by [email protected] | Jul 15, 2015 | Tournament and Clinic Highlights
For the second year in a row Fort Wayne, Indiana and the Fort Wayne Pickleball Club will be hosting the USAPA Great Lakes Regional tournament.
This year’s event will be held at Spiece Fieldhouse
with 200-300 of your closest pickleball friends attending from all over the country. This year’s tournament is designated a Tier 3 tournament so bigger ranking points will be on the line for the top 3 finishers in each event.
This is an indoor (so no weather worries) skill level tournament with age divisions within each skill, so everyone will be in the running for the coveted Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.
For more information on this great midwest tournament and to take a virtual tour of the tournament venue, visit http://www.fwpickleball.com/#!regionaltournament/c7ak
Registration deadline is August 3rd.
To register now, go to http://www.pickleballtournaments.com/welcome.pl?tid=385
See you there!!!!!!
The Pickleball Rocks Team
REGISTER NOW at www.PickleballTournaments.com
by [email protected] | May 28, 2015 | Rockets Ramblings
Once again this year, the Pickleball Rocks 5.0 Summer Shootout filled up quickly. This year’s event was held in Brookville, Indiana June 6 and 7. Read on for results and pictures from the event.
THIS YEARS LINEUP:
Jim Hackenberg – Kalamazoo, Michigan
Rich Geenen – Columbia, Missouri
Paul Spranitus – Canton, Michigan
Andy Gensch – Overland Park, Kansas
Tony Tollenaar – Tualatin, Oregon
Gary Ball – Monroe, Michigan
Josh Grubbs – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Zack Grubbs – Fort Wayne, Indiana
JT Schulze – Florence, Kentucky
Jeff Seibert – Brookville, Indiana
Mike Schwartz – Ft. Wright Kentucky
Ian Titus – Terre Haute, Indiana
Deli Stinnet – Terre Haute, Indiana
Scott Lawler – Terre Haute, Indiana
Jack Froman – Batesville, Indiana
Mark Oswald – Fort Wayne, Indiana
Each guy played 15 matches over the two days, with lots of fun and food in between, including our annual backyard dinner for the players ,where Abby once again put on her annual backyard basketball shooting clinic for those who wanted to challenge her.
SIDE NOTE: In a total upset, Josh Grubbs won 2 of the 3 basketball shooting matches with Abby taking the 3rd. 🙂
2015 Participants:
2015 Winners:
Josh Grubbs, Tony Tollenaar, JT Schulze, Paul Sprainitis, Scott Lawler, Deli Stinnett
THE RESULTS: Each match was one game to 15 win by 2. Each win=20 points. Each loss received your total points, maximum 13.
Our Great Sponsors and Supporters:
Fayette Regional Health Systems, Cook Rosenberger Funeral Home, Pro-Lite Sports and All About Pickleball, LLC (The Pickleball Rocks Team).
Pictures from the event.
For more action pictures, visit our 2015 Shootout album on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153310811624019.1073741847.48452419018&type=3
by [email protected] | Nov 14, 2014 | Tournament and Clinic Highlights
The greatest week in pickleball has wrapped up and everyone left raving about the experience.
One huge vendor tent combined with 28 courts and almost 700 players, plus dozens of Sun City Festival Pickleball Club and USAPA volunteers created the most spectacular tournament in pickleball history.
After watching players aged eight to eighty play over 2000 matches during the seven days, we have come to one conclusion.
It is great to play any time when you are at the National tournament, but if there is one goal that every pickleball player young or old should have, it’s to play under the lights. It is just special to see and feel the atmosphere at those matches that are played at the end of the day.
If you are playing under the lights, it means pretty much everyone has lost except you. The crowd is totally focused on you, the music is blaring during the timeouts and the TV cameras are rolling. It means you have survived a long, hard day and a medal is likely coming your way.
The matches under the lights are special. Think about the tennis US Open in New York at night. Yeah, it’s just like that, only better because you get to play in it.
So make it your goal to play under the lights.
It will be tough to do, but certainly worth the effort.
Good luck in next years National tournament in Casa Grande.
Pickleball Rocks!
by [email protected] | Jul 3, 2013 | Rockets Ramblings
If you can imagine a 4 person game of ping pong, being played while standing on top of a really big outdoor table, then you have pickleball.
Now create a day for a whole bunch of them to compete for one-of-a-kind bag tags and really cool prizes, then you have the Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout in Brookville, Indiana.
A tour around the tournament site revealed a huge hospitality tent loaded with snacks and bottled water that was sponsored by various local businesses to make sure the players were kept strong and hydrated. Also courtside was a newly built shade shelter 
with plenty of seating to help keep the players cool. And of course, one of the most popular places to hangout between matches was the vendor tent showcasing the wildly popular “Pickleball Rocks” dri-fit shirts and hats plus corporate sponsor, Pro-Lite Sports pickleball paddles.
If player feedback is any indicator, the 1st ever Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout was a huge success.
Said tournament advisor Rodney Grubbs, “It was certainly fun planning this first ever Brookville tournament, but what was most satisfying for me is that I sit on the Chamber of Commerce board of directors and this tournament put people in our hotels, restaurants and bed and breakfasts for two weekends. From a tourism standpoint this tournament was a great success and it will only grow from here. From a pickleball growth point of view, it is phenomenal to have this many players come here for a first time tournament. Obviously people are hearing about the quality of pickleball being played here in Brookville.
The personal feedback and emails received from the players after the tournament have been especially gratifying because it tells us that we did things right. Everyone loved it and have committed to coming back next year.”
Saturday June 29th was a special day just for the 3.0 skill level players competing for the coveted “Shootout Champion” bag tags and “Pickleball Rocks” branded prizes. The ladies 3.0 winners were: KeKai Ruckstuhl and Jean Haupt from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Runnerups were the sister duo of Shelly and Tammy Haley of Indianapolis and third place went to Sharri Kendall and Betty Herbert of Connersville.
Ladies 3.0 Shootout Winners at Brookville, Indiana
Men 3.0 Winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout in Brookville, Indiana
On the men’s side, bringing home the top prize was: Matt Klein and Joe Meeks from Fort Wayne, IN. Runnerups were Paul Hamilton and Larry Oliver from Anderson Township, OH and third place went to local Brookville players, Michael Taylor and Kevin Moster.
Sunday June 30th was dedicated to the 3.5 level players and the ladie’s winners were: Melissa Muha (Fishers, IN) and Karen Grubbs (Brookville, IN). Runnerups were Jen Griffin (St. Leon) and Bridget Danemayer (Cincinnati, OH). Third place honors went to Kim Clements (Cincinnati, OH) and Kathy O’Bryan (Brookville, IN).
Women’s 3.5 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout Winners in Brookville, Indiana
Men’s 3.5 tournament winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout in Brookville.
The 4.0 Ladies Winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout tournament.
5.0 Men’s winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout tournament.
Men’s 4.0 Winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout tournament
The 5.0 Ladies Winners at the 2013 Pickleball Rocks Summer Shootout tournament.
Men bringing home the prizes consisted of: (CHAMPIONS) Bruce Colton (West Chester, OH) and David Newman (Anderson Township, OH), (RUNNERUPS) Rick Zeek (Western Hills, OH) and Marc Mateyko (North Bend, OH). And capturing third place by the slimmest of margins (1 point) was the team of Jerry Rea (Syracuse, IN) and Ken Flora (Fort Wayne, IN).
On July 20th the 4.0 players gathered for their special shootout. Coming away with the prizes for the men were: (CHAMPIONS) Mark Oswald (Fort Wayne, IN) and Don Labacz (Grabill, IN), (RUNNERUPS) Brad Bilyeu (Terre Haute, IN) and John Tackett (Louisville, KY) plus 3rd place finishers, Dave Brostrom (Cincinnati, OH) and Jim Huitsing (Mason, OH).
Lady winners were: (CHAMPIONS) Marilyn and Courtney Haslup (Fort Wayne, IN), (RUNNERUPS) Miriam Long and Chrissy Haywood (Louisville, KY) and 3rd placers, the dynamic sister duo of Sharon Hall and Cheryl Wyatt (Middletown, OH).
In the sport of pickleball, there are not many players who are entitled to the coveted 5.0 skill level designation. But on July 21st, 2013, sparks flew as some of the best 5.0 pickleball players in the country descended on the sleepy little town of Brookville.
After a full day of competition, the prize winning 5.0 winners for the men were: (CHAMPIONS) Jim Hackenberg (Kalamazoo, MI) and Paul Sprainitis (Clinton Township, MI), (RUNNERUPS) Josh and Zack Grubbs (Fort Wayne, IN) and bronze medalists JT Schulze and Mike “Ripit” Schwartz (Florence, KY).
Capturing the high level prizes for the ladies were: (CHAMPIONS) Alison Fulton (Lady Lake, FL) and Denise Boutin (The Villages, FL), (RUNNERUPS) Susan Wiartalla (Novi, MI) and Merriann Murphy (Howell, MI), plus bronze winners Yvonne Hackenberg (Kalamazoo, MI) and Marsha Koch (Toledo, OH). They do seem to be enjoying wearing their new stylish earrings. 🙂
At the end of each day a prize drawing was done to give away a Pro-Lite Paddle. The lucky winners were Gene Silver who won a Pro-Lite Blaster, Jan Eischens who won a Pro-Lite Magnum, Robbie McClain winning a Pro-Lite Classic and Marsha Koch taking home a Pro-Lite Aero-D. Many thanks to sponsor Pro-Lite for donating the paddles.
And of course, a tournament of this magnitude simply cannot happen with the support of our great local sponsors.
Thanks to everyone who pitched in.
-Rocket, Josh and Zack (Tournament Directors and Player Services at AllAboutPickleball.com)
WHAT THE TOURNAMENT PLAYERS ARE SAYING:
“This was our first Pickleball Tournament and we had a great time. It was so much fun, can’t wait to do it again next year!!!!!” -Betty H and Sharri K.
“Had a great time on Saturday. Thanks for the amazing event!!!” -Michael T.
“Thanks again for the opportunity to play in your tournament. It was a great time. Well organized. I have played in other tournaments that were not well organized at all. My partner and I both enjoyed ourselves a lot.” – Larry O.
“Tournament was a lot of fun. You all did a great job with everything.” – Judy G.
“Loved your tournament. Tell the boys thanks so much.” – Michell C.
“My first pickleball tournament and I loved it. Thanks for a great experience.” – Jen G.
“A Five Star tournament. Smoothly run and plenty of fun playing pickleball. Looking forward to next year.” – Miriam L.
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Additional sponsors were: Harold Spurlock (Local Farm Bureau Insurance Agent).
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