Pickleball Courts Planning Permit Approved!
Great news! At a public hearing this morning the City of San Jose Planning Department approved the planning permit for the new Pickleball Courts!
Almost 50 Pickleball members and supporters attended the Planning Department hearing at City Hall in support of the of the permit application. Our Project Designer, Mowat, and Garry Gray, past club president, spoke to the key design elements and the history of the club and the courts project. One resident from outside the Villages expressed a concern about noise, but the City planning staff noted that the design meets the City standards for noise and will only operate during daylight hours. Mowat noted that the area has been zoned for over 30 years for uses like tennis courts or other outdoor sports, longer than the houses nearby. After careful deliberation the Planning Director ruled to approve the permit.
Next steps are for Mowat to develop a detailed cost estimate to be taken to the Club Board. With Club Board approval, then a membership vote will be scheduled. Then hiring a builder and construction begins.
Thanks to everyone who came to City Hall early this morning to support the project! We are finally making great progress and on our way to having new courts.
Pickleball Prohibition Speakeasy & Casino Night
The Villages Cotton Club(house) was packed on Halloween night with 1920’s glamour. Flappers, stars and gangsters danced the night away. Bankrolls were cashed in for chips at “Pickle’s Place” and there were rumors of bootleg cocktails.
A great time was had by all at the Pickleball Prohibition Speakeasy & Casino Night, organized with the joint efforts of the Villages Pickleball Club and the Evergreen Village Foundation. An event of this size requires many hours of planning and many volunteers. A huge thank you to all that made this successful fundraiser happen!
Check out all the photos on the Photos page!
Our pickleball club is a supportive and inclusive group. Come join us. We play on tennis courts 5 and 6, the smaller pickleball courts are marked with yellow tape. The wonderful Mike Walias volunteers his expertise every Wednesday and Friday from 1-1:30 to introduce and instruct new players on the basics of the game. No need to sign up, just show up! Wear comfortable clothes and court shoes.
“Battle of the Paddle” Tournament Results
This past Saturday, an enthusiastic group showed up to play in our latest tournament, the “Battle of the Paddle”. Sheryl Ruth and Robyn Siebenthall organized the event, with the priceless help of Betty Olsen. It was yet another fun and social occasion for the Pickleball Club!
The tournament was divided into 2 divisions, results are as follows:
A Division: Winners: Sherry Benz/Peggy Seidel, Runners-up: Joyce Kludt/Robyn Siebenthall, Consolation champions: Debbie and Danny Kirwan, Consolation runners up: Kathy Ashby/ Anna Hewitt
B Division: Winners: Glenn Seidel/Betty Olsen, Runners-up: Mike and Judy Falarski, Consolation champions: Bob Shuck/Fred Schmae, Consolation runners-up: Phil and Linda Frocht
Using the Pickleball Paddle Waiting List…
Yes – Pickleball is getting more and more popular here at the Villages! When there are many players waiting on unreserved (or open play) courts, it’s only fair to have a method of making sure everyone gets their turn to play. The instructions below explain how to use the new paddle holder to keep track of “Who goes Next”.
Thanks to our founding President Nancy Keane who originally proposed this idea that was being used in her “summer” state of Tennessee, and to Joe Spada for suggesting it again.
An ENORMOUS thank you to Jim Valenti, who made the holder from my specs in a day, and then installed it for us! It’s wonderful having such talented folks as part of our group!
How to summarize Pickleball for your friends!
Here is a great summary of the appeal and the basics of playing Pickleball. If you don’t already play, it might help you understand the new sport, or for avid players, it’s a nice, concise explanation for your friends.
PIckleUp 2019 is Underway!
2019 Inter-Club Bocce and Pickleball Tournaments
We are delighted to announce that we will be having reciprocal tournaments between the Village Bocce Club and the Villages Pickleball Club, just as we did last year. It was fun in 2018 and this year should be even better.
The 1st tournament between the two clubs will be on Saturday, August 17th from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the bocce courts. Refreshments will be provided. Players for the Bocce tournament can register on the club’s website, www.villagesbocceclub.com.
The free pickleball tournament will be on Sunday, August 25, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. This will be a very casual tournament, and you can play as many games as you want. Refreshments will be provided. If you want to play in that event, please register online at www.villagespickleball.org or sign up at the tennis shack.
If you’re new to bocce, you can attend the Bocce Bashes on Fridays at 3pm at the Bocce Courts.
If you are a new or inexperienced pickleball player, you have several opportunities to learn the game from a Pickleball Club instructor: Half-hour lessons are available to all Villagers every Wednesday and Friday at 1:00 on Courts 5 and 6. No registration is required.
Paddles and balls are provided at all pickleball sessions. Please wear non-marking court shoes. Observers are welcome.
Pickleball Club gets Honorable Mention!
Pickleball was well represented at The Villages July 4th parade this year. The Pickleball Club had a decorated golf cart driven by Julie Walias, with Anahid Gregg as the Statue of Liberty, that received Honorable Mention by spectators. There was also an entry of Pickleball fans that included Mike Walias and Mark Gregg playing pickleball while walking the entire route!
USA Pickleball Ambassadors Visit
Pickleball ambassadors are volunteers who have pledged to promote the sport of pickleball and the USA Pickleball Association. On Tuesday, July 2, our local USAPA ambassadors, Mike and Princess Leong, were invited to the SIR 114 luncheon at the Clubhouse. Mike and Princess gave an informative talk about pickleball and the benefits of playing, followed by a demonstration on the courts.Spectators were encouraged to join in and play.The Leongs are very supportive of our plans for dedicated courts, acknowledging this would make pickleball atThe Villages accessible to more players. They listed some of the many benefits:attracting new residents, increased club membership, building new friendships and supporting healthy living. A big thank you to the SIR organization for helping to promote pickleball here in The Villages!