Author: Duane StClair
To give members a chance to stay in touch with each other we are going to hold our first virtual TGIF social using the Zoom platform this Friday at 5 pm. We are limiting it to 25 members to see how this will work. First come first serve. If you are one of the 25 to sign up using the Doodle you will be emailed the information on how to join the group social and other information about Zoom. Everyone will provide your own beverage and food for the social. Bear with us as we perfect this way to stay connected. Here is the link to the Doodle sign up:
doodle.com/poll/ivam2hu47nkkhs7f
Tino's has donated almost $1,000 to our Association in the past 2 years with their non profit nights. Now might be a good time to pay them back with an order. Help them stay in business to be there for the non profit community in Howard County. www.tinositalianbistro.com/
Play at Owen Brown Sunday thru Friday at 1 pm. Tuesday looks like the only day with rain. We will see what play looks like for next weekend.
Play at 1 pm
Owen Brown courts should be dry by 1 pm today. Nice day to play.
Play today at Owen Brown at 1 pm
Columbia Association Open House - We received the following information from HCPA member Sonny Tannan at CA and wanted to pass it along to our members.
"Join us on Saturday, March 14, 2020, from 12:30 pm - 2 pm for our Pickleball Open House. We will have 6 indoor pickleball courts available at Long Reach Tennis Club (6180 Old Dobbin Ln, Columbia, MD 21045) for open play, games and limited instruction (demo paddles may be available for use).
Each participant* that will be playing in the Pickleball Open House event will be required to provide Sonny Tannan (pawan.tannan@columbiaassociation.org) the following information in order to participate in the event and play on the courts:
- First Name
- Last Name
- Email Address
- Skill level rating (Click on link for definitions) <www.usapa.org/player-skill-rating-definitions/>
- Age (in 2020)
- Columbia Association (CA) Member = Yes or No
*For minors, parents must provide information for each participant and may use their own email address as contact information.
There will be a maximum number of participants allowed for this event due to the space available and the popularity of the last event. So, don't wait to get your registration back to me!"
HCPA memeber Marc Austin joins Team Gamma - Congratulations to HCPA member Marc Austin for becoming a new national member of "Team GAMMA". GAMMA, based in Pittsburgh, PA. is a leading producer of many different pickleball products. Their paddles are top of the line and they offer other high quality pickleball products including portable nets, balls and ball hoppers, equipment bags, training gear and athletic apparel. Marc has acquired all of GAMMA's seven different recently manufactured paddles for demo purposes. He will have them with him during any of his pickleball classes and clinics and wherever he plays and trains for anyone to try out.
The best news is he has been given a personal discount code, "austin15" which gets anyone 15% off every order of pickleball items when ordered from their website:
!!!!! Also- free shipping after spending $59.00 for all orders. This is a great value for GAMMA's top notch pickleball products which are rarely discounted.
HCPA Continues Partnership with HCPSS - Our Association will be collecting paddles and balls to donate to the Howard County School System to be used in physical education classes to teach students about pickleball. The donated equipment will be given to PE teachers who attend their in-service training the week before school starts in August. We are asking everyone to consider if they have any paddles and balls that they would be willing to donate in this effort. We will also be sending out information later on how members can make a cash donation to purchase new paddles and balls. The first collection time for these items will be on our Spring Opening Day play at a date to still be determined. This notification is just to get everyone aware of this effort and to determine what you have to be offered.
So do you know any young person from 11-14 years of age who would like to learn how to play pickleball? If you have a child or grandchildren who are interested in learning to play pickleball better the Howard Community College is offering a one-week pickleball summer camp. Mark Austin and I will be the instructors for this camp. The camp will be for all levels of play. Youth will be matched with players of similar skill levels. While the camp will be focused on playing pickleball many activities will be designed that will be fun activities for youth. The camp will be limited to 16 youth so sign up now. If you have questions feel free to contact me at duanestclair@gmail.com Here is the link for the registration form. Type in "pickleball" in the search box. www.howardcc.edu/programs-courses/continuing-education/courses/kids-on-campus/pages/koc-course-finder.html
Our nice weather continues today with temperatures in the mid to high 50's. Play at Owen Brown at 1 pm.