Happy New Year to our Pickleball family at Maple Leaf.

Looking back, we can call 2022 a “year of challenge, of change and of community” as we all came out of Covid lockdowns and then confronted the wrath and aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

Even through it all we can reflect on what we have to be thankful for.

Not only do we get to live in a beautiful Park enjoying the warmth of sunshine, but we are also surrounded with the warmth of friends, neighbors and fellow pickleball fanatics.

And our club continues to grow! At year end, we have 246 members. At this pace, it won’t be long before we are 300 or more! We have a strong program that provides everyone multiple opportunities to play, learn and share this wonderful game.

We should be very proud of all that we have accomplished this past year:

• Implemented a new online system to help our volunteers and players manage the tremendous growth of our club, and that system has set the foundation for future expansion.
• Introduced:
  • 4-week Skills & Drills program with professional Bob White (announcement coming soon for Jan skills & drills), and
  • Intro to Pickleball clinics for new players instructed by Club members.
• Created a Summer Ambassador program for new players during the off-season months.
• Enhanced Club communications with
  • Monthly newsletters
  • Private group Facebook page
  • Improved website
  • Dedicated club email
• Testing of new proof of membership (grip band) and paddle stacking systems
• Creating committees (site plan, events, fundraising) with more needed!

And last but not least, construction on Courts 3 & 4 has begun!!! Not bad for a small all-volunteer run Club.

We owe a debt of gratitude for all the previous Board Members and volunteers for the work they did to help get us to where we are today.

Your current Board members recognize that the additional courts, programs, and phenomenal growth of the club will challenge us but will also present opportunities for ways to keep the social aspect of the club alive, improve our skills, and continue to create a safe, fair, and fun environment for all!

The New Year is a “year of optimism and opportunity”!

We may need to raise funds above and beyond membership dues to finalize Courts 3 & 4, plus will need to raise funds for the planning and ultimate construction of Courts 5 & 6.

Please stay tuned and get involved in making this Club and our venue the best it can be!

Wishing you a happy New Year! May it be filled with new adventures and good fortunes.

ML Pickleball Board

Tony, Mike, Roy, Chris, Jay, Katie, Colette, and Joe

Ten 2023 Pickleball Resolutions

1. I will not blame the wind every time I hit a third-shot drop into the net – especially when playing indoors.

2. I will call kitchen-line foot faults against myself at all times during rec play (until the score reaches 8).

3. I will not hit a hard smash directly at a vulnerable opponent who hasn’t already left a red mark on my torso during the same game.

4. I will avoid taking issue with an opponent’s line call, and if that’s not possible, I will avoid saying something like, “Even that pelican over there would have called that in.”

5. I will be kind to new players learning the game, because you never know: One day one of them might be your orthopedic surgeon.

6. I will not pretend to inspect the ball for cracks after I muff an easy return.

7. I will not judge a book by its cover, but if I find myself playing against somebody who has one of those suction cups on the end of the paddle handle, I will keep the ball low.

8. When playing pickleball with somebody who stops play to answer cell phone calls on the court, I will not derisively refer to that person as “prime minister” for the rest of the session.

9. I will spend less time watching YouTube pickleball videos during Zoom meetings at work.

10. I will not buy more than three paddles this year unless I win the lottery or improve my skill rating by half-a-point.

Source: thepickler.com