Recent News

Donations To Local Gyms

Published March 31, 2023

In recoginition of their generosity, AAPA made donations to (top to bottom) Lay Park Gym, Aaron Heard Gym, and Athens First Methodist Church.

“Two years ago at an annual physical, my physician asked me what I was doing differently. I told him I could only think of  one thing… ​pickleball.  ​I was playing four days a week. He told me to keep it up as my total cholesterol was down and my good cholesterol had gone up!”
​- Kathy S.

Warm-Up Routine

Published June 22, 2022

Use the warm up routine in this article to reduce your chance of a pickleball injury.
https://www.eatthis.com/improve-pickleball-game-warm-up-routine/

Heard About U.S. Senior Pickleball?

Published January 17, 2022

From GPA (Georgia Pickleball Assoc.) Newsletter:
US Senior Pickleball (USSP) is a division of Super Senior International Pickleball Association (SSIPA). USSP offers tournaments using age/skill for players 50+ in age. When skill levels are combined, 3.0 and 3.5 are often combined within an age group. If a player or team would rather stay in their rated skill group, then they can always play down in age. If a player or team wants to challenge themselves, then they can always play up in skill. Either way, with USSP, both players and teams have a choice in all competitive tournament play.
USSP addresses these issues:
Play with 5-year age groups from 50 to 80 years old.
Play with skill groups from 3.0 to 5.0.
Points awarded for the top 4 places in a reward system offering prizes.
Tournaments offered at the National, Zone and Circuit levels.
Anyone can register for a USSP tournament without a membership.
Three or four USSP tournaments will be offered in Georgia this year. Some will be sanctioned by GPA as well. That means a player could earn ranking points in the USSP and the GPA while playing in the one tournament.
Learn more here: https://www.ssipa-pb.org/

Ken Calkin Honored at National Pickleball Month Meet-Up

Published April 26, 2021

Ken Calkin, The Godfather of Athens Pickleball, gave a brief history of the start and growth of Pickleball in Athens. (Read the full history here.) At the end of his talk, his son Jamie presented Ken with a paddle that was designed by Jamie and printed by Prolite so it can be used on the courts. In addition to the history lesson we were introduced to the head of Parks and Recreation, voted on two by-law revisions, received Pickleball car magnets, received an update on the 2022 Pickled Peach Classic, and signed a petition to get more Pickleball courts in Athens. Please see Tom McEnaney to add your name to the petition.

USAPA Is Now USA Pickleball

Published July 23, 2020

Pickleball’s momentum as one of the fastest growing sports in the country continues with a brand re-launch aimed at building awareness and promoting the sport’s development and growth across America.
The new brand name is officially USA Pickleball, aligning it with other sports governing bodies and our USA Pickleball National Championships. The brand re-launch also includes a new, modern logo and an updated website at usapickleball.org was designed to improve the user experience. The new name, logo and website will strengthen USA Pickleball’s worldwide image as the official Pickleball organization in the U.S. and will help attract new players and future ambassadors.

Couple Highlights:

  • Infographic – this is a graphical snapshot of USA Pickleball by the numbers, the key areas that your membership dollars support in the development and promotion of pickleball…Thank You! This is included in the Memberships section of the new site at usapickleball.org/memberships/benefits.
  • What is Pickleball? – due to the growth of pickleball and new players coming into the sport every day, this continues to be a top visited page. A new, short Intro to Pickleball video on the basics was created to share with family and friends looking to start playing pickleball. View now – Intro to Pickleball video
Thank you to all our members! We are excited about the future of pickleball and USA Pickleball and your support to make this one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S.!
For questions or comments regarding the website, please send an email to info@usapickleball.org
Best regards,
USA Pickleball Team

Wheelchair Pickleball

Published June 14, 2019

I was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. I entered the military upon completion of broadcasting school. After serving in the military for eleven years before returning home in 1994, tragedy struck. I was in a car accident, leaving me paralyzed from the neck down. Doctors told me I would never walk again nor would I ever live a productive life. That day I became a quadriplegic. I was only able to move my mouth and eyes
The injuries from the accident were physically and mentally devastating, but it didn’t dampen my spirit. I focused on the fact that I was still alive…still here. I decided to work with what I had and I continued to have hope even with my limitations.
I did not grow up playing sports in school or in the military. But in 2002, I was introduced to wheelchair sports. That year my life changed forever in a good way. At the National Veteran Wheelchair Games (NVWG) in Cincinnati, I was able to compete alongside other Veterans with disabilities. Back then, I won medals in 9 ball, table tennis, bowling and trapshooting. As time has progressed, I have been fortunate to continue to compete and bring home gold, silver, bronze medals and money in wheelchair tennis, table tennis, boccia ball, air rifles, air pistols, javelin, shot put, discus, kayaking, triathlon, handcycling, curling, weightlifting and now pickle ball.
At the urging of a fellow Veteran wheelchair athlete, I picked up a tennis racket for the very first time in 2011. I had no concept of wheelchair tennis. But despite my lack of knowledge, I took to the court with a tennis racket taped to my hand. At first I didn’t manage to get one ball over the net. That didn’t stop me. For two years, I taped my tennis racket to my hand and traveled to the court for hours to learn to just get a tennis ball over the net. My persistence paid off. Soon, I was playing multiple times a week and I even got my own custom built tennis chair.
I heard about pickle ball through the Mecklenburg County Senior Games (MCSG). I began competing in the (MCSG) back in 2013. I signed up for my first pickle ball singles match this year.
Before playing, I was able to participate in a pickle ball clinic at Camp SOAR (Sports, Outdoor Activities and Recreation) located at Fort Yargo in Winder, Georgia (Camp SOAR is a bi-annual recreational therapy camp for disabled Veterans living with spinal cord injury/disease). With the help of Suzanne Kenrick, Recreational Therapist at Charlie Norwood Veterans Hospital, Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Southeastern Chapter (SEPVA) Augusta, Georgia and USAPA Ambassador and United States Navy Combat Veteran Dr. J. Brinegar, from Athens Georgia, I was able to put my wheels on the court in April this year.
During the MCSG, I really enjoyed meeting USA Pickle ball Association District Ambassador Mrs. Desire Osman at my 1st match. The final score was 8-15. Although I did not win, I had tons of fun meeting and learning from seasoned player.
Off the court, I travel as a motivational speaker, Reiki therapist, licensed manicurist and teacher. Sharing a message of hope with the masses.
Finally, I am so thankful for all of the opportunities that have come my way since breaking my neck. At the time of my accident, in the back of my mind, I often said to myself “my accident happened to me.” However, on this side of my struggles to live a productive life, I realize my accident happened for me! For this, I am grateful.
Twila Rene’ Adams

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