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56 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | APRIL 2026 | Recently two of our members teamed up in a very competitive tournament near Phoenix. Rick Romeo ventured down to Pebble Creek in Goodyear to partner with Bryan Bostock. He and his wife Diane have a winter home in this lovely community. Pebble Creek is a pickler's paradise, sporting 36 courts. The venue was jammin' when our stalwarts took on about a dozen twosomes. Bryan selected his partner well. Our two heroes emerged victorious in the 60+ 4.0 bracket. Again this speaks well of the caliber of play Sun Lakes offers on a daily basis. Summer comes early in southern Arizona, so your local paparazzo caught up to the champs in late February when our balmy weather had enticed the Bostocks back to our version of paradise. Thanks for taking time out of your games to pose, and congratulations. "Consistency" has been a watch word around big time pickleball of late. The pros give drills to, ya' know … drill that into their pupils. A recent commentary cautioned that habits sometimes need examination. For example a "rule" we all learned early is to get to the kitchen as quickly as possible. This is a great idea and helps most of the time. What we must guard against is being in so much haste that we fail to size up what's happening across the net. Opponents can give away a lot of information. Probably the greatest risk of hurrying to the line is missing that the other gal has her paddle up for a shot down your throat. (Of course such behavior would never happen at good ol' Sun Lakes, right? Right?) In such a case, a bit slower approach can allow you to anticipate a slam and, maybe, even return it. Kenny Rogers' fictional gambler claimed to be an expert at reading people's faces. Good picklers can benefit from paying attention to the face of the other person's paddle. Is she holding it low? Expect a lofted return. The old adage of our game was "high, you die." But perhaps not die if you are ready. Need an introduction to our sport? Call Royce Newman at (951) 809-2303 for details. See you on the courts! Pickleball Club Table Tennis/ Ping Pong Our regular play times are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4 to 6pm, and Saturday from 10 am to 12 noon. Because of scheduling conf licts for the Ballroom, we sometimes get bumped into "special play times" that are updated on the SLCC website, and printed copies are available on play days in the Ballroom. There is also a touch screen monitor in the Main Clubhouse Lobby, where the schedule can be brought up. If there are any questions or concerns, contact Gary Lile at (805) 722-7427, 4lile@yahoo. com, or leave a message with John Williams at (951) 489-9737, jgwms.williams@gmail.com. All comers are welcome, the only requirements are laced tennis shoes, and a desire to have fun, play with friends, and get some excellent health benefits from a low-risk activity. We were delighted when Ping Ren returned after a two-month hiatus visiting her family in China. Not only did we get to restock our player group with a skillful shot taker, she brought back a genuine Chinese paddle endorsed by Ma Long (the all-time Chinese table tennis champion). It was purchased by director Gary Lile for only $30. You can't get a similar high quality paddle at local stores at this price point. However, it is yet to be seen if Gary can soup up his game with this paddle. Bryan Bostock and Rick Romeo