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62 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JUNE 2017 | Pickleball Club This month we feature some highlights of what is happening in our sport around the country. Spalding County GA has seen the approval of an 18-court complex within a larger park, all funded by a special sales tax. St. George UT boasts over 100 courts for its 100,000 residents. The Western Regional tournament was played there in April at the Little Valley Pickleball Complex on its 24 public courts with stadium lighting, the largest public pickleball facility in America. A professional tournament (yes, our sport has its pros) will be held this summer in Bend OR at the Pine Nursery Park, a public venue with 16 courts. Closer to home, the Lakes Country Club in Palm Desert has been transitioning from a "tennis center" to a "racquet center" as its director has heeded the calls of members to create pickleball courts. They now have nine courts for 150 members. "It is the best thing that ever happened at the facility," per Mr. Rozpedski. In fact, the sport is growing so fast that our national association has announced the approval of a manual to guide construction as community after community establish or add courts. The American Sports Builders Association's 108-page guide covers everything from amenities to care and maintenance and is evidence of the professionalism pervading pickleball today. A couple who retired early and had a yen to travel recently completed their goal of playing pickle in all 50 states. Oklahoma happened to be their final stop. "What did we learn? Pickleball people are a great group of individuals who welcome visitors and are usually honored that we've chosen to visit their venue and play with them." Sun Lakers can certainly echo that sentiment! The spirit of playfulness is, in itself, a fountain of youth. The sport of pickleball offers the kind of recreation and refreshment that would inspire such an epic journey by the Readingers, ambassadors in Steamboat Springs, CO. Hopefully your appetite has been whetted to come out and explore this game. It is truly exploding, especially in the West. Help Sun Lakes stay on the cutting edge of senior living, ACTIVE living at its best! For suggestions on best times to play and to learn, call club president Royce Newman at 769-1103 or VP Nick Caputo at 255- 7841. See you on the courts!