PICKLEBALL AT THE 2007 SUMMER NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES

A DEMONSTRATION SPORT

Final Wrap-up Tuesday, July 10, 2007

David teaching new players, l-r; Henry Harrington & Phillip Godfrey both from Louisiana.

David (L) & Marty Burns (R) – Marty stopped by between his badminton matches to help teach new players for the 5 days he was there.

Although, the last two days of the USAPA Pickleball booth experienced a major drop off in attendance, it still attracts new players and some returnees. David continues to give new lessons and estimates that he has instructed 85% of the new players with Marty Burns from Oregon, Carl Mullins from Kingsport, TN, and Pete Petrey from Louisville, KY making up the other 15 %.

With the slowed down pace, David packs up the borrowed tournament set to return to Crestwood Baptist Church, and the two Pickleball courts become only one again. As the demand starts to subside, Nancy begins tallying up the attendance for the 18 days and finds that 1581 people have played on these courts with 641 being new and 940 coming back for 1 or more games or additional lessons.

Nancy estimates that she has handed out over 3000 pieces of USAPA information and talked to over 2000 people while David has done most of the instructing. Together, they have given out over 60 of the new DVDs to promote Pickleball.

People from all over the country have visited the USAPA Pickleball booth and are now taking Pickleball back to their home states. “We have had people from 46 of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. visit our booth and express desire to have it in their senior games and their communities,” Nancy states.

David and Nancy would like to personally thank all the visitors, players, and especially the volunteers who helped the USAPA put on this 18 day event. They would also like to thank the Pro-Lite Paddle Company for the use of 5 paddles and Pickleball Stuff for providing 2 dozen Jugs Bulldog balls to use. Nancy says, “We could not have made it with just my personal equipment and the 1 dozen pickleballs that I had on hand, especially after we went to two courts.”

“It has been an exciting part of our summer to be here in Louisville and help with this great project,” David and Nancy strongly agree. “We are already getting some feedback from people in the Louisville area that have gone home and striped their backyard tennis courts for a 4th of July family reunion Pickleball party that involved over 20 people,” adds Nancy.

David and Nancy would love to hear from more of the people that they have met and introduced Pickleball to. They can be reached through the web site at www.usapa.org. David adds, “I would like everyone to know that we are already in discussions on how Pickleball can be added to the future National Senior Games.”

The doors are now closed, the medals have all been awarded, and the athletes have returned to their homes with fond memories. The Louisville, KY National Senior Games of 2007 are now over and it has been an inspirational time in the lives of over 12,000 senior athletes and their families and friends.

As David and Nancy look back over the 18 days in Louisville, many things stand out about this experience, but one comment they heard reflects just a little more of what Pickleball is all about.

An 84 year old gentleman was leaving the courts after playing and stopped to say, “You made my day because you let me play Pickleball!”

David and Nancy would like everyone to join them as members of the USAPA and help make other people’s day too!

July 9, 2007 submitted by Nancy and David Jordan