July 27, 2023
Hello Silveridge Pickleballers!
Time for an update, since there are only 95 days to go until Monday, October 30th when our club’s 2023-24 pickleball season officially begins! (And the way things have been going in Mesa and the rest of Phoenix, that’s how long it may take before daytime temperatures return to acceptable levels!) Yikes, it has been a hot summer………for just about everyone!
New Schedule - The Executive Committee has met twice this summer in preparation for the season ahead and will be meeting again soon. It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the most time-consuming, yet exciting topic is how to best utilize the EIGHT pickleball courts we will now have available :-). For starters there will be an additional weekly round-robin event for each skill level. There will also be more time set aside for Open Play. Ideas drawing strong consideration include time slots for a “challenge” court and/or ladder play, periodic “King of the Court” events for separate skill levels, a weekly league, additional clinics, and courts dedicated at times for practice only. The options are many and it may take several years to sort out what events are destined to become member favorites or duds. But rest assured we will hit the ground running with several new scheduling twists to make 2023-24 the best season yet.
New Courts - The transformation of a tennis court into four pickleball courts is moving right along. If you haven’t seen any of the photos posted on Silveridge Connect you can access a selection of pictures Donna has copied to our club’s website by clicking on the following link: Gallery – Silveridge Pickleball Club As you’ll see, the new fencing is pretty much complete. I suspect the company that will be repainting the surface is waiting for things to cool a bit.
Volunteers - One area where our membership has always shined is helping out. Whether serving as a Round Robin Captain or on other Committees, helping with social events and the basket raffles, assisting with a clinic or tournament, keeping the courts clean, operating the ball machine, or helping with the plastic bottle recycling, our members always step up when asked. This year will be no different. We can’t hold more clinics without volunteers to run them. We can’t set up a league or ladder play or hold more tournaments without people to run them. This year, more than ever, if you are willing to help a little or a lot, we need you to let us know. Send an email to silveridgepickelball@gmail.com to tell Barry or Bonnie if you are willing to help with clinics or other events, and/or Mike if you would be willing to run a ladder or league, Annette Viscomi if you are willing to help with one of our many social events. The membership form everyone completes at the start of each season will have a section where you can indicate your willingness to volunteer for any of the aforementioned tasks as well as serving as a mentor for less experienced players or helping with our plastic bottle collection (which we hope to resume again this fall). Apply your specific talents when and where you can. As I’ve said many times over, we arguably have the best pickleball club around - not simply because our members are so friendly and fun to play with - but also because of the numerous well-planned events our members can partake in every day of the week all season long. Volunteers are needed to plan and run every one of those events and that is precisely where our members shine. Let’s keep it rolling!
Other Tidbits:
- Time for my annual pitch asking you to bring something unique from your home area to donate for our basket raffles. Those raffles generate at least a third of our annual revenue and help pay for all the things the club provides its members. A jar of jam from MI, maple syrup from Vermont, honey from IA, cherries from WI or WA, a warm throw, a sweatshirt from Banff or Vancouver, a good book, a bag of coffee or a mug, a bottle of local wine or whiskey, a coupon for a ride to/from the airport. Anything useful, unique, consumable, or decorative. You needn’t spend much, just bring something imaginative!
- We’ve decided we need to raise our dues a tad to cover some increased costs as well as start-up costs associated with the four additional courts. We’ve purchased a better version of SignUpGenuis that will simultaneously save Donna a lot of work while being more user friendly for our members. Also, the cost of hosting our website has gone up. We repaired two nets this summer. The cost of the pickleballs we provide for our members has increased. We will need several additional paddle racks and likely will need an additional leaf blower and countdown clock for the new courts. The bottom line: If joining for one month or less members will pay $10 (a $5 decrease). Dues for anyone joining the club for more than a month will be $25 (about the retail cost of six pickleballs) per season. Thank you for your understanding.
- We will continue to have a 3.25 group. Thanks again to everyone involved in the almost flawless transition that occurred in the middle of last season.
- The popular Monday Ladies and Sunday Mixed Doubles nights initiated last year will continue. On Tuesday evening we are trying a “Partner Play” round-robin, i.e. for all skill levels and you register as a single player. Each player will be assigned a partner. You play with the same person during the round robin. All-Play will be separated by skill level. 1.0-3.25* will play on Courts 1-4 several mornings each week and on Courts 5-8 the other mornings. 3.25*-4.0+ will play on the opposite set of courts. (*3.25 level players have the choice of joining either group and may switch at any time).
- A few dates to remember: the pickleball club Xmas party will be on December 9th and the annual meeting and dinner will be on March 2. There will be a Fun Pickleball Play and Social event in November, December, January, and March. The Social Committee is planning another fun event on February 10th.
Thanks for reading. See you soon! Stay healthy and when on the PB court or the highway - stay between the lines!
Mike Savre, President
Bonnie Arbez, 1st VP
Barry Halpenny, 2nd VP
Debbie Nelson, Treasurer
Julie Nosko, Secretary
Donna Stensrud, Communications Officer