Image Up Advertising & Design

38 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2014 | SpORTS & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SpORTS & OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES | FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2014 39 Racquet Club We have been having fun batting that crazy ball around in this wind. But, we refuse to stop playing because this sport is so much fun! Our new summer open play hours will be 8 to 10 am on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Come on down and see what it is all about. Pickleball is a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. Created in 1965, pickleball began in Washington State in the backyard of Former U.S. Rep. John Pritchard. After a day of golf, Pritchard returned home in search of a more family- friendly game. With makeshift paddles in hand, he and a friend began batting around a perforated plastic ball. Rules were set and, after a few weeks, "pickleball" was born. Today, the number of places to play has doubled since 2010 to almost 1,800 locations in North America. Popularity of the sport continues to grow worldwide with many new international clubs forming. I play tennis three days a week and have noticed my abilities to react at the net have vastly improved. Pickleball is played right at the net. So, the cross over skill building is wonderful. I have traveled to other cities and have met new friends that play pickleball. I played in Phoenix at a Marriot with people from Oregon. Then, I played at the Borrego Springs Resort with people from Montana. It is social and it enables people of all ages to get out there and enjoy sports again. Keep moving! Marty Key, keeksmail@yahoo.com, (562) 331- 0817. ~ Marty Key Ping Pong Club Pickleball We recently established a ladder to identify the playing level of our members. As you would expect, those players on the top rungs of the ladder have exceptional ping pong skills. The top six players are Don Fant, Gilbert Apodaca, Ben Wang, Suchart Sudhamma, Rick Jimenez, and Alan Chan. All those on the ladder have the opportunity to move up by challenging the person on the rung above them. They have to win three out of five games in order to move up the ladder. Currently there are 17 players on the ladder with some of our players choosing not to be on the ladder. Although competition to move up the ladder can be very intense, bragging rights aside, it's all in good fun. Good fun is what our club is all about and we would love to have you join us in that good fun. You can find us in the aerobics room Monday through Friday at 10:30 am and Saturday at 11 am. Please contact Niles Sundstrom at (951) 572-5119 or Alan Chan at (951) 769-4202 if you have any questions or need more information about your Four Seasons' Ping Pong Group. ~ Niles Sundstrom Wacky weather wreaked havoc with playing tennis in April. Some of our tennis score keeping numbers have blown away and the April showers required cancellation of the regular play day, which was also going to be a left- overs BBQ event making use of the remaining food stuffs from the social tennis event at Sun Lakes. So, the left- overs were left over again, but just until good weather on the following Monday allowed for a burger feast for players and some lucky locals. Before the burgers became finely aged beef, Irve and company cooked them up and extended a welcome to "two swimmers at the pool, three gardeners trimming plants, two mah-jongg players in the Bistro, and front desk specialist, Crystal." With some other unopened goods going to Carol's Kitchen, everything has been consumed, except two bottles of ketchup and a vat of low-fat Thousand Island dressing. The mixed doubles ladder play got underway. Some absenteeism put a few substitutes on the court, making several matches ineligible for initial ladder placement consideration. The four teams that defaulted will be able to move back into contention through a consolation round. Ever flexible and optimistic, Barb Miller is continuing to tinker and tweak (not twerk!) the format to provide a workable program for the Club. The ladder mixed doubles play continues on the third Thursday of each month. Social (no record-keeping and revolving team members) mixed doubles are played in the evening on the second Thursday of the month. Monthly Play Days are scheduled for the last Saturday of the month. Play begins at 8:30 am and is open to all residents, irrespective of tennis talent. Everyone gets to play, and we have a good time. Even Roger Federer, for whom tennis is a job, says, "it's okay just to play tennis and enjoy it." That's what we provide in the Four Seasons Beaumont Raquet Club. This month we welcomed new member Syed Ali, and look forward to having him join us on the courts of Four Seasons. Look for a refreshed and enhanced website soon, at www.fsbrc.org. ~ Steven Hovey Our second tournament was held in May. This one was double elimination. As of this writing, the tournament has not been completed. The club has been expressing its desire to renovate the existing two courts and eliminate the proposed courts at Rec 2. There are many advantages to this plan including a financial saving for the developer and the HOA. Our club meeting is the third Wednesday at 2:30 pm. Weather permitting, the meeting will be held at the courts. For those of you that have never played, please join us. Skill is not a prerequisite, and it is a lot of fun. We play Tuesday at 9:30 am and Wednesday at 3 pm. If you have questions please contact Bob Cooper at (951) 769- 6352 or Mike Saperstein at (951) 769-7909. ~ Bob Cooper Bocce Ball Pickleball players getting ready. More fun, exercise and fresh air on the courts. Alan Chan Rick Jimenez Suchart Sudhamma Ben Wang Gilbert Apodaca Don Fant

• Cover