Hello Pickleball Family!
Welcome back to another edition of The Kitchen Report!
Before we get started, Niko would like everyone to know that he has officially applied for the position of Pickleball Club Supervisor. His qualifications include sleeping through meetings, supervising from a comfortable chair, and weighing in at 30 pounds without ever picking up a paddle. Frankly, I think he’s overqualified. And the best part? He works for treats!
NOW, LET’S GET INTO THE KITCHEN!
WHAT A WEEKEND!
WOW! What an amazing weekend we had!
If you missed it, I’m sorry, because the courts were hopping, the pancakes were flying, and the fun was nonstop! Between our two interclub events, we had one fabulous weekend of pickleball, friendship, and enough pancakes to fuel a small army!
A HUGE thank-you to our very own Master Chef Dan Hodge for whipping up a wonderful pancake breakfast! Dan, you’ve officially set the bar. Next year we’re expecting an omelet station and table service!
And a specially HUGE shout-out to John Jaques and his trusty sidekick Robin for making all the magic happen on the courts! Between organizing players, keeping things moving, and making sure everyone had a great time, you two deserve a vacation. Unfortunately, we have more pickleball coming, so your vacation request has been denied!
Seriously, thank you all for making this weekend such a success!
FALL TEAM RALLY – NOVEMBER 21ST!
Mark your calendars!
Saturday, November 21st
● Check-in: 9:30 AM
● Play begins: 10:00 AM
Please arrive early to check in and warm up those fabulous pickleball muscles!
Not playing? Come on out and cheer on your favorite team! Bring your enthusiasm, your loudest cheering voice, and maybe a little sympathy for the team that’s losing!
Now, here’s the important part. OPEN PLAY IS STILL HAPPENING!
If the courts are full, please use the sign-up board and take your 15-minute turn to warm up.
I don’t care if you’re the next Ben Johns. You still have to wait your turn! We share nicely around here. Your mother taught you that, and now I’m reminding you!
DEMO DAY COMING– SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST!
And while you’re at the courts, we’ve got something else happening!
DEMO DAY is Saturday, November 21st!
Our demo setup will be located on the pond side of the courts, with paddles available for you to try out during Open Play!
What a perfect opportunity to test-drive a new paddle and get yourself an early Christmas present!
And if your spouse asks why you need another paddle, just tell them it’s a necessary investment in your athletic development.
If that doesn’t work, tell them I said it was okay. I’ve been blamed for worse!
LEAGUE SHOOTOUTS – LET THE GAMES BEGIN!
Alright, future league superstars, it’s time to show us what you’ve got!
Our first league shootout kicks off Friday, November 13th!
LADIES:
● Check-in: 9:30 AM
● Play begins: 10:00 AM
GENTLEMEN:
● Check-in: 12:30 PM
● Play begins: 1:00 PM
The schedule will remain the same for all three shootouts.
MARK THESE FRIDAYS:
● November 13th
● November 20th
● December 4th
Yes, I know. THREE FRIDAYS! Right smack in the middle of mail call, lunch plans, and whatever else you retired folks have on your very busy calendars!
You MUST participate in at least TWO of the THREE shootouts. However, we’d really prefer you attend all three if possible.
Please plan accordingly.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER – MEMBERSHIP DUES!
Alright, pickleball family, just a little housekeeping!
Membership dues are due!
If you’ve signed up for an event and haven’t had a chance to pay your dues yet, please take a moment to get that taken care of.
We want everyone who has signed up to be able to participate, and getting those dues in helps us keep everything organized without having to make changes to the event rosters.
We know life gets busy, and sometimes these little things slip our minds. We appreciate you taking care of it!
And don’t worry, I’m not sending Niko around to collect payments just yet. Although he has offered his services for a small fee of three treats per household!
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB – PICKLEBALL WITH A PURPOSE!
Now, let’s talk about something really special!
On Friday, we had a wonderful meeting with the Boys & Girls Club, and I couldn’t be more excited about what we’re going to accomplish together!
We’re going to do everything we can to help all three clubs introduce these kids to the wonderful world of pickleball!
Here’s the deal. These kids LOVE playing pickleball, but they don’t know the rules yet!
Sound familiar? I’ve seen a few adults on our courts with the same problem! Just kidding… sort of!
We’re looking for volunteers who would love to spend some time teaching these kids how to play, understand the rules, and most importantly, have FUN!
Because we’ll be working with children, all volunteers will need to be fingerprinted and complete a background check. More information will be coming soon.
NOW, HERE’S WHERE IT GETS REALLY GOOD!
After meeting with all three clubs, we learned their number-one need is NETS!
Thanks to your generosity, our club will be purchasing nets and indoor pickleballs for the kids!
And let’s give a BIG shout-out to our infamous SWEAR JAR! Because let’s be honest, that’s where the money came from!
Who knew all those missed shots, balls in the net, and questionable line calls would eventually help a bunch of kids learn to play pickleball?
Turns out, every four-letter word was an investment in our community!
So technically, some of you have been VERY generous donors without even knowing it!
We’re also still looking for donations of used paddles that have some life left in them.
And get this…
Yesterday, after our meeting, we dropped off approximately 20 paddles!
The Indio club had only TWO paddles for more than 20 kids who wanted to play!
TWO PADDLES! That’s not pickleball. That’s a waiting list with a net!
Something tells me there are going to be some VERY happy campers come Monday!
We also received a generous $100 cash donation from two of our club members!
To both of you, THANK YOU! Your kindness and generosity mean so much. You’re not just donating money or equipment. You’re giving these kids an opportunity to learn something new, build confidence, make friends, and have some fun! And don't worry, I'm keeping our two generous cash donors anonymous. They're operating undercover, and I don't want to blow their cover!
And who knows? We might just be helping develop the next pickleball superstar!
WANT TO VOLUNTEER?
Please reach out to Gina Perrin or Suzy Hall, who will be putting together our volunteer list.
AND THE FUN IS JUST GETTING STARTED!
We’re officially kicking off our Boys & Girls Club pickleball program in JANUARY!
And here’s something else to look forward to!
In MAY, we’ll be hosting a MINI PICKLEBALL TOURNAMENT for the kids right here on OUR courts!
That’s right! We’re bringing the future pickleball superstars to Trilogy!
Just imagine these kids showing up, paddles in hand, ready to show us everything they’ve learned!
And let’s face it, by May, some of them might be giving a few of us a run for our money!
We’ll have more details as we get closer, but I can already tell you this is going to be something special!
Stay tuned! The next generation of pickleball players is coming, and they’re coming to OUR courts!
This is what makes our club so special. We don’t just play pickleball. We show up for our community!
And for that, I’m incredibly proud of all of you!
THAT’S A WRAP!
Well, that should just about do it for this week’s Kitchen Report!
If I’ve forgotten anything, don’t worry. You know me. Before you’ve had your second cup of coffee, I’ll probably have another email in your inbox!
Thank you all for making this club such a wonderful place to play, laugh, volunteer, and occasionally argue over whether that ball was IN or OUT!
Remember, it’s just pickleball. Have fun, be kind, and for goodness’ sake, CALL THE SCORE!
Play hard, be nice!
Niko and I are OUT!
P.S. Niko would also like to remind everyone that he’ll be making a celebrity appearance at the Art Walk on Saturday, November 14th, from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM! Stop by his booth, say hello, and meet the 30-pound superstar himself! He’s already practicing his autograph, although so far it just looks like a paw print. And please, no pushing or shoving. His security team is very strict. Unfortunately, his security team is me!
See you on the courts!
