Food Bank Items Most in Need
32 oz vegetarian or chicken broth
Uncle Ben’s or Tasty Bites microwave rice
Canned fruit (low sugar)
Hearty soups and stews
Hearty snacks (raisins, craisans, granola bars)
Toilet paper
Shaving supplies
Cash welcome, too

We know the pickleball community is a very giving group. In 2019 we donated more than 350 lbs. of food and necessities to the EChO Food Bank. This year we want to break our record. Bring your canned and boxed foodstuffs and toiletries Wednesday, Nov. 17 to The Wild Game, 4-7 pm. When you do you’ll be entered in our drawing for dozens of gifts and prizes. Plus, you’ll share holiday cheer with the friendliest people in Evergreen. RSVP now.

Welcome Jeri Herskovits and John Russell to the EPC Board of Directors

Filling two mid-term vacancies, Jeri and John were unanimously elected by the board on Oct. 6 at the quarterly board meeting. Jeri’s background in accounting adds to the board’s skill set, while John’s many years serving on school boards and HOAs brings operational experience. Both will serve through 2022, then can run for election to their full three-year term.

If you’re interested, or just really bored, you can read EPC’s bylaws. Or, catch up on minutes and agendas of previous board meetings.

Mark your calendar for the annul General Membership meeting, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 11:30 am at Wulf Rec Center. We’ll vote to elect three new board members filling expired terms for Al Buenning, Maureen Gehlhausen and Bonnie Lee. Plus, end-of-year reports and next year’s budget.

Changes Coming to Schedule at Wulf

After Thanksgiving the pickleball schedule at Wulf will bring back early morning start times by skill levels most days. No more three-hour Mixed play. Added to the schedule will be a Beginner/Social time on Sunday mornings and a Social/Intermediate time Saturdays mid-day. This gives dedicated times to the dozens of new players coming out of Sarah German’s Beginner and Next Steps classes, many of whom work and can’t play weekday mornings. Thanks to EPRD’s Brian Tucker, Recreation Manager, and Jeff Sweet, Recreation Supervisor - Athletics, for working with us to make pickleball as accessible as possible.

Watch for the new schedule here.

Let’s Review: The Underhand Serve - Keeping it Legal

With many new players on the courts we’re seeing a lot of illegal serves. An illegal serve is a fault and no different than a foot fault; or serving a ball into the net, short of the opponents’ kitchen line or out of bounds. Here’s what 2021 Official Rulebook says:

4.A. The Serve.
4.A.1. The entire score must be called before the ball is served.
4.A.2. The moment the ball is served:
4.A.2.a. At least one foot must be on the playing surface behind the baseline.
4.A.2.b. Neither of the server’s feet may touch the court on or inside the baseline.
4.A.2.c. Neither of the server’s feet may touch outside the imaginary extensions of the sideline or centerline.
4.A.3. The server’s arm must be moving in an upward arc at the time the ball is struck and may be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.
4.A.4. The highest point of the paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist (where the wrist joint bends) when it strikes the ball.
4.A.5. Contact with the ball must not be made above the waist.

Check out this video on these last three points: upward arc, paddle head below the wrist, and ball below the waist when hit.

Here’s what we’ve been seeing on the courts:

Legal serve: ball is below the belly button, paddle head is below the wrist, paddle is in upward arc

Illegal serve: Paddle is sidearm, no upward arc

For some experienced players who chose to ignore the rules the argument is, who cares?: we’re not playing in a tournament, points aren’t often scored on the serve and it doesn’t matter, anyway.

But it does matter. If we can ignore rules of service, which ones are ignored and which aren’t? By how much? If I can serve it above my waist, why not above my chest or shoulders? Why not overhand? If I don’t have to hit up on the ball why can’t I hit down on it like tennis players? Why not ignore foot faults? If I can step on the baseline a little why can’t I step on it a lot? Or completely over it? If we ignore any of the rules what replaces them? Anything goes?

Rules are intended to bring consistency to the game, fair play, universal understanding of how to play. It prevents subjective rule making, arguments over what’s allowed and what isn’t, and disadvantages for those who choose to play by the rules.

Knowing and playing by the rules are what good players do.

Of course, it you want to hit the ball any way at all, use the drop serve. None of the three rules apply to the drop serve. But that’s a rule, too.

Holiday Gala to Benefit EChO Food Bank

EPC Holiday Gala Postponed Due to Rising COVID Cases

RSVP Now for 2021 EPC Holiday Gala Nov. 17