The SaddleBrooke Ranch Pickleball Club is the largest sports activity here at the “Ranch”. Pickleball is the fastest growing sport for seniors in America and as such, residents enjoy the benefits of great exercise, competition, and numerous friendships developed through the sport.

By joining the SaddleBrooke Ranch Pickleball Club you are welcome to participate in coaching sessions for new players, play either non-competitive or competitive play aka “round robins” and tournaments with other Pickleball Clubs.

What you can expect by joining the SBR Pickleball Club:

• A playing program for all skill levels covering beginners, novice, intermediate and advanced players including men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles format. (time)
• Be the voice of pickleball to and with Robson management (voice)
• Promote the game of pickleball to SaddleBrooke Ranch residents and guests (recruit)
• Programs to enhance pickleball safety, skills and knowledge for all levels and
  combinations of play (develop)
• Encourage social camaraderie off courts – as well as on courts (socialize)
• Play and skills development outside SBR (compete)
• USAPA sanctioned tournaments (host)
• Build an SBR pickleball brand internally and externally via the club logo and colors on apparel and accessories (promote)

1. Mood & Mental Health

Playing pickleball can improve your mood and ward off depression.

As participants get their hearts pumping with this form of moderate exercise, it can improve blood pressure levels as well. Physical activity can help release feel-good endorphins and take our mind off our worries.

Participating in a group sport can also improve social interaction. Exchanging smiles with a teammate can benefit our moods and mental health.

In addition to the social benefits of playing sports, participating in a pickleball game can also make you more confident.

As you get in shape, you’ll feel better about your appearance, which can improve your mental health, too!

2. Burn Calories

While there’s no serious running, playing pickleball does provide a little aerobic exercise. As a great alternative to more strenuous physical activities, pickleball is ideal for older age groups that still want to get in a little moderate exercise.

The game combines ping-pong, tennis, and badminton and requires players to move within a small court.

This gives participants the opportunity to get on their feet, move around, and burn calories while they’re playing pickleball.

3. Improve Balance

A rousing pickleball game can also improve your balance. Regular activity, including the aerobic exercise pickleball requires, can improve our balance even as we age.

As more players perfect their pickleball game, they can build their stamina, footwork, and control as well.

4. Better Agility

Since a pickleball moves much slower than the speed of a tennis ball, a pickleball game is a lot easier on older bodies.

This gives players the opportunity to tone their muscles and improve their agility.

5. Reduce Health Risks

According to NPR, pickleball is also a great sport for participants with previous injuries. Instead of putting your health at risk, you can burn 40 percent more calories than walking without causing yourself further pain.

6. Make New Friendships

Pickleball is also a social sport. Whether you play a single or doubles game, learning how to play pickleball can put you on the court with other enthusiastic players.

That way, you’re making social connections as you play, which can improve your mental health, too.

7. It’s Fun!

Finally, pickleball is a fun leisure activity that can help you break away from your usual routine. Get out there and have a blast.

It’s not about winning, but about having fun with the other players around you.

Here are five tips to help you win your next pickleball game!

Who are the SBR Pickleball Association Sunday Chicks?  Every Sunday evening from 6 to 8 PM you can find a group of fun-loving women on the pickleball courts who call themselves the Sunday Chicks.  This is no ordinary group of Ranch pickleball players.  First, you will hear music being played, all while they enjoy round robin play with ladies typically rated 2.5 to 3.5.  They play pickleball while singing along with oldie goldies like Neil Diamond, the Beach Boys and other favorites.  They have also been known to break out and dance a little on the courts.

This group started in the Spring of 2020 when four women got together and met to play pickleball.  They soon came up with the name Sunday Chicks and due to their outgoing personalities and their music, other ladies began joining the group.  The foursome has now grown to a group of 36 players.  Once you play with these ladies you will not want to miss a single one of their weekly sessions.

“I was playing senior Olympic badminton there was a couple there I was asking them if they were going to play in the tournament they said no we play pickleball,” said Cindy Lutz, president of Tucson Area Pickleball. “Like everybody says, what is that. I said what is it.”

If you don’t know what pickleball is, yore not alone. It’s played on a badminton-sized court with paddles, and a ball that resembles a whiffle ball — the rules are most similar to tennis.

“It’s a little mix of everything,” said Bob Lutz, a member of Tucson Area Pickleball. “It’s amazing how it’s taken off.”

According to USA Pickleball, there are over 3 million people ranging in age from 6 to 86 who play in across the country. That number is growing rapidly, up nearly 30 percent in the last three years.

Cindy and Bob Lutz are pickleball pioneers in Tucson. Cindy runs a Facebook page for local pickleball players and Bob teaches private lessons. Together their backyard is pickleball paradise.

But, the two noticed a problem in 2016 — Tucson didn’t have any free, public pickleball courts.

“I started with the mayor, I told him you know were so far behind,” Cindy said.  Lutz said most other similarly sized cities already had courts.

“He pushed me on to the city parks so, I have talked to three different directors now throughout the years,” Cindy said.

Cindy and her club’s hard work paid off.

“We just persevered, we went and talked to council members we talked to whoever would listen to us,” Cindy said. “We’re finally, after years, going to get public outdoor courts at Udall public rec center.”

For more information on pickleball in Saddlebrooke Ranch Pickleball check out our website:  www.sbranchrealty.com

Photo ID is required each day at check in

2021 High Desert Classic

3 AGE DIVISIONS : 9-49 OR 50-64 OR 65+

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Mens & Womens Singles

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Womens Doubles

Friday, October 1, 2021

Mixed Doubles 

Saturday, October 2, 2021

Mens Doubles

 

***ALL EVENTS ARE ROUND ROBIN FORMAT

WITH A “SHOOTOUT”

FOR GOLD/SILVER/BRONZE MEDALS***

ALL events are “Skill / Age”

After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard’s home on Bainbridge Island, WA (near Seattle) to find their families sitting around with nothing to do. The property had an old badminton court so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. At first they placed the net at badminton height of 60 inches and volleyed the ball over the net.  As the weekend progressed, the players found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface and soon the net was lowered to 36 inches. The following weekend, Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard’s home. Soon, the three men created rules, relying heavily on badminton. They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play together.

The basic pickleball line call rules are:

• The pickleball must land in the correct service court on the serve. All of the lines of the correct service court, except for the Non-Volley Zone line (also known as the Kitchen line), are “in.” This means that if the served pickleball lands on the sideline, centerline, or baseline, the serve is “in.” If the pickleball lands in the Non-Volley Zone (or the Kitchen), on the Non-Volley Zone line, or completely outside of the lines of the correct service court, then the serve is “out.”
• On any shot other than the serve in pickleball, the pickleball is “in” if it lands anywhere on the pickleball court. This includes all of the lines of the pickleball court. In other words, if the pickleball lands on the sideline, centerline, baseline, or the Non-Volley Zone line on any shot, other than the serve, then the pickleball is “in.” If the pickleball lands completely outside of the lines on the pickleball court, then the pickleball is “out.”

Last time we looked at the Outdoor pickleball and its characteristics.  This time we look at the Indoor pickleball.

Indoor pickleball characteristics

• Tailored for smoother indoor court surfaces and the still air of indoor play
• Are made from softer plastic
• Lighter
• Have larger, fewer holes – usually about 26
• Don’t bounce as high
• Allow for more control in your serve – though with less power, that can lead to longer rallies than a more hard-hitting outdoor game
• Weighs about 0.8 ounces
• Wears out by going soft, versus going out of round or cracking
• Hurt less if you get hit by one!

Players playing socially actually can chose the ball that fits them best, usually based on their level of play.  The softer indoor ball may fit for outdoor play as a player increases their skills.  You will likely want to ultimately transition to the outdoor ball as your skills improve.  As you move indoors during inclement weather or colder seasons of the year you want to use the indoor ball on slicker floor surfaces.

Outdoor pickleball balls are heavier, harder, made of smooth plastic and have 40 drilled holes. Due to their weight and construction, outdoor pickleballs are less effected by wind.

Outdoor pickleballs come off the paddle faster and harder than indoor balls. They are easier to hit hard due to having less drag. However, outdoor pickleballs are more difficult to control and require finesse to place accurately. With outdoor balls, rounds are typically shorter.

Outdoor balls sometimes crack or go out-of-round. Outdoor balls can last a few rounds or much longer. Lifespan depends on players’ style, playing surface, and even the temperature. To check roundness, hit a ball up into the air with spin and watch how the ball moves.

Since outdoor balls are slightly larger, heavier, and harder, they’re noisier, and getting hit with one hurts more than an indoor ball.

Next:  The In-door Pickleball