Get Your Registration for EPC Dinkeroo Now
Just a few days left to register for the Fall Dinkeroo, Wednesday, Sept. 14, 8 am at Marshdale. You don’t need a partner and anyone can dink. Right!
Dinkeroo is a fun, friendly, competitive tournament open to EPC members of all skill levels. Groups of eight will play a round robin based on dinking. Every shot, including the serve, is from the No Volley Zone, or the kitchen line. The ball must bounce before you hit it and it must land in the opponent’s kitchen.
Watch how the game is played.
$10 registration fee for EPC members. If you haven’t paid your 2022 dues, add your EPC membership as you register for the tournament.
Canyon Courier: Pickleball Club Hopes for More Courts (Online Edition Aug. 25)
“The Evergreen Pickleball Club hopes the Evergreen Park & Recreation District board will keep the growing sport in mind as it embarks on a strategic plan.
“Club President Bob Taber explained at the Aug. 23 EPRD board meeting that the club now has about 240 members after the sport was introduced to Evergreen in 2011. Outdoor courts are in Marshdale Park and at Evergreen Middle School when school is not in session, and indoor courts are at Wulf Recreation Center.
“Taber said more than half of members live south of downtown Evergreen, and he advocated for more indoor courts on the south side of town. He noted that if EPRD had competitive pickleball courts, it could host tournaments that would bring more money to the district and visitors to Evergreen.”
EPC proposed to EPRD Board an expanded 8-court facility at Marshdale to host regional tournaments.
Keep Your Eye on the Ball - Like a (Red-Tailed) Hawk
Players at Marshdale had a spectacular spectator last week. Leanor Lessard and Tamra Hall were able to capture these shots of a roosting red-tailed hawk.
2023 Proposed Rule Changes as Reported by Pickleball Effect in The Dink Newsletter
“Ah yes, it seems to be that time of year. The time where we collectively lose our minds over proposed rule changes.
This year, as with every year, there are some interesting ones:”
Tip of the Week from Hiwan Pro Tom Karas: Tips from the Summit
The 2022 Pickelball Summit took place at the end of June, and it was the largest gathering of pickleball professionals anywhere in the world. There was so much information shared and we have noted just a few of the tips below.
YOU WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR TECHNIQUE THROUGH PLAY ALONE.
Simply put, you don’t get enough repetitions to change things.
Many players get caught up in watching You Tube videos of top players thinking that they will learn tips to improve. The problem is that all that information will not change your pickleball game. It may give you insight to help find some errors in your game, but it will not help you correct those errors.
The bottom line is practice and repetition is what it will take to correct your errors and improve your game. This is best accomplished by drilling, as difficult shots become automatic in game play when you practice them.
2. FUNDAMENTALS ARE NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS.
Players often interpret the term fundamentals as something for “beginners”. The professional presenters at the Summit agreed that fundamentals are what drives their success.
There are players who hit amazing shots, but these are not the players who win the most. Instead, it is the players who are the best at fundamentals including, watching the ball, not hitting into the net, successful third shot drops, no missed dinks, eliminating unforced errors etc. These skills are difficult to perfect, and they take practice, practice, practice!
The more you focus on your fundamentals, the better you will play pickleball. Period.
3. THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL FOCUS
In other words, create an awareness of your mindset on the courts.
How often do we lose focus on the court? Our mind gets pulled in a direction other than the next shot we have to hit. It’s easy to lose focus by thinking of the last shot that you missed, the last game you lost or something that upset you before getting to the courts. Sometimes the game moves so fast that you just get caught up in reacting without being cognitively aware of what shot you should be hitting.
Mental focus is key in any sport and the exciting thing about the mental part of the sport is that it has unintended benefits.
Improved performance is not simply a result of improved technique. It’s also a result of your mental focus….Change your mindset - change your game!