April Fools: PIckleball Courts to be Reduced in Size

In order to comply with a mandate issued by the CaliforniaPickleball Association, all pickleball courts in California, including The Villages, will be reduced in court size by fifty percent by the May 1 deadline. The number of our courts will remain the same.

The impetus for the requirement to cut the size of the courts was to provide recreational spaces for less strenuous exercise for seniors. Mini-pickleball has quickly grown in popularity because it requires significantly less effort and exertion by its players. In doubles matches, the most common form of the game, only an abbreviated swing is required to reach a ball on the smaller courts. The racquet, rules, balls and net height remain unchanged in the updated version of the game.

The mandate follows the successful implementation of the change in other states like Oregon, North Dakota, Arizona, Alabama, Idaho, Montana, Florida and West Virginia that resulted in more seniors on the courts.

“Mini-pickleball is on the rise, faster than the original game,” said April Primis, president of the Pickleball Association of North America (PANA). “It opens the game up to more players because there isn’t much movement required.”

Pickleball instructors are also on board with the smaller-sized courts. “We’ll definitely see an uptick in the number of people that want to learn the updated game because the lessened physicality provides a way for even couch potatoes to enjoy it,” said Ima Joquin, Northern California Pickleball Ambassador and instructor.

The Villages currently has four pickleball courts which will meet next month’s required size modifications or close until they are able to do so. The number of courts will not be affected. Click “MORE” for additional important details.

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Updates to Parking and Designated Participant Information

Hello Pickleballers!

You may have noticed that No Parking signs have been removed from the street along the Pickleball courts. While parking, please use caution when entering and exiting your vehicles.

While we have moved to the Orange Tier, we still must fill in Designated Participant forms, and no one can enter the court until checked in by the DP. Every 90 minute session must fill in a DP form. It would be helpful to have people sign up for the role when they reserve courts. The responsibilities are listed in this document. A sample form is provided for your review. Please make sure to follow these steps as a DP. Questions? Respond to this email.

Notably:
The first DP of the day picks up the clipboard from the Tennis Shack. They check in the players, ensure they are wearing masks entering & exiting the courts, use hand sanitizer and stay six feet apart.
At the end of each session, the DP fills in the form attached to their registration page, hangs the clipboard on the fence outside Court 1, and places the form in the box outside Building B.
If you are the last session of the day, take the clipboard back to the Tennis Shack (the building across from the tennis courts with the air hose on it) and leave it on the counter. Please do not put the clipboard in the box outside Building B – only the sheets go in there.

Thank you for your assistance in making sure we can continue to play Pickleball!

Bill Pomeranz, Pickleball Club President

Another Email from the Pickleball Club!

Well this is confusing. The rules are changing everyday. Hold your hats.
The current advice relative to face coverings while on the court are as follows:

“Face coverings during play are strongly encouraged”

Each foursome on the court is going to have to figure out how they want to handle this.

Remember, you still need to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer entering and exiting the courts, and you must maintain 6 ft spacing at all times.

This will probably change again so please continue to watch your email.

Thank you,
Bill Pomeranz, President

Good News!

The latest State/County Health Orders allow Singles play for Two Households for Pickleball, Tennis, and Bocce.
Good news! Under these new County orders we still can only play Singles Pickleball (only two people allowed on a court at once), but they may now be members of two different households. For example:
Bob and Cathy from one household can play singles.
Bob and Dan from two different households can play singles.
Bob and Cathy cannot play against Dan. Only two players only on one court!
You must still make reservations on YourCourts.com prior to play and can only use approved paddles and balls.
Please do not enter the court prior to being checked in by the assigned Designated Participant.

If the County further relaxes the regulations, another notification will be sent out.

Stay safe,
Bill Pomeranz, President

New Courts are open and they’re beautiful!

The new Pickleball Courts opened today. A remarkable and beautiful addition to the Villages! Thanks to all the groups, donors, Villagers, Villages Club Board, and Staff that worked so hard to make this a reality!

 

Today the Pickleball Courts open for same household singles play. We all hope we can expand play early next year.

PLEASE – be very careful when leaving the new Pickleball golf cart parking lot and use extreme caution when crossing the streets to and from the new courts.

Residents will not be used to the increased traffic in that area and we want all to be safe. Public Safety will increase its presence in the area to bolster safety efforts as well.
 
Happy Pickleball day for singles play from the same household!
Bill Pomeranz, President

Please send David Cook (dc@argus.mx) your best pictures for inclusion here on the website.

Order Your Pickleball Gear

Due to popular demand, The Villages Pickleball Club is taking orders for Pickleball Shirts, Hats, Visors and stemless wine glasses! Orders can be placed until January 8th.

Prices displayed are for the minimum Club order and will go down if more items are ordered.

REST ASSURED – If minimums are not reached, orders will NOT be placed without my contacting you first. All goods have the Pickleball Logo, all will be billed to your house number.

Player Limits back in force!

The latest State/County Health Orders put us back into limiting the players for Pickleball, Tennis, and Bocce.

Under these orders only members of two households can play at any time, and must stay on one side of the net. This puts us back into playing singles, doubles limited to two households, or Australian rules. Please see the statement from Club Board President, Mike Falarski below.

Many thanks to Mary Tatum who has spent two weeks attempting to get a variance from State and County officials . Regretfully we were just notified by the County our request for a variance was denied based on the County’s legal team’s recommendations. Effective Monday, The Villages is requiring us to regress to these rules. All reservations for Monday or later with more than two households will be cancelled.

As you can see the contractor is making terrific progress on our new courts. Depending on the availability of city inspections, we may get use of the courts around Thanksgiving time. I can’t wait.

Stay safe,
Bill Pomeranz, President

Message from Club Board President Mike Falarski:  

The Villages was made aware of a discrepancy in the number of households that can play together for tennis, pickleball and bocce.  Previously up to four different households were playing on a court at one time.  It was discovered that the State indicated only singles could play on a court while the County said two households could play on a court.   The Community Activities office has spent the past two weeks requesting clarification from the State and County public health officials as they pertain to tennis, pickleball and bocce.  A variance was requested last week to allow up to four households to play together providing all other public health order requirements were met.  Unfortunately, on Tuesday November 10, The Villages received word that the variance was denied.

Effective Monday, November 16, tennis, pickleball and bocce may only have two households playing per court.
Example – Tom and Mary Smith can play Joe and Sally Jones, or Mary Smith can play Sally Jones, or Tom and Mary Smith can play Joe Jones.

It is a regression back to when the courts were first able to open.  The Villages is aware other businesses offering these amenities may be operating outside of public health order compliance.  The Villages is obligated to follow the State and County health public health orders and follow the more restrictive of the two.  If these orders are willfully not followed by The Villages, there are legal and liability coverage consequences.

The public health orders can and do change.  We diligently keep abreast of current information.  Meanwhile, we encourage you to still get outside and find a friend or neighbor to play bocce, tennis or pickleball with.