3 minute read
Tennis & Pickleball
by MPCC1921
Ladies Member-Guest Tournament
Team 1-3 Level (A.B): June 3 8:30 am - 1:00 pm Team 3-6 Level (C.D): June 10 8:30 am - 1:00 pm More details to come!
Ladies Summer Clinics
June 6 - August 10 Team 1 and 2 level Mondays 9:00 am - 10:30 am Team 3 and 4 level Wednesdays 9:00 am - 10:30 am Queen City level and new players Wednesdays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Team 5 and 6 level Thursdays 9:00 am - 10:30 am
Ladies In-House League
We are continuing our momentum of match play with organized competition on Wednesday evenings during the summer months. More info coming soon!
Junior Tennis Clinics
THROUGH MID-MAY Little Hitters (Ages 4-7) Tues, Wed, Thurs | 3:30 - 4 pm $15/child Junior Development (Ages 8 and up) Tues, Wed | 4 - 5 pm $22/child Junior Competition Tues, Wed | 5 - 6 pm $22/child
BEGINNING JUNE 7 Little Hitters (Ages 4-7) Tues | 9 - 9:45 am Thurs | 10:30 - 11:15 am $15/child Junior Development (Ages 8 and up) Tues | 9:45 - 11:15 am Thurs | 11:15 am - 12:45 pm $22/child Junior Competition Mon | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm Wed | 12 - 1:30 pm $22/child
Crosstown Challenge
MPCC hosted the annual Crosstown Challenge against Charlotte CC. 18 men from each club competed in both tennis and golf. Overall standings over 18 years is 10-7-1 with Myers Park in the lead. Very proud of our team this year after being down 5-4 after tennis. Next day we took all 9 golf matches and ended up with a 13-5 victory.
Top Row: Mustafa Shah-Khan, Steve Godwin, Kyle Bumgardner, Craig Lemley, Hunter Dyer, Bill Orr, Mike Schwarz, JJ Olszowy, Mal McLean, Frank Navarro; Bottom Row: Stephen Ratcliffe, David Walker, Thomas Eek, Jim McPhilliamy, Starke Ratcliffe; Not Pictured: Alfredo Alvarez, Anders Persson, Erich Podzinski, Bill Merlo
PICKLEBALL Beginner's Pickleball Tips
Curious to try pickleball but just not sure where to start? Here are a few tips to consider before you even hit the court. You ’ll have much more fun and you won ’t learn as many bad beginner ’ s habits that you ’ll have to break later.
BE CONTROLLED
Don’t get too fancy or think too much. Return the ball to your other team’s court and aim for their feet.
FANCY FOOTWORK
Pickleball is similar to tennis in that it’s a game that’s about your feet as much as it is anything else. The player who can get to the right place at the right time will make better hits and win more points.
GET READY
Just like tennis, stay in the “ready” position at all times, with knees slightly bent and your paddle up. Always watch the ball as it hits your paddle and try to hit it in front of your body. Make sure you commit to your swing. Don’t neglect your follow-through!
PRACTICE YOUR SHOTS
There are many types of shots in pickleball but check out some pros on YouTube. Having a visual will help much more than any text description.
CONTROLLING THE KITCHEN
You might be wondering why you want to serve and return the ball way to the back of your opponent’s court. There’s a seven-foot zone in front of both teams’ nets where neither player is allowed to volley a ball. This area is called the “no volley zone, " or the “kitchen. ” Playing right at the kitchen line is very important. It’s where most points are won.
SLAM DINK
A great shot in any player’s arsenal is the “dink. ” It’s aptly named. It’s a low, slow and somewhat hilarious shot. It’s just a soft little love tap on the ball aimed right at your opponent’s kitchen.
BUT MOST OF ALL...BE PATIENT
The goal is to HAVE FUN! Don’t worry too much about what other people think. Enjoy the game and don’t take your mistakes too seriously. Every minute you spend playing, you get better. But most importantly, make sure to play with people who make it fun.
