleball Magazine 4-6 WD | Page 8

PUBLISHER’S PLAYBOOK B ehind the fun and exhilarating sport we love are those behind the scenes who work hard every day to keep things running smoothly. One of those special people is USAPA Board President Jack Thomas, whose term expires this year. Jack has had a regular column in Pickleball Magazine from the start, and has been a pleasure to work with in every aspect. He’s not only been an ambassador for the sport, but an excellent leader, lending his time, talent and treasure to furthering the spread of pickleball throughout the country. Jack jumped into pickleball with both feet and took on more and more responsibility, becoming a formal ambassador, then a board member, then president of the board. Starting next year, the board will be shifting to an at-large member structure, eliminating officers except for the obligatory treasurer’s position needed to sign checks. That means Jack will be the last USAPA president, which in itself is an honor. But he’ll also be the first to tell you that there’s no “I” in TEAM, and that his tenure has been one of working with a group of talented board members who all pull together to make pickleball what it is for those of us who play. Young at heart, Jack’s been retired for several years, and has put off many things people can’t wait to do when they retire. Travel, spending time with his extended family and playing as much pickleball as he’d like are things he’s postponed in order to help grow the sport in the full-time volunteer position. All of the board members make similar sacrifices for the sport, and those efforts should be appreciated by each of us. If you see them on the courts, or working behind the scenes, be sure to thank them for all they do, because it really is a labor of love. Jack had a simple and effective sign-off to his column that applies to pickleball as much as life. In his honor, I’m going to borrow it for this column as well. Stay safe and HAVE FUN! Wayne Dollard Publisher LO O K F O R O UR SPECIAL EDITION S NATIONAL ISSUE BER! IN M ID-D EC EM 6 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 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Julie Talerico [email protected] ART DIRECTOR Michael Miller COVER DESIGN Jan McEvoy SALES MANAGER Tina Dollard CONTRIBUTORS Ken Aiken Sarah Ansboury Jack Bandel Mark Berton Brandi Givens Nicky Golowich Alex Hamner Robin Haney Craig Laughlin Jennifer Lucore Ernie Medina Bob Nibarger Noe Sariban Alice Tym Bob Unetich Drew Wathey Lee Whitwell 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. © 2019 Please recycle this magazine when you are through enjoying it.