Carson Spencer Wrote:

Jan
Could you add this to our Blog?

PICKLEBALL IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

Donnelly, Idaho: City Tennis/Pickleball Courts

High Way #55 into Donnelly

Outdoor Courts: 2 Public courts with NO FEES

Donnelly is a mountain resort community with beautiful scenery, a big lake(Cascade) and fun loving people.

Contact: Carson Spencer-USAPA Ambassador
email: cspencer2@earthlink.net
Cell: 208-866-8832

Barb Allen:Email:hailey83638@yahoo.com
Cell: 208-634-5301

Thanks
Carson R Spencer
USAPA-Ambassador Boise ID
Cell:208-866-8832

Carson Spencer Wrote:

INDOOR PICKLEBALL IN THE TREASURE VALLEY

HOMECOURT:TREASURE VALLEY FAMILY YMCA
936 West Taylor Street
Meridian ID. 83642

Scheduled Days & Times: Tuesdays & Thurdsdays:
12PM Noon (starting October 29th)
Sundays: 10AM (starting November 8th)

Fees:$5.30 per visit OR $22.50 per month.(approximately 12
play days per month into $22.50 =$1.88 per visit.
(What a deal!)

Contacts:BEN REED:Associate Branch Executive Director
email:ben.reed@ymcatvidaho.org
phone : 208-855-5711 Ext.805

Rhonda Bergersen: Sports Coordinator
email:rhonda.bergersen.@ymcatvidaho.org
phone: 208-855-5711 Ext.804

Thanks
Carson R Spencer
USAPA-Ambassador Boise ID
Cell:208-866-8832

Cudos!

Cudos to our Boise ambassador for his fine work promoting our game in the Boise area. Big things are afoot in Boise, but details must wait. Don't want to upset the work already done there. Great Job, Carson!

Pictures credits

I am remiss. I failed to give credit to our photographer of the senior games of Idaho and for other photo inputs to this blog. The lead picture of the blog and slide show are all his work. Great job, Mel Cup! Mel also was the photographer for the Tucson Senior games held at Voyager RV park. Mel and his wife Sandy are currently in Tucson for the winter. I am hoping to visit them at the tournament in Tucson on December 3rd, and/or January. Winter well, Mel & Sandy! Jan

Randy Welborn's Courts

Just a quick update. Carrie is having surgery as I type. Having a faulty gallbladder removed. So she will be out of commission for a couple of weeks. We are not going to set up regular times to play at our court during the winter. If you want to play, send me an email or give me a call. I will schedule if possible. If you have a group and want to use the court, just let me know. Hope everyone has a great holiday season. See ya, Randy

3 PM pickleball

Randy Welborn writes:

Hi to all,

We had someone show up to play almost every day. Remember, if you want to play email me so we are sure there is someone to play with. We are going to continue to try and play all week days at 3pm. Let me know if you want to play other times, and we will see what we can put together. see ya, Remember, tomorrow the court is available at 3pm as it is everyday during the week. If anyone is wanting to play shoot me an email so I know you will be here. Les, be sure and reply to this email so I know I have the right address. For those that don't know. My address is 765 E jamaica Crt, Meridian. In Meridian greens, directly across from caterpillar dealership on overland. see ya, Randy

Marie Galyean writer for the Statesman wrote in her column

• News > Life

Marie Galyean: Have you played the 'fastest growing sport' in the U.S.?

- Idaho Statesman

Published: 09/06/09 Idaho Pickleball

It's a game named for a dog. It combines badminton, tennis and ping-pong. And local folks ages 50 to 80 are having lots of fun and winning medals while they play it. It's called Pickleball, and its fans say it is sweeping the country.

Recently, Julie Patterson Brown, a former Nampa resident, was in town to visit old friends, and she dragged me, along with Gerry Boone and Linda Hoster, to see a Pickleball game at the tennis courts behind the Nampa Recreation Center.

I met Jan Johnson, the west Idaho Pickleball ambassador, who is an enthusiastic booster. Jan said the game is the "fastest growing sport in the United States," and even has its own "Olympics." Indeed, the Idaho Senior Games 2009 recently were in Boise, and Nampa-area Pickleball players Sandra Cope, David Lee and Gary O'Dell won gold medals; Gary Ward and Melvin Cope of Nampa and Gary Tanikuni of Middleton won bronze. (For a complete account of winners, see www.usapa.org, scroll down to completed tournaments and click on Idaho Senior Games.)

This lively game began in 1965 on the badminton court of Joel Pritchard, a U.S. congressman, on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound, Wash. He and friend Bill Bell, and later, Barney McCallum, invented the game to keep their teenagers busy.

They named it for Joel's cocker spaniel, Pickles, who kept snatching the Wiffle-type ball and hiding in the bushes.

Using wooden rackets shaped like ping-pong paddles, lowering the net to three feet as in tennis and mandating a no-volley zone, the game is more about finesse and strategy than power.

Want to play?

Drop by the tennis courts behind the Rec Center at 8 a.m. Monday and Wednesday, or weekdays inside the center. Jan says the players are eager to teach newcomers and will loan them equipment to see how they like the game.

For more details, call Jan Johnson at 442-0883 or 880-3787; or see www.idahopickleball.blogspot.com. You'll relish this dilly of a game.