It all started in the winter of 2016 in Florida. It was 23 degrees at LQ and 83 in FL. Perfect day to learn how & become a Pickleball fan!

When packing up to return home, we just couldn’t leave Pickleball behind!

In July of 2016 we invited a USA Pickleball (https://usapickleball.org) Ambassador to LQ to help us introduce the game to LQ. We were all astounded, 70 people show up to learn about Pickleball! At that time there were no Pickleball courts, so we would have to tape courts 5&6 every time we wanted to play. We would give lessons to everyone who wanted to learn and soon many of our early adopters were also giving intro lessons. as we were the only ones at that time who knew how to play. As the popularity increased , we were asked to volunteer to teach Pickleball classes at summer rec. We hosted the first Tailgate event to raise money to buy nets, racquets & balls for the summer rec kids to use. This was only possible with the help of the many Pickleball families: Huff, Dorsey, Ansari, Davis, Boling, McGrath, and so many others! Shortly after we established the LQ Pickleball Club, became Pickleball Ambassadors for the USAPA and registered LQ as the first Pickleball Club in the State of Kansas.

Later that year we made a presentation to the LQ Board to add Pickleball lines to Courts 5&6 when they were to be resurfaced the next year.

As the Pickleball Club grew, we set up lessons, schedule Open Play times, and continue to grow the game.

When the Community Center was being planned, our club was instrumental in getting 2 courts lined on indoor court 8. From our humble beginnings of a dozen committed players, we have grown to 175 active members of the LQPBA. The largest geographical growth areas for Pickleball are now Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Pickleball has seen a 225% growth nationwide over the last 3 years, and the largest age segment is players 18-34. It is no longer an old folks game. You can see how popular Pickleball at LQ has become when you look at league night where we have 64 participants, in 3 levels of play. Social, Competitive and Advanced.

Many new members have stated that joining Pickleball was the best and fastest way to meet people at LQ. We welcome players of all skill levels, and the social aspect of the game where you are continuously changing partners makes for an easy way to meet many people with varying interests.

Geof has been a PPR (https://www.paddlesportsracket.com) Certified Pickleball Coach for 2 years and teaches classes at the Shawnee Civic Center (https://www.cityofshawnee.org) and Merriam Community Center (https://www.merriam.org). Classes are inexpensive and include Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.

Next month I will talk about proper warmups, stretching, shoes, eye protection and safety. Until then, Come join us on Sunday afternoons from 3-6pm for Open Play!

Geof Gehring

Pickleball is fast becoming a very popular FAMILY sport at LQ. But what is pickleball, you may ask? Combining parts of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, this sport is picking up fans of all ages. The popularity of the sport increases decade by decade and now year by year. It has gained real popularity in countries around the world, in part because it’s a social game that people of all skill levels can play.

Twenty really fun Summer Rec kids participated in the Pickleball class. We welcome this 2018 class to the LQ Pickleball Family! Jack Marx won the round robin tournament and Bella Alvarado received the Pickleball HEART award. Five (very) generous and dedicated volunteers taught the summer rec class: Landy Boling, Johnny Huff, Pink Nancy Dorsey, T.Red & Geof Gehring. Several of the “new” young players invited their parents and siblings to come join the fun and learn how to play!

Lake Quivira (https://www.lakequivira.org) is fortunate to have Graham Battle as the LQ Pro of Racquet Sports. He is committed to Pickleball and holds beginner & skills clinics at LQ. This summer over 25 adults have learned to play Pickleball at the beginner clinics. Graham is currently working on a Fall league for all ages and skill levels! All future Pickleball activities will be well advertised in LQ communication notices.

Now is your turn to get involved in this fun activity. LQ tennis courts number 5 & 6 are being professionally resurfaced & lined for 4 Pickleball courts. The LQ Pickleball Club currently has 4 nets, paddles and balls for our community to use.

Much of the play is based on ping pong/table tennis, but on a bigger court and with slightly larger paddles, so it’s relatively easy to pick up the basics of the game right away. Of course, as you find yourself playing more frequently because of the fun nature of the game, you may just find yourself becoming more adept and competitive.

Pickleball courts are relatively small, which makes them great for simply having fun and talking with your friends throughout the game. You will get exercise in, improve your balance, agility, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination, without putting excessive strain on your joints and body. It’s a great way to get out and exercise with friends on a daily basis and a perfect way to ease into exercising and as you gain stamina and strength.

One of the many reasons Lake Quivira is a great place to live is the fact that we have pickleball courts right here in our community. Head over to the courts and you’ll soon find new friends among your neighbors as you play this fun, engaging and social game. You’ll quickly understand why pickleball is winning new fans (young & old) every day.

WANT LQ PICKLEBALL INFORMATION? Checkout LQ Pickleball Club on Facebook and/or sign-up to receive e-mails and updates at LQpickleball@gmail.com