The Charlotte Dilly News

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1 The Charlotte Dilly News April 2019 All Things Pickleball in the Greater Charlotte Area Happy Easter and Passover Pickleball Named U.S. National Sport? April Fool!...but it is National Pickleball Month

2 Invite a Friend to Play!

3 Pickleball Briefs by Jim Shortz In This Issue of the Charlotte Dilly News Dr. Dink calls out Ron G. Score... In Relish This: > Unforced Errors > Felony Pickleball... In Events: > OpenStreets704 > Open Play at Elon Rec Center > Meck Parks & Rec Specialists learn pickleball > PB101 at Providence CC > Volunteers Wanted: Powerade... MVP: The Tie-Dye Lady Allison Morris... Dinkerbell's Thought for the Month & Blast from the Past... In Leagues: (a new section!) > Meck Parks & Rec League > Boyd Hill Rec Center Ladder League... In Clinics: > Beginner & Intermediate Clinics at CCIT > Pickleball Boot Camp at Beech Mtn Club... In Tournaments: > Camden United We Serve - Apr 5-7 > Charlotte Queen City Open - Apr > Statesville CC Blind Round Robin - Apr 13

> Mt. Gilead & Troy Volley for Vision - May 4 > Charlotte Powerade - June 7-9 > Asheville Land of the Sky - May 17-19 > Mt. Airy Mayberry Tournament- July 12-14... and many more.

4 > Mt. Gilead & Troy Volley for Vision - May 4 > Charlotte Powerade - June 7-9 > Asheville Land of the Sky - May > Mt. Airy Mayberry Tournament- July and many more... In Places to Play: > North Meck/South Iredell Schedule > April Schedules for Carolina Courts > Marion Diehl shutdown delayed to May 1st Dear Dr. Dink Wrong Score Called Dear Dr. Dink, I was playing 4.0 Mixed Doubles at the March Madness tournament in Concord last month when I had a very unpleasant experience. We were locked in a tight opportunity bracket match without a referee and our opponents were serving. The server called the score incorrectly (they said when it was 6-5-2) and served the ball. My partner returned the serve and hit the ball out of bounds. While the ball was in the air, I stuck my hand up to appeal and weakly muttered the correct score. I claimed that it should have been a fault on the serving team for calling the wrong score. Was I right? Indignantly Yours,

5 Ron G. Score Dear Ron, I m not quite sure why you raised your hand: Were you waving at the crowd? Calling for an Uber? Asking for the check on date night at Chik-fil- A? You said you were appealing. To whom were you appealing if there was no referee? I know reading and understanding the rules can be a real bother, but if you want to play in tournaments you really ought to do that. There was a rule waaay back in 2017 that a player could signify an appeal during a rally by raising their hand, but that rule was stricken from the rulebook in the 2018 update of the rules. But, maybe you weren t trying to appeal but were trying to stop play. I doubt that is the case since play didn t stop and your own partner returned the ball, but let s give you the benefit of the doubt. It was within your rights to stop play. Rule 4.K. says If the server or referee calls the score wrong, any player may stop play before the return of serve to ask for a correction. However, you are taking a risk by doing so. The explanation of the revisions in 2018 says that players may stop the rally, but at their own risk. Here s the risk. There is no penalty for calling the wrong score. It is a correctable error. The most you are going to get is a score correction and a re-serve. And you need to take into account these two rules. Rule 4.K.2 says A player who stops play after the serve when there is no error in the score will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally. And Rule 4.K.3. says, A player who stops play after the return of serve will have committed a fault and shall lose the rally. So, you risk a fault if either you are mistaken about the score being wrong, or if the ball has been returned -- even if the score was called wrong. The smart thing to do when the wrong score is called is to play the rally out and then ask for the correction. Your partner returned the serve and committed a fault. The score was then Play on, and take a few minutes to read the rules before your next tournament. Sincerely, Dr. Dink USAPA Certified Referee

6 Relish This... from Dr. Dink "Youfies"... Unforced Errors Surely, if you've been playing pickleball for even a short time, you have heard "More points are lost in pickleball than are won." That tidbit is usually imparted as if the imparter is Yoda answering the question, "If I try to fail and succeed, which one did I do?" So, you just nod knowingly, although you don't actually know, and play on. What this sage is trying to say is that, in pickleball, more Unforced Errors are made than sure winners are hit. And those Unforced Errors, or "Youfies" as we call them, have a huge impact on the outcome of a game of pickleball. The name is apt, not only as an acronym, but because they are errors committed by YOU! According to a statistical study of Unforced Errors conducted by Noel White at Palm Desert Pickleball Club in 2012, 70% of the time winning teams have less unforced errors (many times significantly less) than the losing teams. Noel found in his study that the average number of Unforced Errors in a game is 16. In a game at 4.0 level, the average number of hits in a game is 180, so almost 10% of those shots are Unforced Errors. Further, he found that 6 of those 16 Youfies result in a point being scored. Since the average number of points scored in a game to 11 is 17, that means that about 1/3 of the points scored come from Youfies. But what exactly is an Unforced Error? Our good friend and fellow Ambassador Paul Aaron, in a post on this subject, defines it as a player missing a shot that normally should be made. Add to that the assumption that this miss ends a rally, resulting in a point scored or a serve lost, or sets up a winning shot for your opponents. While that definition is clear, applying it is not quite so straightforward. There is a large degree of subjectivity in deciding whether or not a player normally should make any particular shot. As the skill level of a player rises, they are expected to make more shots, and more difficult ones.

7 Of course, the ultimate Youfie is the missed serve. It is the only shot where you are in total control; you got nobody to blame but you. Check out Dinkerbell s Thought-of-the-Month on missed serves. There are a couple common causes for the commission of Youfies. Let's call them Puffies and Muffies. A Puffie is a Physical Unforced Error. We all have physical limitations, and, while you can work to improve your strength, balance, and agility, you can t make your Ford Focus body run like a Ferrari. There are also physical errors due to poor swing mechanics or technique. These can be addressed through training and drills. I know that drilling is only slightly more popular than root canals, tax preparation, colonoscopies, and robocalls, but it will help you reduce your Puffies. Perhaps more prevalent than Puffies are Muffies -- Mental Unforced Errors. While many Youfies appear to be Puffies, more often than not they are Muffies. Of course we all have the occasional brain fart, where what the mind can conceive the body does not achieve. That is a transient phenomenon that is difficult to stop. But what really amazes me is the number of times I see players repeat the same error over and over again. Those are Muffies. There is an old adage that says: The first time it s a mistake, the second time it s a choice. The most frequent Muffie I see is the High Risk - Low Reward Shot. Sometimes we just make the game a lot harder than it needs to be, and we lose in the process. I see many players try to hit shots that are way more difficult than they need to be, and usually with dire consequences. For instance, trying to put huge spin on a dink. Now, spin can be an effective weapon in many situations on the pickleball court, but it usually has limited benefit when dinking since many high-spin dinks end up in the net. You have to ask yourself the question when attempting any shot: "Is the risk I took worth the reward I might receive?" If the answer is "no" then try another shot. Another example is the big topspin return of serve that also often winds up in the net. Even if it clears the net it usually gives the opponent an opportunity to play their third shot from mid-court, which is an advantage. You might be better off playing Smart Pickleball and hitting a deep lofted return that lets you take possession of the NVZ line. Another frequently committed Muffie is Poor Footwork. Now that may seem physical, but it is usually mental. Think about how your feet are positioned and how you will move about the

8 court. Then there is Lack of Strategy. I love the wording constructing a point. Good pickleball players know that shots are not played in isolation. The set up is as important as the kill. Moving your opponents around on the court to achieve an advantage is a beautiful thing. While there are many more Muffies we could discuss, let s end this article with Lack of Focus. How many points do you lose simply because you start thinking about sex or lunch or sex or your credit card balance or sex? There are lots of bromides about focusing on the now and all that. Keep you mind in the game and your eye on the ball! Felony Pickleball (We are not making this up) A 61 year-old Florida women was arrested and charged with felony battery as a result of an argument with her husband over a pickleball clinic offered in the Villages. The argument escalated and she punched him in the face. Over the next couple hours in several encounters she landed a couple more punches, threatened him with a cup, and struck him in the foot with a metal easel. In the midst of the altercations she gave herself a pedicure, because no one wants to go to jail with skanky toes. She is out on $5,000 bond. The Rest of the Story (we may be making this up): Details of the argument over the clinic were not released, but Dinkerbell thinks it involved the merits of the third shot drop vs. drive. It appears that the perp prefers banging over the soft game. The husband obviously needs to work on his blocking skills. She is reportedly looking for a new Mixed Doubles partner, preferably a guy with MMA experience.

9 Events... OpenStreets704 Pickleball will be presented at OpenStreets704 by your local USAPA Ambassadors. OpenStreet704 is a cooperative venture among Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec, the City of Charlotte and the NC Department of Transportation, and is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC. Four miles of street from Plaza-Midwood to NoDa will be shut down from 1:00-5:00pm on Sunday April 28th with various events, food trucks, music, etc. set up along the route with an emphasis on healthy lifestyles. People are encouraged to walk, bike or scooter along the route or a portion of it. Last year about 30,000 people participated in OS704!

10 We will set up two pickleball courts on a basketball court at the intersection of Myers Street and 15th Street in the Fitness Zone to demo pickleball and allow event participants to give it a try. The Little Sugar Creek Greenway runs by our location and there will be Food Trucks nearby and a Sound Stage not far away. Here is a link to the route... OpenStreets704 Route. Get out on a spring afternoon and stop by our location to say "Hi". Open Play at Elon Rec Center Open court pickleball is being offered at the Elon Recreation Center on Monday and Tuesday afternoons from 2:00-4:30pm and Fridays 11:30am - 1:00pm! Elon Rec Center is located at Ardrey Kell Road, near the intersection of Ardrey Kell and US 521 Lancaster Highway, behind Elon Park Elementary School. The recreation center is inside Elon Park, at the end of the main road through the park. Registration is required to limit players to no more than 16 to provide adequate playing time on the 2 courts. Here is a link to the Mecklenburg Parks & Rec Program Registration Website: New users will need to create an account, which can be done by clicking the link in the top right corner of the page. Then the easiest way to sort programs is to search keyword pickleball then add the search filter Elon Recreation Center. If you have difficulty with registration, please contact the staff at Elon Rec Center: Walk-ins will be accepted, with a limit of 16 players per day. Mecklenburg Parks & Rec Specialists Clinic

Who else can say that they learned to play pickleball in 30 minutes and then won a tournament?? Pictured are the three teams that came out on top.

11 Mecklenburg Parks & Rec sponsored a day for their Rec Specialists to learn how to play pickleball and implement it into their facilities. After a clinic taught by Ambassadors Peter Popovich and the Osmans, the highly competitive specialists were ready to challenge each other. Who else can say that they learned to play pickleball in 30 minutes and then won a tournament?? Pictured are the three teams that came out on top. Props to Mike Moraglia, Recreation Supervisor for Adult Athletics/Senior Games, for his enthusiasm and spirit and his never-ending promotion of pickleball in the Mecklenburg Parks & Rec community. Pickleball 101 at Providence Country Club Over 30 very enthusiastic folks showed up for an introductory clinic at Providence Country held in conjunction with their St. Patrick's day festivities. Many thanks to head pro William Noblitt for making this happen and for not

serving the green beer until the clinic was almost over! Ambassadors Virginia & Peter Popovich and Dick Osman can be seen in the foreground teaching safety first.

Volunteers are needed for Check-In, Court Monitors/Runners, Referees, Score Poster, Announcer, Set-Up/Clean- Up. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Bob Nibarger... ncpickleball@gmail.

12 serving the green beer until the clinic was almost over! Ambassadors Virginia & Peter Popovich and Dick Osman can be seen in the foreground teaching safety first. Volunteers Needed for NC Powerade Games! The NC Powerade Games will come to Charlotte on June 7-9 at Olde Providence Racquet Club. Volunteers are needed for Check-In, Court Monitors/Runners, Referees, Score Poster, Announcer, Set-Up/Clean- Up. Contact Volunteer Coordinator Bob Nibarger or click here Powerade Volunteers This month's Most Valuable Pickler is our favorite Tie-Dye Lady... Allison Morris. Allison grew up in Winston-Salem, NC playing and loving any and all sports: swimming, diving, basketball, baseball, tennis and, her favorite, soccer. She played soccer at UNC-Chapel Hill (Go Tarheels!) and graduated with a degree in Education. Allison taught Latin, Health and PE at R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem and coached the Boy s and Girl s Varsity Soccer teams. She then worked as the Wellness Center director at Wachovia Bank for three years. Allison started playing pickleball about 4 years ago. "I have had several Traumatic Brain Injuries from accidents, falls, a car wreck, and sports concussions. My doctor said I needed to start some new activity to help with my brain. The grandmother of one of my son's friends suggested pickleball while we were talking at a Christmas party. Of course I asked, `What

13 the heck is pickleball?' and asked her where to play. I played for about a year, but then I had some treatments that caused me to lose 80% of my memory. After 2 years, I saw the Charlotte Dilly News, for which I had somehow signed up before losing my memory. And that is how I found Carolina Courts in Indian Trail." "The sport and the community of people at CCIT really have saved my life. I have never been around a sport where the community of people are so helpful, encouraging, and wanting you to get better and better at the game. Pickleball has been a huge answer to prayers for me. I started to play for therapy and never thought I would get to the level to actually keep score and be able to play in a tournament. A year ago, I couldn t drive, had difficulty speaking, was in bed a lot, and was trying to get my memory back. When I told my children to put up their paddle, they said, `That is yours Mom.' I said, `What did I use it for?' They said, `Pickleball.' I said, `What in the world is Pickleball?' "This pickleball community has meant the world to me and has been such an awesome blessing to me. Thank you Kathy Cooper, who took me under her wings and took care of me after some of my treatments, showing me where to stand on the court and how to keep score when my brain would not work. Thank you Abe who is the first one who taught me how to play the game at Nano. Thank you Janet, Debra, Ruby, Alice, Terri, Robin, Denise, Pat, Paul, Terry, Trish, Sharon, Bea, June and David for helping me learn the game, enjoy the game and laugh. Thank you Desire' and Dick for all you do for the sport. And there are so many other people that have helped me along the way, I just can t remember all of you. So thank you! Thank you to Terri and David for asking me to play in my first tournament, the Senior Games. and Bea and David for asking me to play in March Madness, It has truly been an honor to play with you guys." In 1993, Allison's brother Cole Lippard suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury as the result of a severe car accident and was in a coma for about 9 months, with so many other life-threatening injuries that he was not expected to live. But God had a different plan. The family raised over $500,000 to open Lippard Lodge, a specialized 24 hour traumatic brain injury care facility for adults with TBI's in Clemmons, NC. Allison started a non-profit called SHMILY, which stands for See How Much I Love You, to continue to fight for her brother and others with similar stories. SHMILY sustains the operation of Lippard Lodge and other housing for adults with TBIs, including programs for veterans. Allison met Lou, her wonderful husband of 30-years, while playing soccer after college. They have 2 great children: Trey, a freshman at App State, and Sarah, a junior at Butler HS. Both love soccer as much as their Mom.

So where did the Tie-Dye shirts come from, Allison? "Many people have asked how the Tie-Dye shirt became my trademark. The first couple of times I played at Indian Trail, I wore a Tie-Dye.

14 So where did the Tie-Dye shirts come from, Allison? "Many people have asked how the Tie-Dye shirt became my trademark. The first couple of times I played at Indian Trail, I wore a Tie-Dye. When I wore a different shirt, people asked, `Where is your Tie-Dye, we love your Tie-Dye?' They say the shirts bring a smile to their face and make their day. My daughter started the tradition of us getting Tie-Dye shirts about 5 years ago when I was sick. We go to the Matthews Festival every year and get a new Tie-Dye. I try to wear the favorites of my fellow pickleballers to bring a smile to someone s face and make their day." Dinker-Bell's Thought for the Month... The pickleball pros say you should only miss one serve a month. So I figure I am well into October... of next year. Blast from the Past

15 Can you name this local pickleball player? This photo is circa 1975 and he has a lot less hair now but a little more mid-section. If you would like to enter a Blast from the Past photo please Dinkerbell Leagues... Boyd Hill Rec Center Ladder Leagues are forming now Boyd Hill Rec Center in Rock Hill... > Monday and Wednesday mornings 9:00-10:30 am > Tuesday evenings 7:30-9:30 pm > Wed evening 6:30-7:50 pm (if there is enough interest). If you are interested, please Joe Harris at tward1122@gmail.com or text to sign up or for more information. All levels of players are welcome from beginners to 4.5's.

Registration forms can be found at www.parkandrec.com under Adult Athletics or follow this link: League Registration.

16 Meck Parks & Rec League League play is continuing on Thursday evenings at Marion Diehl Recreation Center through April 25th. For information on future league opportunities contact Recreation Specialist Michael Jackson: or Registration forms can be found at under Adult Athletics or follow this link: League Registration. Clinics Clinics at Carolina Courts Indian Trail Taught by Sharon Mackenzie and Trish Snyder Beginner Clinics --- $15: May 7 Intermediate Clinics --- $20: April 9 May 14 To register visit:

17 or click here... BMC Boot Camp

18 Tournaments

2019 Area Tournaments (and selected National/Regional Events) Visit:

com for more tournament information (click on the above links) Apr

SC* Spring Smash - Greenville, SC Doc Holliday Shootout - Griffin,

19 2019 Area Tournaments (and selected National/Regional Events) Visit: USAPA Tournament Calendar or PickleballTournaments.com for more tournament information (click on the above links) Apr 5-7 Apr Apr Apr Apr 13 United We Serve - Camden, SC* Spring Smash - Greenville, SC Doc Holliday Shootout - Griffin, GA* Queen City Open - Charlotte, NC Crossroads Pickleball Blind Round Robin - Stateville CC

20 Apr27-May4 US Open - Naples, FL* May 3-5 May 3-5 May 4 May May May May 31 June 7-9 July Jul July 31 Aug Aug Aug Aug 31 Sep 6-8 Sep Sep Sep Oct 4-6 Nov 2-3 Nov 2-12 Nov Yonah Play - Cleveland, GA Cary Doubles Cary, NC Volley for Vision - Mt. Gilead & Troy, NC Georgia State Games - Griffin, GA Land of Sky - Asheville, NC Mecklenburg County Senior Games - Charlotte Atlanta Open - Windward Lake Park, GA* NC Powerade Games - Charlotte, NC Mayberry Pickleball Tournament - Mt. Airy, NC Linville Land Harbour - TBD State Games of America - Lynchburg, VA USAPA Atlantic South Regionals - Foley, AL* Beat the Heat - Carolina Courts, Concord, NC* Piggleball - Lexington, NC* Georgia Mountain - Hiawassee, GA* Palmetto Invitational - Aiken, GA USAPA Mid-Atlantic Regionals - Myrtle Beach, SC* Connestee Falls 9th Annual - Connestee Falls, NC Gamma Pickleball Tournament - Camden, SC Georgia Mountain Fall Classic - Hiawassee, GA Special Pops - Savannah, Ga USAPA Nationals - Indian Wells* NC Holiday Smash - Carolina Courts, Concord, NC* *registration through pickleballtournaments.com United We Serve

Points will be accumulated through all rounds played with most points in each division declared the winner. Medals will be presented to all winners!

23 Pickleball Blind Round Statesville Country Club April 13, :00 am - until Everyone Welcome! No Partner needed to sign-up. Divisions: 3.5 & below, 4.0 & above Divisions are limited to 12 participants each. Format: Rounds will be played with all participants. Points will be accumulated through all rounds played with most points in each division declared the winner. Medals will be presented to all winners! Event Includes: Breakfast: Coffee, Water, Assorted Pastries & Fruit. Lunch: Powerades, Water, Assorted Finger Foods. Beer & Wine will be available for purchase! $30 per participant $25 per participant for SCC Members who sign up through their membership account at Statesville Country Club. Sign-up via PayPal on this link... Click Here Deadline to sign-up is April 12th, 2019 at 12:00 pm. Mt. Gilead & Troy - Volley for Vision

24 Land of Sky Asheville, NC

Pickleball Skill Level Definitions

Pickleball Skill Level Definitions Effective January 15, 2012 (revised January 14, 2012 v.6.1) The following skill level sets are a guide for evaluating your own level and determining which round-robins