2020 USA PICKLEBALL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Phil Mortenson
VICE CHAIRMAN
Laura Patterson
TREASURER
Joe Santoro
AT-LARGE BOARD MEMBERS
AMBASSADORS
Suzanne Guerin
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS &
MARKETING
Stacie Townsend
MARKETING
Bob Franceschelli
MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
Robert Quicksilver
RECREATION & WELLNESS
Ernie Medina
STRATEGIC PLANNING
Philip Bullen
STAFF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Justin Maloof
MANAGING DIRECTOR
OF COMPETITION
Karen Parrish
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
George Bauernfeind
DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
Linda Gartlan
DIRECTOR OF RECREATIONAL
PROGRAMS
Hope Tolley
DIRECTOR OF OFFICIATING
Mark Peifer
DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES
Nikki Greene
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Dan Ellsworth
DIRECTOR OF AMBASSADORS
Claudia Fontana
DIRECTOR OF EQUIPMENT
STANDARDS
Carl Schmits
DIRECTOR OF EQUIPMENT
COMPLIANCE
Donn Paben
BRAND NEW
By Phil Mortenson
USA PICKLEBALL CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
CHAIRMAN OF THE
BOARD MESSAGE
This edition of Pickleball Magazine features articles on the unveiling
of USAPA’s rebranding and new website. We have refreshed our logo,
which had been with us since shortly after the birth of the USAPA in
2005. We’ve also redesigned our website to make it more user friendly
to our 1 million visitors each year, and we expanded its capabilities and
offerings. To celebrate our new brand with a bit of whimsy, I’ve written the following
limerick in its honor:
The launch of our pickleball brand
Was ready to go as we planned.
We hope you enjoy it,
And learn to employ it,
To keep this sport thriving and grand.
On a completely different subject, I’d like to say a few words about “finesse.”
Although it is not a term usually associated with a sport, finesse is deeply embedded
in the DNA of pickleball. As players started converting to pickleball from hard-hitting
sports like tennis and racquetball in the 1980s and 1990s, they realized through trial
and error that harder and faster is not necessarily better and usually doesn’t result in
a winning strategy. The emerging competitive players kept their return shots at a level
beneath the top of the net whenever possible with dinks and drop shots and then
waited patiently for the opportune lifted return to put the ball away. As this sport
matures, USA Pickleball intends to preserve this application of finesse to pickleball
play—adroit, patient and artful shot management as a fundamental element.
Each day, newspapers and news reports on television lead off with reports on
the coronavirus. Some discussion of how we react to the pandemic is therefore
warranted. The challenge for sports organizations like ours is that too many choices
are beyond the control of anyone. Instead, we are controlled by, and at the mercy of,
advancing infection rates in most states at the writing of this article. Athletes of all
ages are still vulnerable—more so than a month or two ago.
While we still are experiencing public closures, many locations throughout the U.S.
are emerging from this collective state of suspended animation by implementing
different measures on differing timetables. Consequently, in early July, USAPA revised
its comprehensive Return to Sanctioned Play Guidelines. Please take time to read
the guidelines. They identify a set of protocols that we anticipate will minimize the
chances of infection for pickleball athletes as play resumes.
This organization remains focused on providing the best service to its members.
We are listening to your suggestions and constantly working on streamlining
our recreational and tournament offerings to produce exceptional results to
members.” •
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 9