#040 July 25, 2023 | Read on the web​

Dink for a Cure tournament raises $70,000 for the Arthritis Foundation

The 2nd Annual Dink for A Cure Pickleball tournament at Siena College was an incredible success. The tournament raised more than $72,000 for the Arthritis Foundation. That is an amazing figure and it will help support vital programs for adults and children living with arthritis.

Players and fans bought more than $2,500 in raffle tickets. The winner of the signed Anna Leigh Waters paddle was Margaret Ostrom of Schenectady County. You can see all the raffle winners here:

​https://www.pickleball518.com/preview-of-raffle-items-at-dink-for-a-cure-at-siena-college/​

We awarded nearly 100 medals at the event. The "medals" were a little different. We were looking for something that would remind players of the community they were supporting: people with arthritis. So we created medals out of jar openers, one of the many assistive tools that people with arthritis use to help with daily living.

Here is a full list of medalists:

​https://www.pickleball518.com/list-of-medalists-for-the-2nd-annual-dink-for-a-cure-tournament-at-siena-college-june-21-22-and-23-2024/​

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Photos from the tournament:

​https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZHhcNgdoeHACmWrb9​

Picklers Pickleball Club in Menands is open

​Picklers Pickleball Club, just outside of Downtown Albany, has opened its doors and Pickleball518 readers can check it out for a discounted rate! Picklers is located at 90 Broadway Ave., Menands, and has six indoor, individually fenced-in pickleball courts on a cushioned tennis surface with specialized lighting and a temperature controlled playing area. Open plays are available every day. Mention Pickleball518 at your first open play and enjoy two hours of competition for $8. The discount is available through August. Call 518-729-2022 or email info@picklerspickleball.club to reserve your spot or sign-in on Court Reserve. SPONSOR

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Municipal outdoor courts are opening everywhere

Bethlehem just opened 10 dedicated outdoor courts at Elm Avenue Park in Delmar (tournament coming soon!)

Clifton Park opened 10 courts at Veteran's Park.

Guilderland created 4 courts at Nott Park right next to the dog park. Myself, Michele Statile and Barb Newton measured out the court dimensions at Nott and the Guilderland director of recreation, CJ Gallup, painted the lines himself. Guilderland hopes to eventually surface the courts with tennis court material (without the tennis lines) and install permanent nets. For now, CJ wanted people to be able to play.

You find all the places to play on the Pickleball518 court map:

​https://www.pickleball518.com/map-of-pickleball-courts-in-greater-capital-region/​

Open plays around the region

Most of the municipal courts have open play first thing in the morning, though Colonie's Mohawk Park is used exclusively by the Colonie Pickleball Club on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. to noon.

Open Play at Sportime

Open play for 3.5+ are Tuesdays from 6-8pm. $10 for members and $14 for non-members.

Open play for 2.5-3.0 are Wednesdays from 6-8pm. $10 for members and $14 for non-members

Sportime has also reduced court time summer pricing to $35/hour.

​https://www.sportimepickleball.com/Programs?location=sch

Open Play at Impact

Impact in Clifton Park has open gym hours from 6:30am-11:30am M-F. Typically, the gym's afternoon open gym play goes from 12pm-5pm with some days having extended hours due to no programs going on.

Open play elsewhere

Legacy, True, Hockey Hut and Picklers have open plays nearly every day, almost all day long. All three venues use the Court Reserve platform, which is the best way to view their schedules.

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A little more about the 2nd Annual Dink for a Cure

2nd Annual Dink for a Cure at Siena - BY THE NUMBERS

• 670 games played
• 308 registered players
• 234 players from New York
• 32 players from Massachusetts
• 9 players from Vermont
• 4 players that list Florida as their residence
• 2 players from New Jersey
• 1 player each from New Hampshire, Virginia and Kentucky
• 104 players were under 50 years old
• 58 players were under 35 years old
• 180 players were over 50 years old
• 28 players were 70 years old or older
• 25 sponsors
• 40 volunteers

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SPONSORS​
I owe a big thanks to all our sponsors: AbbVie, Ortho NY, Pickleball Galaxy, Regeneron, Pro Tapes, Stretch Zone, Keeler Motor Car Company, CDPHP, Dorothy LaCombe Adult HealthCare Nurse Practitioner PLLC, Zappia & Fryer General Dentistry, Quick Response and Restoration, Stewart's Shops, Gamma Pickleball, Times Union, All State Pickleball League, Albany Med Health System, The Bone & Joint Center, JOOLA USA, EngagePickleball, True Pickleball, Picklers Pickleball Club, Compass Draw Pickleball, Dobson's Choice, Heali Medical and Bellini's Counter.
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​VOLUNTEERS​
This tournament would not have run as smoothly as it did without the amazing volunteers who helped out in big ways and small ways. I am very grateful to all of you:
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Donna & Rich Arnold, Dan & Melissa Arnold, Steve Baron, Barb and Ken Bradford, Judy Carnavos, Mark Compton, Maggie Evans, Gina Family, Pam Hume, Michele Jones, Rob & KK Kear, Mary Pat & Ken Knepper, Heidi Kosh, Rishi Kumar, Diego Lebron, Taylor Lipson, Pam Manta, Pat Mitchell, Jennifer Morrell, Nora Owens, Susan Poisson Dollar, Caren Price, Sherri Rose, Diane Selin, Ally Silvia, Michele Statile, Robin Storm, Debbie Waddell, Lee Ann Werner (Pulver), Catherine Zampier and the wonderful high school students: Angela L., Finn W., Meghan U., Lydia K. and Vanessa C.

If you want to volunteer on future Pickleball518 tournaments, sign up here: https://forms.gle/jpi38M3rcQVRYgwv5​

Results from the Flutters of Hope

The Flutters of Hope tournament was a complete success. The event raised money for the organization, which helps families and individuals suffering from an eating disorder.

Photos and winners are posted here: https://www.fluttersofhopeinc.org/events​

Flutters of Hope has set a date for next year's tournament: June 14 & 15, 2025 at McGregor Links.

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Upcoming tournaments

July 27 & 28: Chuck Allen Tournament (most events are full)​
4th Annual Chuck Allen Memorial Tournament at Jenkinsville.https://www.adkpickleball.com/​

Aug. 9-11 Mohawk Pickleball Club Summer Slam Tournament​
to benefit the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.https://www.vairified.com/mpc-summer-slam​

September 20-22: Upstate New York Pickleball Championship​
Broadview Center at the University at Albany campus
1400 Washington Ave, Albany, NY 12222
​https://cdymca.org/events/upstate-new-york-pickleball-championship​

Oct. 5 (Raindate Oct. 6) Bethlehem Tournament to benefit Bethlehem Senior Projects​
Elm Avenue Pickleball Courts in Bethlehem, NY
​https://www.bethlehemseniorproject.org/
​Registration will open soon on Pickleball Brackets

Nov. 23-25 2nd Annual Thanksgiving at Emma Willard​
Emma Willard School, Troy N.Y.
​Details to come

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Fall Compass Draw Tournament League is open for registration

Registration for the Fall Capital District Compass Draw Pickleball Tournament League Now Open (Tournament Starts August 14th)
Register at www.compassdraw.com/pickleball/capitaldistrict.

Register by July 28th to save $5 on the entry fee and earn a chance to win one of FIVE Compass Draw Pickleball Tote Bags! Games begin Aug. 15.

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Owners of new pickleball club in Menands motivated by love of sports

Note: Read the full story on Pickleball518

Husband and wife team Maura and Gary Miller opened Picklers Pickleball Club in Menands, N.Y., in June 2024. They converted an old Aldi grocery store just outside Downtown Albany into six dedicated pickleball courts.

Sports have always been central to the Millers' lives. They started dating while playing on an adult travel softball team in the DC area and were featured in a Washington Post article titled "Playing softball for a good catch." They raised five athletic children, including Tommy, the winningest pitcher in Siena College history, and Maggie, an All-American softball player at the College of St. Joseph.

The Millers discovered pickleball in Florida while attending one of their kid's tournaments. They began playing before COVID at the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club, finding it a perfect sport to ease winter doldrums.

Picklers Pickleball Club features permanent nets on a tennis surface, Class 1 LED lighting, and high ceilings. The club offers drop-in play, leagues, and plans to expand lessons and competitions. The venture was financed by the Millers and Maura's brother and sister-in-law, Mike and Donna Behrmann. The Millers hope Maggie and Tommy will take over the business in five years.

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Improve Your Patience on The Pickleball Court

My friend and pickleball instructor Gina Family introduced half of the region's players to pickleball. Gina played in the Dink for A Cure Tournament and had some observations worth sharing. From Gina: ​
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I noticed at the Arthritis Tournament how we try to win the point too quickly. Everyone seems too excited to hit a winner without building the point...including myself.

The best pickleball players will try to keep the ball low and in play wait for a true opportunity to attack. We must be willing to hit one more shot, one more dink, or place a shot in a strategic location. This will help set ourselves up for a true put-away shot that's not coming back.

Everyone is getting better at this game. Balls that used to be put-aways are no longer put-aways. Those balls that used to finish the point are coming back over the net. We need to be more strategic in setting up the point and less anxious to jump the gun too soon and attack.

One of my favorite drilling games:

Wait til 8

Serve, return of serve, third shot drop in the kitchen, then dink 5 times. After those 8 shots, anything goes. This is a great drill game to teach patience, help you work on your third shot drop, and learn to dink one more time. Happy Drilling.

-Gina

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That's all for now. Something brewing on my mind is Team Reach. I feel like our region has outgrown the app. Email me if you have thoughts/suggestions.

I hope to see you on the court!

Cathleen

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