MaryBeth and Bob DeMatteo! The SunBird Pickleball Club was delighted to welcome our snowbirds MaryBeth and Bob DeMatteo during their recent stop in our community! The couple joined players on the courts to enjoy a few games and take in the beautiful Arizona weather. Their visit was a wonderful reminder of how pickleball brings people…
David Zapatka Let the bad ones go bad. This is a skill we all need to learn to improve our game. How can we become more aware of balls that are traveling out of bounds? Any shot by the opponent that lands out of bounds ends in a winning rally for your side. Don’t give…
David Zapatka We’ve all heard the saying, “Pickleball is won at the net.” What does this mean? Honing your skills around the non-volley zone (kitchen) can improve your play and results. Here are a few key points: 1. It all starts with hitting a deep serve, putting the opponents in a position where it’s tougher…
Sharlene Jerome SunBird Tennis Club President and pickleball member J.D. Stephenson proposed an interesting and extremely engaging opportunity: a joint social between the clubs. The Pickleball Club was as into it as the Tennis Club. So, on Feb. 15 a joint, very symbiotic social was held. Pickleballers were encouraged to try tennis, and the Tennis…
David Zapatka The Australian Open Tennis Championships, known as the “Happy Slam,” made history this year when it hosted the Australian Open Pickleball Championships in tandem with their famous tennis tournament on finals weekend, January 24-26. Tennis court #3 was transformed into center court for the pickleball championships. $100,000 in prize money was offered. The…
Lance Williams, Executive Director Residents of SunBird, As the Executive Director of a senior living community, I have the privilege of witnessing firsthand how recreational activities like pickleball, golf, and structured fitness programs transform the lives of our residents. While senior living communities are often associated with comfort and care, they are equally places of…
David Zapatka The lob is alive and well. Watch any of the stronger players and you’ll see they all use the lob as a weapon. Why do lobs work? They catch the opponents off guard. Many opponents don’t deal well with the unexpected lob. They sometimes panic or don’t use proper footwork to get to…
David Zapatka The No. 1 priority is to always remember you are on the same team. Do everything possible to help your partner, support your partner, and encourage your partner. Words and body language are powerful. They both have meaning and influence on you and your partner. Your energy is real. Partner cannot only hear…
Are you wondering about the future of pickleball as a summer Olympic event? As of now, pickleball is not an official Olympic sport. However, the sport has been growing rapidly in popularity, and there are efforts to promote its inclusion in the Olympics in the future. For a sport to be included in the Olympic…
David Zapatka Consider these targets when hitting the 4th shot. 1. Hit to the opponent who is furthest back in the court. This will keep your opponents on defense. 2. Hit to the middle. The middle often causes confusion between the opponents. 3. Hit to your opponents’ feet. This is always an excellent target. It…