Sequim Picklers

It takes a village to grow a pickleball community.  Sequim Picklers is one such community that is growing because folks like Jack Olmsted, Video Blogger and Ben Sanders, USAPA Ambassador work hard to get the word out about pickleball in their community.  Enjoy!

Transcript

Ben: Hi my name is Ben Sanders. I'm director of court operations for the Sequim Picklers in Sequim, Washington. We are presently at the Boys and Girls Club which we rent on weekends for indoor play when it it raining, which it is going now. So we have an indoor venue. We have a hundred and thirty-four members at present. We would love to have anyone in the Sequim area, even on the peninsula. We have several people from Port Townsend, numerous people from Port Angeles that come to play with us and our members of our club. And we'd love to have you.

We play Pickleball. You see the venue behind me. We end up with between 25 and 35 people on Saturdays and Sundays each day. And then we play seven days a week. That is Monday Wednesday and Friday at 9 o'clock in the morning till noon. Tuesdays and Thursdays from three o'clock until five. And on Tuesdays and Thursdays has at three o'clock also has free instruction for anyone member or non-member to come and learn how to play the game of pickleball.

Jack: How do you become a member?

You can come any of our events seven days a week Monday though Friday, plus Saturdays and Sundays indoor at the Boys/Girls Club and at any of those events will have cards ready for you to sign for membership. Membership is not very expensive, it is a little over buck a month. So, you're at fifteen dollars a year for membership. We will then explain what we are doing. We are in the process right now of building our own courts that will be at Kerry Park near the dog park. We are looking to build 12 courts ourselves. The city has chipped in we have raised well over $116,000 ourselves. So that we can end up with a state-of-the- art facility for members to play at and we will also open it up to the public.

Jack: What is the goal? How much do you have to raise?

Ben: Our goal is $250,000. It has to be built with union and professionally. We have to go by the City codes and so it's a little more expensive. But, we have a goal of $260,000. We've raised, I believe $116,000. So, we are well on our way to get the courts we want built. We're all trying to do it sooner than later because we are running of years.

Jack: You are running out of years because of your age bracket?

Ben: Because our age bracket. We have a lot of young players. Our president is a young player. He came from the tennis group but he's given up tennis and has taken on pickleball. Doug Hastings is the president of  the board. I ams also a three year board member and also an ambassador to the United States Pickleball Association. So, anytime you have any questions or the instruction, set-up or practice or anything you can give me a call. My name is Ken Sanders my number is locally 360) 808-1024 We play on Tuesdays and Thursdays even when I'm not here I have a group of instructors that come in and continue that instruction once you start it on Tuesdays and Thursdays at three o'clock on either of those two days. It is basic instruction, intermediate instruction and even advanced practice where you can work on lobs or you can work can overhead slams and all aspects of the game.

Jack: Can you give us a little tip? You got a paddle and a ball in your hand right now. Can you give us a little pickle ball tip?

Ben: The tip is that most people are afraid that when they stand at the kitchen line which is right in front of the net they afraid that when the ball comes at them they will bet hit. So, if you simply take your paddle hold it nice and loose when you are at the kitchen line put your thumb on the back, like this, and then hold it here and touch the paddle and anything that comes at you just punch the ball forward. Punch the ball forward. Anything that comes right at you - your face or your chest or over here all you do is punch the ball forward. You don't have to be afraid of anything coming right at you because you are all prepared to defend it and it gets back over the net and extends the game and become a pickleball player.

If you would like to see the whole interview, you can find it on the Seattle PI website:

http://blog.seattlepi.com/videoblogging/2016/03/07/sequim-pickleball/