OK, I guess I am getting old(er).  In a 21 hour span I did a private court rental session, a drop-in session, and a Pickleball 201 session.  Kind of feeling it as I sit here tapping away at the keyboard. It is a good kind of tired and sore though. I have even been checking the metrics to see what the playing situation for playing at Bernel on Saturday morning might be. On the weather side of things it looks like the wind may subside some finally. As much as I do not like playing in sub-50 degree weather, I abhor playing in windy conditions. I saw some wild and crazy shots this past week, especially the one that got a bit elevated and the wind had its way with the ball.  Let's settle in and take off for the Pickleverse.

1. Best Wishes:  Good luck to SaraLee, Ron and Janie as they head off to western Pa to play in a tournament this weekend.

2. Dinking In The New Year 2025:  There are a number of local players planning to play in the 2025 DITNY Tournament. The previous 2 years have been at The Centre but for 2025 it has moved to the Gorilla House Gym in Altoona. There is a flyer attached if you are interested in participating.  Last year we saw a few local players bring home some hardware.

3. Vacay Pickleball:  I was advised there are still some spots remaining for those wanting to merge pickleball, sun, sea, and probably some rum for a week next year. Here is the link for more information:  Pickleball In Paradise.

4. The Centre:  Just a reminder that on the evenings that courts are available for rent (currently Tuesday, Thursday and Friday) the session starts at 6:30 and ends at 8:00 PM. As the different sport seasons cycle through the year those dates may change. The rental fee is $40.00 per court. If you have 8 players unless you rent a 2nd court, you need to stay on just the court you rented.

5. Holidays Around The Corner:  As holiday venue closures are advised for the indoor facilities I will advise folks. Additionally if you are looking for a paddle upgrade for you or a special someone I have 3 nice new Holbrook demos that are getting very favorable reviews. Then if you do get a new paddle and need a place to donate an old one, I am still rehabbing paddles and then donating them to Bellefonte High School.

6. Tip Of The Week:  In PB 201 today I challenged the group to do a couple things to improve their movement on the court.  One was to avoid crossing over one foot over the other when tracking down the other and the second was as the game becomes faster for you there comes a time when you will need to take more shots with your toes pointed towards the net.  My three PB 201'ers are all current or ex-tennis players and they move like tennis players.  That works when your court is nearly double that of a pickleball court.  Take a look at the following video and notice a few things.  When the players move, they almost never cross step and they are usually facing forward. Link: https://www.facebook.com/reel/2715392142004038  The closer you get to the NVZ, the more important this becomes.  When you turn your shoulders and perhaps hips to the net you expose yourself to an attack behind you. Now if you are on the other side of the coin, forcing your opponent into doing that is a very advantageous situation.

7. A Bit Of Humor:  Ever have to scramble to find that 4th person due to a late cancellation?  This video may speak to you.  Link:  https://www.facebook.com/reel/1522743855071557.

8. Apologies:  If you do not have Facebook, you will not be able to view the last two videos.  My apologies but after a quick search I could not find them on other platforms.
   
   

Below are the SignUpGenius links for indoor play.  I hope to see you on the court soon.

The Centre:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BA5AA28AB9-53126274-nvsc

C3 Sports:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0B4BA5AA28AB9-53126289-c3pickleball

Randy Hoffman

Holbrook PIckleball Ambassador

https://holbrookpickleball.com/

Discount Code = RANDYHOFFMAN20