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| THE COLONY NEWS | MAY 2023 | 35 This month I was fortunate enough to learn a little bit about our very own tennis guru, John Knitter. A teacher at heart who has played in tennis tournaments his entire adult life willingly shares his knowledge and love of the game. He is Chicago-born and raised and after getting out of the Army, he came to California with a friend for a three-week vacation — and never left! John majored in physical education, a degree he has made excellent use of. He taught tennis, badminton and swimming at West Point, was a tennis instructor at the Oakwood Garden Racquet Club in Newport Beach and coached high school teams in Laguna and Lake Elsinore. He also provided physical education for the autistic population, a position he feels helped him learn the best ways to break down individual skills and create drills to ensure success. Over the years, John developed his own style of teaching tennis and was greatly influenced by the book e Inner Game of Tennis. John feels his greatest accomplishment was teaching tennis to his daughters. His oldest was ranked #1 in California Junior College Tennis. Words of wisdom from John: • Tennis is like a spiritual dance — your opponent moves one way, and you respond with your own moves. Play the way you live! • While playing we all give off vibrations — such as anger, frustration or joy — that can be picked up by a partner or opponent. Focus on the positive aspects of your game. • One fundamental thing in tennis is to pay attention to the racket face when it makes contact with the ball. That's it, folks! To learn more, give him a call at 951-805-2456. He would be happy to help you learn the game or brush up on it. A big thanks to John Knitter and what he brings to the tennis community! Tennis By Karen Nichols, 619-550-8194 Pickleball is in full swing! We had our first tournament using a slightly new procedure: everyone chipped in and brought a little snack to share with the group. (Not picking favorites, but Scott Daniel's coffee cake was great, and Terry Mata's lemon cookies were to die for!) Twenty players showed up to battle it out. Terry Mata was the women's winner for the mixed doubles competition with 32 total points. Randy Schaaf was the men's mixed doubles winner with a total of 33 points. In the Men's Only division, Tom McClure took the top prize with a score of 29 points. Everyone had a great time, and we can't wait for May 6 for our next tournament. A special thank you to Kathy Lewis for getting the club started. She was the president for a little over a year. As vice-president, I now fill the role of president as Kathy has resigned after a great run. Jamie Calvert will be the new vice-president. I appreciate you stepping up, Jamie. Thanks to all who played and to those who came out to cheer us on. Until then, keep on pickling. If you would like to join in on the fun, please don't hesitate to give me a call for free lessons. We would love to welcome you to the pickleball family. Pickleball By Scott Ross, 310-213-3362 Tom McClure Terry Mata, Women's Winner Randy Schaaf