SPORTS LAWN BOWLING • TENNIS • GOLF • SOFTBALL• PICKLEBALL & MORE!
PICKLEBALL
By Paula Lickfeldt What do you get when you combine badminton, tennis, ping pong, and a gregarious cocker spaniel? These are the ingredients for a sport known as pickleball. Pickleball is a sport where two, three or four players use paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball, similar to a whiffle ball, over a net. How did the game of pickleball come to be? In 1965, after playing golf, Joel Prichard, congressman from Washington State and friend Bill Bell returned home to find a group of bored children “with nothing to do.” The property had a badminton court, but Prichard could not find the badminton equipment. As creative fathers, Joel and Bill improvised. They used ping pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. As the rules began to develop, the men kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game the whole family could play together. Although some sources claim the name “Pickleball” was derived from the
Womens Ladder
Sun City Center Pickleball Club League Play
By Bernadette Cole, Secretary The winners of the Women’s Ladder League are Evelyn Neste, Sheri Hurley and Jane Carroll. The winners of the Intermediate Ladder League are Richard Scott, Alan Wise and Kevin Burke and the winners of the Beginner Ladder League are Janye Carroll, Diana Connell and Terrie McNamara. The PBC members congratulate all the winners, you played GREAT! The Sun City Center Pickleball Club has more than 200 members. There are four courts available for play and they are located behind the South Campus Community Hall. The Club hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday for Club Members. Leagues usually start at 11 a.m. and last about two hours. Any CA Member who has their own equipment may play anytime on Saturday and Sunday and between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekdays when leagues are not in play. The Club conducts Beginner Lessons every Tuesday at 1 p.m. These lessons are open to all CA Members at no charge and equipment is provided. There is also Open Play For Beginners on Thursdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. There is a PBC member there to offer assistance and this is a good time to get play time in with others of your own level. If you would like more information about our club go to www.pickleball.suncitycenter.org . Pritchard’s family dog, Pickles, other sources state the claim is false and the name came from the term “pickle boat” referring to the last boat to return with its catch.
The sport of pickleball came to life on the South Campus of the Sun City Center Community Association in December of 2001. Don Van Gelder of the SCC Association joint
programs office and Walter Cawein past president of the SCC Community Association, visited pickleball courts at The Villages near Ocala, Florida. They were considering new facilities for SCC. With enthusiastic support of the local residents, construction of two pickleball courts and a combination pickleballvolleyball court began in June of 2001. The first informational meeting of the SCC Pickleball Club was held in August of 2001 and organizational meetings followed. The first officers were elected in November of 2001, with Ron Hammaker serving as the first SCC Pickleball Club President. The courts were completed in December of 2001, and the first players hit the courts immediately. The Sun City Center Pickleball Club has more than 200 members. There are four courts available for play. They are located just south of South Campus Community Hall. The SCC Pickleball Club conducts beginner lessons every Thursday at 1 p.m. year round, weather permitting. Go to the pickleball court with your CA membership card and a club member will be there to get you started. These lessons are open to all at no charge and equipment is provided. If you would like more information about the club or court use, please visit the website at www.pickleball. suncitycenter.org.
See Pickleball on page 29.
Winter Softball Session
SOFTBALL By Kim Roush The winter softball session is over with an exciting ending. The top four teams out of the ten teams that went to the playoffs were: Shan Hise Cardinals with a 9-0 winning session, Dave Chordas Gators were second with a 7-2 record, Gary Kennelly’s Old Limpians were 6-3 and Paul Libbey’s Tigers were 6-3, but, since the Old Limpians beat the Tigers in the regular season, they were in third place. Shan Hise’s team played great the entire session. They always came back if they were down runs in the later innings. They were the team to beat in the playoffs. The playoffs were on a chilly Friday February 13. The first game was between Dave Chordas
second place team and Gary Kennelly’s third place team. Dave’s team had a couple bad innings and the bats were not working this day and ended up losing 17-6. The second game played was the number one team Shan Hise’s Cardinals and Paul Libbey’s fourth place team the Tigers. This game went back and forth each inning until the final inning where Shan’s team won in the bottom of the seventh with a final score of 13 - 12. The final game came down to Shan’s Cardinals and Gary’s Old Limpians. Both teams played great! Shan’s team ran out of gas in the last couple of innings. The Old Limpians came through and beat the Cardinals 12 - 7. Congratulations Old Limpians! The summer session has started but, if you are interested in playing please go to our website suncitycentersoftball. org. We play on Tuesday’s and Friday’s from 9 to 4:30 and Monday’s practice anyone can play starting at 9. The summer session starts in April. Also, the Diamondettes serve hot dogs and hamburgers every Friday at the field on Weatherford Drive.
L to R front row then back row: Shise Picture: Chuck Boulanger, Russ Doerr, Steve Perkins, Joe Volpe, Rick Pennick, Clyde Hancock Ed Maslyk, Steve Williams, Vince Myers , Shane Hise, Don Neste , Karen Sellers, Dave Poland.
Good Showing At Gulf Coast Senior Games
On February 19, 2015, ten members of the John Donnelly Table Tennis Club of Sun City Center played singles, doubles and mixed doubles in the Gulf Coast Senior Games held in Sarasota. Many medals were won by all.
L to R: Dave Bladen, Rick Fortier, Dale Saraniti, Tara Profitt (sitting), Barry Chernock, Judy Lamb, Jan Cline, Joe Cincotta, Bob Johnson, Audrey Columbia.
Gary Mckeehan, Gary Kennelly, Jim Flemming, Dave Norquist, John Sauber Tom Mackar, John Barrios, Jerry Powers, Mike Hollar, Steve Torres, Wes Stocket.