PickleballMAX History and Move

The following is a compilation of blog posts charting our start with pickleball back in the mid 2000’s.

So Long Woodside Pickleball — I’ll Miss You!

March 2015: At approximately 1:30PM on Thursday, March 26, 2015 I served, sliced, spun and dinked for the final time as a regular pickler at Woodside Bible Church. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, I have been playing pickleball at Woodside during my “extended lunch hour” on most Tuesdays and Thursdays for the better part of two years. In those two years I not only learned to play the game, but more importantly, I made some amazing friendships.Woodside

Condo – Perfect for a Guy Who’s Not Handy!

For the past several years my wife and I have wanted to transition from home ownership to condo ownership. Afterall, who likes mowing, shoveling snow and dealing with the seemingly never-ending headaches associated with home ownership? Not me! In May, 2014 we put our house up for sale – and in December, 2014 we closed on the sale and became “homeless.”

Since that time we have been fortunate enough to take advantage of an empty house as the in-laws have been traveling throughout the southern United States as part of their SOWER’s RV ministry. While “house-sitting” we have been anxiously waiting for the perfect condo to hit the MLS system – one with a pond/lake view and a clubhouse and pool. It still hasn’t hit. Unfortunately, these “amenities” are not typical in Michigan, at a price point we desire. We, therefore, decided to expand our search to our neighbors to the south. And if Michigan was our first choice, southwest Ohio became our second choice after visiting the area several times.

The Jig is Up — They’re Coming Home!

It’s now the last week of March and, unfortunately, the jig is up. The in-laws have said they are coming home. We still don’t have a condo that we can call home – but we’re still actively searching. To maximize everyone’s sanity – we decided to get an apartment – and we decided to get one in southwest Ohio while we continue to wait for the perfect condo. We have reserved the moving truck and we’ll be driving it down on Monday.

I’ll Always Consider Woodside “Home”

Although we will no longer take up permanent residence in metro Detroit, we will still be visiting and returning to the area quite regularly. The in-laws still live in southeast Michigan and I still have clients in the area that I manage (I own my own digital marketing business) and with whom I will continue to meet. In true, pickleball-addict fashion, I will make every effort to schedule these meetings around a Tuesday or Thursday so that I can come back and rekindle the friendships I have made on the pickleball courts at Woodside.

I also look forward to playing in some pickleball tournaments in the area each summer, including the Royal Oak Skill Level Pickleball Tournament slated for August. You may no longer see me playing pickleball every Tuesday and Thursday, but I will still always consider Woodside my “home.”

See you on the courts!

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A New Adventure Down I-75

April 2015: On Monday morning – just three days after saying “goodbye” to Woodside pickleball – the wife and I were packed and heading approximately four hours south down I-75. Shortly after arriving and having my obligatory Chick-fil-A sandwich, the unpacking began, and much to my dismay, still continues.

Community Center Orientation

On Wednesday we checked out the local Chamber of Commerce so that we could begin making strategic contacts for our respective businesses. We also attended a new resident orientation at the local Community Center – which, by the way, seems to have an expanding group that plays pickleball on most weekdays. During this orientation session we met a couple from Ann Arbor – both of whom previously worked at the University of Michigan. Neither knew much about pickleball – but he was a former tennis player at Michigan. I will do my best to “convert” him to this 50-year old game that is played with a paddle and Wiffle ball.

Happy Easter

This weekend we plan to visit three churches in the area – one on Good Friday and two on Easter Sunday. Don’t tell my wife, but I’ll also be closely looking to see if the churches have ample space for pickleball courts! Have a great Easter, everybody. He is Risen! 

See you on the courts!

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New Pickleball Venues — But the Same Great Sport!

April 2015: Almost a month after saying “goodbye” to Woodside pickleball and making the 4 hour drive south down I-75, I ventured into the local area searching out places to play pickleball. I posed the question about where to play on a local Facebook Group. While some never heard of the game — and others expressed intrigue — I did manage to get a couple of recommendations — including Countryside YMCA of Lebanon, OH, the Mason Community Center, Queen City Racquet and Fitness Club of Cincinnati and the outdoor courts in Middletown. I will certainly be checking out each of the options.

Look forward to checking out the outdoor courts in Middletown

With their website stating that they are the “world’s largest Y,” I heeded the previous recommendation and, on Friday, made the trek over to Lebanon to partake in the scheduled 11:30AM – 12:30PM pickleball. Two courts were set up — and I met some great people and had lots of fun. It definitely felt good to be playing again — as I hadn’t played since the move! I will definitely be back.

Spring Means Warmer Weather… and Pickleball Tournaments

With spring at the doorstep (hopefully), it’s time to start planning for some spring and summer pickleball tournaments. For a complete listing of pickleball tournaments throughout the United States, please check out the USAPA website for a comprehensive roundup. Which tournaments are you planning to play? Look forward to seeing you on the courts!

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A Portable Pickleball Net, A Temporary Court and Condo Association Regulations — This Could Get Interesting!

June 2016: Spring and summer means transitioning from indoor pickleball to outdoor pickleball. Exit the poorly lit gymnasium, indecipherable court lines and slippery floor and enter the swirling wind and “blinding” sunshine. I wouldn’t have it any other way — even with the excuses!

And now with summer officially just several days away, we’re all likely knee-deep in our outdoor pickleball routine – the routine in which we play at such-and-such-a-spot from 9:00AM until noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – and from 6:00PM to 9:00PM somewhere else on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. That routine, however, may come with its own set of challenges. For example, with limited outdoor facilities – depending on your geographic location – you may very well be traveling 30 minutes to an hour away just to get in some competitive play.

Portable Pickleball Net — A Convenient Option!

I feel that pain. With limited outdoor options, I find myself making a 19-minute commute (without traffic) to play – a 30 minute commute with traffic… which is why I couldn’t resist a more convenient option – a portable pickleball net. Of course, A portable net necessitates “building” your own pickleball court – and, if done “strategically” – garnering a palatable “home-court” advantage with a hanging tree limb positioned in just the right spot that makes it difficult for the unsuspecting opponent — or court dimensions that are “inadvertently” miscalculated on just one side and known only to you. Did I just say that? Ha!

What will Larry Say?

While we don’t have a backyard (we live in a condominium community) in which to construct our own permanent court, the plan is to build a temporary court in the nearby cul-de-sac. I measured the width of the street and it’s just the right space — with even a foot or two on each side of the net to spare! I’m not sure how this plan will fly, however, with our 100+ page condo association regulations.

I have a bad feeling that after several thumps of the ball, our play will be suspended by our condo association president, Larry – who [in]conveniently happens to live on the same street – albeit several buildings down from the proposed setup. I’ll let you know in the coming weeks if my setup is short-lived or if it will be a viable longer term option. Hopefully, we’ll be permitted to play. There’s a lot of people in the community to whom I would like to introduce the sport.

Please Share Your Experiences

Have you built a pickleball court? I would love to hear your experiences. Has it been constructed in such a way so as to give you an inherent advantage to “unsuspecting” opponents? Shown below are a couple of pretty cool set-ups! I especially like the viewing area… See you on the courts!