I am sitting here with a big smile on my face.  I played over 2 hours today and managed not to strain, sprain or otherwise damage myself.  I had to be smart and surrender some lobs and drops but luck was with me in that of about a dozen net cord shots I hit, all but one fell over onto the opponent's  court.  It was good to be back and hopefully it stays that way.  Many thanks to Renee at Energy Rehab for getting me "right" again.  Let's blast off to explore the Pickleverse.

1. Growing - TeamReach has blasted past the 300 member mark and The Weekly Pickle Jar is closing in on 300 at about 292 subscribers.  

2. New Courts (Almost) - things are still looking good for a new court at Walker Township Park and Faith Church, last I heard things were moving through getting all the proper entities to sign off as they order supplies, check with their insurance folks and such.  As soon as I get any word of anything going live I will let you know.

3. Tournament - Just a reminder Tyrone is still accepting entries for their fundraising tournament on August 3rd.  Details are in the attached document.  Tyrone has 7 teams entered so far, can we get at least 6 to try and compete for the central PA  cup?  If you have never participated in a tournament this would be a good one for your first.  It is close, you get to meet a lot of new players, Donna R. runs a great tournament and it is not crazy expensive.

4. Home For Unused Paddles -  I am still looking to rehome paddles that are just sitting around looking to be loved again.  I inspect them and regrip or overgrip them and then will be donating them to Bellefonte Area High School.  If you don't see me on the court, you can drop it at the desk at The Centre. Just attach a note that it is for me. Thanks again to those that have donated a paddle.

5. It's What The Cool Kids Want - I was not surprised to learn Holbrook Pickleball will be releasing an edgeless paddle this Fall.  I will let you know when I get my hands on one for the demo bag.

6. Selkirk Fans - Just an FYI that Donna R. (Tyrone Pickleball) is now a Selkirk ambassador, I am not sure what they call their local contacts.  If you are looking to jump to team Selkirk or play with one and want to upgrade or update reach out to her.  If you need contact info, let me know

7. Bellefonte Badminton/Pickleball - After a week off, Bellefonte Area High School will have a Wednesday evening (7 PM) session of 3 indoor courts for badminton and 3 for pickleball.  If you need more information let me know.

8. Tip Of The Week -  A lot of players have improved in keeping the ball low going across the net.  Where they still get in trouble is when they drive the ball and both opponents are at the NVZ line.  Because the ball is travelling in a path that is still at about net height it allows the opponent to do some offensive counters like a soft reset into the NVZ while you are still in the backcourt.  When the opponent has you still backed up and they are at the NVZ line you basically have 3 options.  Lob, drive, or drop shot.  If your lobs usually come back at you like the rocket's red glare you are down to 2 options: drive or drop.  At times the drive is a good option if the opponents are spread apart and the middle is open or you have a down the line option.  Most of the time though the court is well covered and a drive yields you just more problems.  This is where you need to work on developing the drop shot that falls into the NVZ at an angle that forces your opponent to hit up on the ball.  Players that are too aggressive will often hit the ball into the net.  You might get the occasional lob but more frequently this is the start of a dink war.  I am going to try and video a drill called the slinky that can help you develop the confidence to add the drop from multiple spots on the court.  So next them you are in the backcourt and the opponent is at the NVZ line, choose wisely.
   
   

I hope to see you on the court soon, have a great week and below is the link for indoor play at The Centre.

The Centre:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BA5AA28AB9-50313663-nvsc

Randy Hoffman

Holbrook PIckleball Ambassador

https://holbrookpickleball.com/

Discount Code = RANDYHOFFMAN20