Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1516093
| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | MARCH 2024 | 59 A bad break for former publishing exec Erin McHugh turned into a good one for picklers. Erin was already an avid player (ok, maybe obsessed), but the fracture didn't occur on the courts. She broke her hand. And then COVID happened. Suddenly finding a whole lot of time on her one good hand, this suddenly homebound writer turned to her favorite pastime for inspiration. The result was, in 2022, the publication of Pickleball Is Life. She managed to cram just about every imaginable topic related to the sport into a compact, delightfully-illustrated, light-hearted volume: rules, equipment, history, trivia, and even pickle recipes. In a section where she profiles amusing player "types" Erin limned one that caught our attention, the Gladhander. "This is a true pickleball ambassador. They'll play with anyone, anytime. If you goof, and you're their partner, you'll never feel the heat of frustration coming off them. They laugh, they compliment, they'll drive an hour to get into a game. They're a good player who is respectful of the talents of others, no matter their ranking. Basically, they're an angel from above. The Gladhander makes you happy simply to be alive." We should all aspire to the status of Gladhander, and, thankfully, the Sun Lakes club is filled with many who embody these lovely qualities. The book is available on Amazon for a very modest price. Okay picklers, enough whimsy, time to get serious. Serious like the arms race, the missile gap, maybe even the whole Cold War. Not the commie Soviets this time but the Chinese. Seems they are out to dominate the world of pickleball and every red-blooded American player better paddle up. We may have invented the game, we may have taught it to the world, but doggone it we're losing our grip. Front Office Sports reports that Beijing officials have vowed to build 10,000 courts for a hundred million players over the next five years. They have a dozen cities larger than New York and they demonstrated pickleball in three of them recently, attracting almost five million online views. Contrast that with the USAPA Nationals last year that drew only 2.5 million views. We're losing already and China is just getting started! Where's Dr. Strangelove when we really need him? While we prepare for Picklegeddon, check in with our club ambassador, Judy Luna, at (949) 929-2390 for best times to play. It's your patriotic duty. See you on the courts! Pickleball Club