Pickleball Rocks Opens First Retail Brick and Mortar Store In Brookville

by | Nov 16, 2022 | Pickleball Rocks Homepage, Rockets Ramblings

If you haven’t heard of the sport of pickleball, you soon will.  Simply turn on the TV and on any given weekend you’ll see players competing in tournaments and leagues across the country and around the world.  Yes, over 70 countries now have people playing the fun sport of pickleball. Television shows like Good Morning America and The Today Show have recently showcased pickleball, and the news is abuzz about the fact that people like Tom Brady, Lebron James and Mark Cuban now own Major League Pickleball teams.

We personally have been playing pickleball in the tiny town of Brookville, Indiana since 2008. And yes, thanks to Brookville friends and residents Marilyn Hedrick, Larry Sheets and Charlie and Betty Allen, pickleball has been played here since 2006.

So with the simple cutting of a ribbon, we’ve launched the very first Pickleball Rocks Shop at 110 Main Street in our hometown of Brookville, Indiana.

This new site will be the first midwest store dedicated solely to the sport of pickleball and further solidifies Pickleball Rocks as the country’s best known pickleball apparel brand.  The shop will handle much of the world famous Pickleball Rocks branded apparel as well as their new branded paddles and portable nets. Additionally people will be able to demo paddles from major paddle makers like Gearbox, Selkirk, Engage and Pro-Lite Sports.

 

 

USA Pickleball Rocks
Pickleball Rocks Shop Mens Department

The store has its own indoor dinking court plus, during good weather, will have an outdoor demo court for trying out your future new paddle.  We are excited to move the Pickleball Rocks administrative office to 110 Main Street and additionally the new shop will act as the launch pad for all new Pickleball Rocks products before they go for sale online.

We are thankful for our many customers and fans. Pickleball Rocks because of you!

Remember When Pickleball….

by | Aug 6, 2022 | Pickleball Rocks Homepage, Rockets Ramblings

Memories are wonderful things, especially when it comes to pickleball.
We remember important milestones in the growth of the sport and we remember personal events that continue to make us smile (or sometimes cry).
I remember playing my first USAPA Nationals in Buckeye, Arizona.
As a new 16 year old, just getting my feet wet, I won the Mens Singles 5.0 Open division and pocketed my first pickleball paycheck of $1,000.  Wait, maybe that is just a fantasy.
But I do actually remember that first nationals for me.  It was in Buckeye, and I did manage to play in a big men’s singles bracket and come in 4th in my first singles tournament.  And I remember that almost every court at that nationals used a standard portable net on a taped tennis court. I also remember how hard it was to buy a paddle 13 years ago. Today we think it’s tough to buy a paddle because there are thousands of paddles to choose from.  I remember that I could only find three companies online who sold paddles, ProLite Sports, Pickleball Inc and Fran Meyer’s Pickleball Stuff.  I also remember that if you liked one of the paddles they sold, you couldn’t buy it on their website and pay for it with a credit card.  You had to mail them a check, and when your check cleared, they shipped your paddle. That was only 13 years ago.I remember that only 13 years ago, that clearly the best player on the planet was a guy by the name of Pat Kane.  I couldn’t find anyone to argue that, and Pat was in his early 60’s at that time. He simply won everything against everybody.

I remember living in southeast Indiana only 13 years ago and not being able to find any pickleball courts in Cincinnati (except suburb Middletown) or Indianapolis or Dayton.  Some volunteers in our tiny town of Brookville built 2 nice ones so we could play.  Those two courts became the seeds that spawned many midwest communities, towns and cities.

I remember that 13 years ago, seemingly nobody had ever heard of the sport of pickleball.  “What’s that?”  You spent a lot of time telling the pickleball story, especially the dog part. 🙂

I remember when every tournament treated players the same, no matter what level or age they were. We all shared a nice hospitality area and everyone pitched in to make sure everyone had a good time.I remember the joy on people’s faces when they would show up at our courts for the first time and they were welcomed with open arms to come out and play.  No paddle?  No problem, here’s one of mine. That culture by the way has never changed at our courts. Sad that some places don’t create the same experience for those new players. But that’s for another article.

I remember when there was no money prizes to play for and I remember when a tournament didn’t really need big corporate sponsors to be able to hold a good event.

The local grocer donated the bananas and the local insurance agent furnished the bottled water for the players.

Your memories of course are different from mine.
The key point about my memories is that they are from only the last 13 years.  It is amazing how the sport has changed and continues to change.  But it has seen all this change in only the last 10-13 years.   With recreational players and amateur tournament players growing in record numbers, it is a fun time to be a part of this great sport.  It continues to make memories for me, my family and all my friends who will soon be playing.
All good memories indeed.
While you play pickleball today, make yourself some memories and help someone else make some good ones too.
So Let’s Play,
Rocket

Shopping Local is Going National For Two Days

by | Dec 7, 2020 | Pickleball Rocks Homepage, Rockets Ramblings

Help us help the small local businesses.

Sadly, this year many small businesses will not be open for business because of the effects of covid19.   We know the pandemic has shut down many small pickleball businesses as well as many small local businesses of every type.

We are truly thankful that players across the country have made Pickleball Rocks the most recognized pickleball apparel brand in America. And we are equally thankful that every Christmas season, many players choose to do their online shopping with us.  This year seems to be no different. Orders for Christmas presents are rolling in and we are doing our best to get them prepared and on the way to you in time for Christmas.

I wish we could do more to help the small local businesses that are hurting so badly right now.  But at least we can do something.

So in an attempt to help some of our local business friends, we are going to take almost all the orders that are placed during the next two days and have them printed and decorated by a couple of our local small business owners here in our tiny hometown of Brookville, Indiana.

We are assured that everything will be the same quality that you are accustomed to receiving from Pickleball Rocks.  And we are also confident that we will be able to get everything delivered to you in plenty of time for your Christmas giving (and receiving).

So from now until midnight Tuesday 12/8, help us help our local business owners.

Have fun shopping from our 2020 Christmas Shopping Guide.  And know you are helping more than ever.

We hope you have a holiday season filled with joy, peace and hopefully a little pickleball.  
-Rocket and the whole Pickleball Rocks Team

14 Days of Legendary: Honoring Those Who Helped Make Pickleball Great

by | Nov 16, 2020 | Pickleball Rocks Homepage, Rockets Ramblings

Brought to you by: The Pickleball Rocks Clothing & Equipment Company

14 Days Of Legendary

Honoring those who have made pickleball GREAT

DAY ONE:  Pat Kane
When I started playing over 12 years ago, there was only one answer to who was the best player in the game.  Everyone agreed it was Pat Kane.  In my early years I saw him play many times and it didn’t matter whether it was singles, men’s doubles or mixed doubles, I NEVER saw him lose.
Simply a legendary player.

DAY TWO:  Arlen Paranto
Can you say legend? Arlen Paranto could fill a whole chapter in the history of pickleball book. But what is important to you and what we know for sure is that pickleball paddles would not be what they are today with the his creativity. In 1984 Arlen, a Boeing Industrial Engineer, put together fiberglass and a Nomex Honeycomb and created the very first composite paddle.  Yes, Arlen moved us away from wooden paddles.
Simply a legendary man..

DAY THREE:  Fran Myer
Fran is another legend that helped form pickleball as you know it today.  Fran was on the very first board of directors for USA Pickleball, then known as the USAPA. In 1999 Fran along with her husband Barney launched the very first pickleball website, called Pickleball Stuff.  It offered information as well as products, though you couldn’t pay for the product online with a credit card at that time.
 So Fran Myer has helped shape the sport of pickleball from the business side, the administrative side and the player side. Thank you Fran for all you have done and continue to do.

DAY FOUR:  Billy Jacobsen
Many years ago I attended my first Nationals tournament in Buckeye, Arizona.  And one of the very first high level players I saw was a guy who simply looked like a professional athlete. When I met Billy, he instantly impressed me as a kind, generous soul, but on the court he was amazing. So much fun to watch.  During his hey day, he was almost unbeatable.
3x USAPA Nationals: National Champion
4x USAPA Nationals: Silver medalist
2x USAPA Nationals: Bronze Medalist
Billy was a dominant open player for two decades. And to add to his legendary status, Billy Jacobsen is the only player to have ever won national level tournaments in singles and doubles playing entirely left handed during one tournament and then entirely right handed during another. Quite simply, everyone who saw or met him loved Billy, and still do today.  Billy was one of the very first inductees into the Pickleball Hall of Fame.  A Legend.

DAY FIVE:  Mark “Yoda” Friedenberg

Some say Mark Friedenberg invented pickleball.  That is not true, but Mark has done so much to shape pickleball that it would seem he created it.  Mark was the first president of the USA Pickleball Association as well as the first Ratings and Rankings director. (No do not blame him for the current rating system). Mark has won more gold medals than can be counted at the National and Regional levels. 8x USAPA National Champion
4x USAPA Nationals Silver medalist
6x USAPA Nationals Bonze medalist
For many years Mark owned Pro-lite Sports and made it one of the major paddle companies. He also authored The Official Pickleball Handbook which has exposed an entire new wave of players to pickleball. But the one thing that truly makes Mark legendary is his penchant for teaching.  Though we cannot track the actual numbers, we believe he may be the all time leader in lessons given.  Truly a giver and a well known legend.

Mark Friedenberg

DAY SIX:  Robert Lanius

This will be a new one for most newer players.   But if you have ever been to a tournament that ran smoothly because the tournament director chose to use the PickleballTournaments software, then you have long time pickleball player Robert Lanius to thank.  Robert and his wonderful wife Jettye worked tirelessly as tournament directors for years.  And as Bob recognized the various challenges encountered during the tournaments, he designed and coded the software that eliminated the problems and essentially has made it possible to have tournaments with large numbers of players  If not for computer software, it would be almost impossible to smoothly run a tournament over a few hundred players. Today that software is known as PickleballTournaments.com.  Thank you Robert Lanius.  You are a true legend of pickleball.

Mark Friedenberg

DAY SEVEN:  Earl Hill

Earl is a familiar name to anyone who has been around pickleball for awhile. He was on the very first board of directors for the new USAPA. But what many people may not know is that pickleball is now growing at an exponential rate because of Earl’s tireless work and his creation of the USAPA Ambassador program.  It is because of Earl that today there are over 1600 passionate ambassadors growing pickleball in every nook and cranny of the US. Thanks to Earl Hill.  A legend.

Mark Friedenberg

DAY EIGHT:  Enrique Ruiz

When you meet Enrique the first time, you will never forget him and everyone loves him. He reaches out to players everywhere with a helping hand and words of encouragement.  He is a true gentleman on and off the court. Enrique was one of the first true ambidextrous players on the tournament scene.  He switches effortlessly from right hand to left which allows him to cover big chunks of the court with minimal movement.  So when you see him play, you just automatically want to copy is style of play, but few can.  He has won multiple national championships and is simply a special person in our sport. Yes, a legend.

Enrique Ruiz

DAY NINE:  THE TEAM – Jennifer Lucore and Alex Hamner

It is really hard to mention one without the other.  For years and years and years, the team of Alex and Jennifer ruled women’s pickleball at the very top level.  We don’t have a final count of how many tournaments these wonderful ladies won together, but I do know they are still stacking titles up today, and I know this:  In 2011 this duo traveled to Buckeye, Arizona and won the Womens Open Doubles title at the USAPA National tournament.  Just a side note, the entry fee for a player to enter was $30. From 2011 all the way through Nationals 2014, Jennifer and Alex did not lose a Womens Open match.  This is a streak at the top level which will likely never be beaten. Two awesome ladies on and off the court, they are truly legendary.

Jennifer Lucore and Alex Hamner

DAY TEN:  Steve Paranto

 

Let’s start with the fact that Steve’s USAPA member number is 1502 (and they start at 1001). That means he has been around our sport for a long time. But being around a long time does not make a legend. But in 1976 Steve played in the very first known tournament in country at South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington. Most of the players were college tennis players and Steve took Silver in singles. Steve has played Open/5.0 for over 45 years and today is one of the most respected pickleball coaches in the country.  His instructional videos are always fantastic, and his willingness to help players be better players is simply legendary.  Steve is one of the true legends who have shaped pickleball.

 

Steve Paranto

DAY ELEVEN:  Scott Moore

 

Where do you begin with Scott Moore. In 2015 he was selected the Pickleball Rocks Player of the Year, but his legendary story began a couple of years before that. In 2013 Scott played in his first USAPA National tournament and took home a Silver medal.  That began a medal winning streak that has made him one of the most decorated Nationals players in history.  He has simply dominated the sport at the national level for the last 7 years.  And in his spare time, he established the High Performance Pickleball Academy which has developed maybe the most comprehensive video training package on the planet. Scott continues to travel the US, and yes the world, teaching and preaching the sport of pickleball.  He is truly a legend in our sport.

Steve Paranto

DAY Twelve:  Wes Gabrielsen

There are certain players who become legendary for more than just their playing.
Another true ambidextrous player, the first published tournament we could find that Wes played in, was in Bend, Oregon in 2012.  Wes registered for both Mens Doubles 5.0 and Mixed Doubles 5.0 and took home gold in both.
For many years Wes has been a great friend and champion of the sport of pickleball. His combination of friendliness and humbleness makes him the guy everyone loves on and off the court, and he is always at the top of everybody’s partner wish list. But he is also greatly admired by fellow players across the country because of his respect for the history of the sport.  He currently sits on the board of directors for the Pickleball Hall of Fame and yes, he has picked up a boatload of medals along the way:

  • 11x USA National Champion
  • 2x US Open Champion
  • 2x Tournament of Champions Gold Medalist
    We truly appreciate the way Wes Gabrielsen represents our great sport, and this makes him truly legendary.
Wes Gabrielsen

DAY THIRTEEN:  Hilary Marold

There are legendary players in our sport, and then there are people who are legendary in pretty much everything they do. Meet Hilary Marold.

The list of accomplishments is simply too long to cover in this short blog post, but here is the condensed version of this pickleball legend:

– Won 11 APTA National Platform Tennis Championships. Inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1998.

– Won 17 National Paddle (POP) Tennis Championships. Inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2012.

– Won 19 USTA National Tennis Balls – 8 Gold, 8 Silver and 3 Bronze.

– So what has she done in pickleball?  Only become what we believe is the most Nationals decorated player in history with a whopping 22 Nationals Gold Medals plus an induction into the 2020 Pickleball Hall of Fame.

Oh and it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t mention that in the summer of 1973 Hilary made national news by beating the legendary tennis player Bobby Riggs in a paddle tennis challenge match. Actually beat him badly. 🙂
She is one of the truly legendary people and players in our sport.

To read more about Hilary’s legendary life and career, click here for a wonderful article by The Bend Magazine.

Wes Gabrielsen

DAY FOURTEEN:  Erne Perry

Let us re-introduce you to Erne. So where did you first meet Erne?  You were introduced to Erne the very first time you did your first dink straight across the net and your opponent ran around the end of the non-volley zone and spiked the ball away for a winner.  Many of you met Erne through the shot that was named after him.  Yes, the “ERNE SHOT” was named after the legendary player, Erne Perry.

Erne has been playing pickleball at the highest level for over 20 years, playing against and with many of the players on our legendary list.  This video will let you get to know today’s legend much better.  So enjoy learning from and about Erne “The Shot Maker” Perry, a legend in pickleball.  CLICK HERE TO LEARN HOW THE ERNE CAME TO BE.

Wes Gabrielsen
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