Routines.  In my more youthful period of life, I was very adverse to the notion of routines.  Perhaps that is a part of why I chose law enforcement as a career, even the boring days offered variety.  After a whirlwind week of travel and holiday festivities I am quite ready to get back to a week were I can tell the day of the week by who has drop by the pickleball courts ........... ah crap, I just remembered I have jury selection duty on Monday.  Well so much for that.  I do well at looking ahead on the calendar but I at times fail when the next week transitions into a new month.  Maybe a trip around the Pickleverse will help refocus my galaxy,  

1. Congratulations -  Bri and Joel Osborne welcomed Logan into the world on November 22nd at at 2:22 pm, weighing 6.14 and 19.5 inches long.  Bri will be returning to The Centre in January but may be stopping in some visits next month.  Photos below.

2. The Picklr in State College Update (Sort Of) - checking on the web page for the State College Picklr location, the banner added the text "Doors Open: Fall 2026". I did a screenshot to show I am not hallucinating from exhaustion. See below This just may happen.

3. The Centre - Remember, prices go up for drop-in and weekday reserved courts by $1.00 in January so take advantage of buy now, save later by purchasing session credit before the new year.

4. Northern Blair County Recreation Center - The NBCRC is adding indoor pickleball courts to their facility.  Work is in progress will hopefully be ready soon.  FYI - the NBCRC is in Tipton, PA.  As I get more information I will share it.

5. Dinking In The New Year 2026 - DITNY26 is heading into its final month to register.  As of this writing there are 53 players registered and the pace should quicken as the deadline nears.  For more information there is a flyer on the Tournaments page.

6. The Case For Grace (Coaching) - Pickleball players are passionate about their sport and are often eager to share the game with new players.  Most new players welcome tips to help them develop their game; however, before you start coaching someone make sure they are open to receiving said coaching.  At times I get proactive requests for tips and on others if I see someone is struggling I discreetly ask if they would like any advice.  If they say they are good, keep the game light and fun and have a good time.  If tips are requested, make sure you know what you are talking about.  On occasion I will get a person tell me that "X"  said to hit a shot that way or that this rule is interpreted this way.  My response is "they told you what?"  So make sure you are secure in what you are saying.  Additionally don't expect them to quickly learn something that took you 2 years to master.  One thing I try to remember to do is to always follow a tip with a compliment or encouragement.  I want the last thing they hear coming out of my mouth to be positive energy. Let's raise 'em up right.  Oh, and newbies, it is OK to say thank you but "no". 
   
   

OK, time to watch some TV and chill.  BTW, the new season of Stranger Things is pretty good so far.  Below are the links for indoor play.  Please be aware that I have edited C3 Sports to just 2 reserved courts since I have heard that they have scaled back from 4 available court to two.  So to be safe and prevent accidental overbooking I dropped the drop-in and one served court for now.  If you are interested in any outside of the ones listed contact the facility directly at (814) 234-0711 Ext. 402.  See you on the courts soon, just not on Monday - dang!

C3 Sports:  Indoor At C3

The Centre:  Drop-In At The Centre

Randy S. Hoffman

Pickleball: The art of keeping your eye on the ball…mostly.