2017 – A RETROSPECTIVE
It’s been an incredible year of growth and change for Chapel Hill Pickleball. Since last year at this time we have added over 150 players to our email list. And now have about 25 additional players in the cue for Orientation Training early next year. Also, we expect the Chapel Hill Fire Department to make pickleball an official part of their physical fitness program beginning in January.
Our Founding Ambassador, Jim Wilson, retired to be replaced with Brad Hemminger.
We celebrated our first full year of play on the Ephesus Courts on April 23 of this year with speeches and a cake cutting attended by the Mayor, the Director of Parks and Recreation and about fifty pickleball players.
Our Steering Committee was expanded with new members voted on by all players. The results of all Steering Committee sessions are now posted to the full email list. We have also strengthened our alliance with P & R management by having a representative of P & R attend each Steering Committee meeting to advise and consult with our decision making.
Spring and Fall Ladder play for Intermediate and Advanced players was a very popular and successful program. Special play sessions for Advanced Players was programmed on Sunday and Tuesday evenings. Thursday evening play for Beginners and Intermediates was established. Singles play was also introduced.
An eight week session of Skills and Drills clinics was conducted for Beginner/Intermediates this Fall.
A Pickleball-for-Parkinson’s project was begun at the Seymour Center. Every Wednesday afternoon Dennis Caren now leads a group of players with Parkinson’s in a series of exercises and games. If you would like further information, please contact Dennis Caren at dwcaren@gmail.com.
A new on-court Storage Container has been provided at Ephesus. Within it we now store our lost and found items, a new first aid kit and some pickleball related items.
In association with Pickleball Central, we have just started a Pickleball Paddle demo program, enabling you to try out different paddles. Details will follow on this new program in a separate email before the year’s end.
The courts at Hargraves Community Center have been re-lined and an extra court was added.
Legion Road 24 Court Pickleball Complex: We have presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Parks and Recreation Department, the town visitors bureau, and most recently a very impressive and positively received presentation to the Chapel Hill Town Council — with over 50 of you in attendance — advocating for more pickleball courts to be added to the proposed Recreation Complex to be built at the Legion road property. We really appreciate your support; please continue to help us lobby for these additional courts!
Our First Tournament! In October over 170 teams competed at Ephesus Park over a 3-day weekend with categories for singles, mixed doubles and men’s and women’s double play. The tournament was a grand success. And next year we have even bigger plans!
Through out the year we have hosted several social events, culminating with our recent Holiday Pickleball Party with over 75 people attending. It was a fantastic way to close out the year, with so many of us having a wonderful time together! KUDOS to BJ Attwood for envisioning and planning this very successful event. And a very big THANK YOU to Linda and Jim Alexander for so graciously hosting this event in their beautifully appointed home. Food, fun and friendship mixed well with the superb musical entertainment provided by Martin Eagle and Willard McKiver during this celebration of the pickleball community .
This has been a wonderful year for pickleball in Chapel Hill, and with your support we hope to make 2018 even better!!!
See you on the courts.
JB Marr
Brad Hemminger
USAPA Ambassadors
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