Pickleball Novelette - 2/18/2010

We had another nice today. Bright, @ >46 degrees and some gusty winds just to make things interesting. Seven players were present including Anne (Pit Bull) who recently returned from a trip to the great state of Vermont. Present: Anne, Sharon, Johnny, Ralph, Bob H, Gary no-nick-name, and yon novelist and occasional sayer of truthful utterances.

Photo above: Sharon lashes a serve while Johnny prepares for the return that never arrives.

Pit Bull serves as Johnny everywhere looks on. Anne was trying to wing the photographer. Missed by a few inches.

Gary no-nick-name took on the awesome responsibility of serving as assistant to the assistant Upstate Pickleball Group photographer, twice removed. It's a temporary position and that's a good thing. He took 35 pictures including the 1st & 3rd above. These photos are included here because they are the only 2 of the 35 that include a little yellow ball.

We had several hard-fought games and a bunch of great shots. Thank Goodness Bob H was present to help us keep track of the scores and servers.

Looks like we will not be playing P'ball next week. Here's hoping the courts don't sprout grass in our absence. We'll be back in action the week starting March 1 (which is right after February 29 or 30th.

Ron

PICKLEBALL JOURNAL - 2/17/2010

We had a swell day of Pickleball with 5 players present: Steve, Sharon, Jan, this bull-thrower and a new player: Avis. The weather was kind to us. The temperature was just under 46 degrees, mostly sunny with some squirrelly winds. This was Avis's first time at P'ball, but she is an avid tennis player, so had no problem catching onto the game. Good thing too, because we put her right into the first game after a short warm-up and she played three in a row before we let her off the hook.

Sorry, no photos today. Will try to do better tomorrow when we will be playing again at 1:00PM.


Spike

PICKLEBALL REPORT - 2/08/2010

Above: Carol smoking another net shot.

Below: Johnny about to pounce on a low drive.

Eight players showed up for Pickleball today including Johnny and Carol. We thought they had been soaking up the sun and taking life easy in Florida for the last month, but it turns out that they spent a lot of time playing P'ball - 3 & 4 times a week! And it showed in their playing. It didn't take long for them to get into the game - especially at the net.

Players in action: Jan, Mike, Ralph, Johnnie, Carol, Bob H, John & Ron

We had many fine matches highlighted by a lot hard-fought net volleys. This rapid-fire action - up close and personal - took its toll on at least three players who took direct hits. The players, by a stroke of luck - suffered only minor flesh wounds and are expected to fully recover in a week or so.

In the mean time Upstate P'ballers are taking the rest of this week off. We will be back in action the week starting Feb 14ht. Better not forget that date!

Spike

P'Ball Report - February 4, 2010

What a difference a day and a 20 degree drop in temperature makes. The photo above was taken on 2/3/10 at 3:00PM while the photo below was taken on 2/4/10 at 2:00PM. An astute observer will note some interesting differences in these photos. The biggest difference is the paucity of players and cars in the parking lot. The next thing is the difference in attire. And, of course there are shadows in the top photo.

In the photo above Spike is eyeing his timepiece while Cupcake looks toward the park entrance for the arrival of players who might be on the tardy side. But, alas, no one showed. But, fear not. We played 'pepper' (playing close to the net - short shots back and forth). It took some doing and several attempts, but we finally managed a 25-shot rally. We played doubles (both on the same team) and won every game by consecutive 11-0 scores. Surely some kind of record. We then played singles by utlilizing only diagonal courts with each having one serve. This turned out to be a good workout.

Hoping the weather will cooperate next week.

Spike

OFFICIAL P'BALL REPORT - 2/03/2010

OK. This is the way it was. First off, John didn't show up, even though he specifically said he wouldn't be there! So, we fumbled around drying the court and doing a pathetic job of it without his leadership skills. Six of us were present so we didn't occupy both courts even though we swabbed both. Four began to play. A tennis player arrives and starts playing against the backboard. Our 7th player arrives. Seven against 1. He practices his serves. Hits a few balls over the fence. Finally quits. We take over the other court. Players present: Jan, Bob H, Steve, Catherine, Sharon, Spidy and Spike. We have many fine games in sensational weather. We played doubles on one court and Canadian Doubles on the other. Spidy and Spike played four singles matches using the full doubles courts. There was only one winner of the four matches His nickname startes with an 'S', but - sorry to say - it ends with an 'e'. But, if your going to lose hard-fought games - singles is a good way to do it!






Catherine, adorned in her lucky tie-dyed T-shirt, finishes off a powerful forehand stroke. She filled in as assistant to the unofficial photographer 2nd class, twice removed.






Above: Bob H smashes a backhander.

Jan and Spike race-walking.

Stevie Wonder looking suave.

Weather is moving in again for the weekend, so we will play again on Thursday, Feb 4th.

Spike