By David & Nancy Jordan, USAPA Board Members

As we travel around the country and meet all the wonderful people that play pickleball, the question that is often asked is "Why should I belong to the USAPA? I don't play tournaments."

There is no single answer to the question because for every person there may be a different reason to belong.  Our first response is that it allows for the promotion and growth of the sport.  Without your membership dollars there would be no USAPA, thus no organization to manage the game's integrity.

The USAPA and its Board (all volunteers) have been responsible for the development of a consistent set of rules, the establishment of a National Tournament, management of a grant program that puts up to $20,000 dollars a year back into the development of new pickleball venues all across the country, the development of a simple portable net system that has supported the growth of pickleball so it can be played just about anywhere, monitoring the development of equipment so the game does not change in its simplicity and keeping you informed of activities all around the country and the world via this e-newsletter.   These are just a few of the Board's responsibilities and the use of membership dollars.

On average, each of your Board members puts in around 20+ hours a week.   Why do we do it?   It is simple.  We all love the game that helps keep us feeling younger, in better physical shape, and provides the ability to socialize with the best sports family there is.   Without your membership dues none of this could be possible.

For you personally, what is in it for you?   You would have to answer that for yourself.   This is the way one of our newest board members, Treasurer Dan Ellsworth, put it.  After being a member of the (volunteer) Board of Directors for about 10 months, he said "it gives me a better perspective on the number of regional volunteers this Board coordinates as well as the other benefits of promoting the sport.   Without the Board's coordination (and membership fees pay for testing paddles, testing balls, funding grants, tournament insurance, supporting promotional events, business cards/banners for ambassadors, etc.), our volunteer base would dissolve.   Without the volunteer base, this sport would not have any momentum.  Nor would you have the ability to look up an area that you are traveling to/through and meet up with some great folks and play pickleball.  Not only play pickleball, but play to the same rulebook throughout the organized countries (this effort alone took several hundreds of volunteer hours!).  All of that (and much more!) is built with a membership base."

Sure, there are other benefits to being a member beside those listed above --- like a great T-shirt, discounts at Motel 6, free membership into Working Advantage Discount Network (a discount on-line shopping network), secondary insurance at tournaments if you get hurt, and discounts at some tournaments.  As we grow and work toward obtaining a national pickleball sponsor, you will see additional benefits added to this list.

If you are like us and love to meet new people and play a great sport, then encourage your fellow players to support the development of pickleball by joining the USAPA.   What a great Christmas gift.

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