The First Annual Pickleball Event Of The Heartland Games -  “A Smashing Success”

The Heartland Senior Games introduced Pickleball to their schedule of events for the first time at the Tanglewood courts, Sebring, Florida on Friday, March 7, 2008.  Pickleball competition was the single largest event in The Heartland Games this year. 

Thanks to Chuck Pedrey, from Lake Placid, for his efforts in organizing and scheduling the day, and to Rebecca Rousch of South Florida College for including pickleball in this year’s Senior Games.

Fifty-five competitors battled gale force winds playing for gold.  We congratulate all the winners:

Ladies Doubles

            55 – 59                        Gold                 Judy Goldberg and Barbara McKinney

                                                Silver              Gloria Bryan and Irene Miller

                                                Bronze             Deedy Hennis and Barbara Johnson

60-64                           Gold                 Kathy Hughes and Sally Michalski

                                                Silver                Joann Bath and Linda Kramer

                                                Bronze             Mary Ann Axtel and Gail Brown

Men’s Doubles

            55 – 59                        Gold                 Richard Donald and Stan Michalski      

Silver                Dean and Johnnie McKinney

Bronze             Earl Claypool and Bruce Whitehead

            60 – 64                        Gold                 Al Goldberg and Dean McKinney

                                                Silver                Bob Hughes and Robert Shirley

                                                Bronze             Dennis Johnson and Travis Weaver

            65 – 69                        Gold                 Charles Kuehn and Jim Maynard

                                                Silver                Lowell Bath and Bob Stackhouse

            70 – 74                        Gold                 Bill Phillips and Marvin Strope

                                                Silver                Arthur Arvey and Clayton Farrar

Bronze             Larry Anacker and Patrick Hotchkiss

Mixed Doubles

            55 – 59                        Gold                 Irene Miller and Tim Poplanski

Silver                Barbara and Johnnie McKinney

Bronze             Donna and Richard Donald

            60 - 64                         Gold                 Judy and Al Goldberg

                                                Silver                Linda Kramer and Neal Nightingale

                                                Bronze             Barbara and Dennis Johnson

            65 – 69                        Gold                 Gloria Saltes and Jim Maynard

                                                Silver                Sally and Stan Michalski

                                                Bronze             Mary Ann Axtel and Bob Stackhouse

Mens Singles

            50 –54                         Gold                 Earl Claypool

                                                Silver                Bruce Whitehead

            60 – 64                        Gold                 Bob Hughes

                                                Silver                Chuck Pedrey

            65 - 69                         Gold                 Tim Poplawski

                                                Silver                Stan Michalski

Ladies Singles

65 –69                         Gold                 Irene Mueller

                                                Silver                Gloria Bryan

Submitted by:

Wayne Roswell

Ambassador, USAPA, Sebring, FL.