Aiken Pickleball News

Last  week over one hundred people from the ages of seven to seventy-five were introduced to pickleball.  On Tuesday Aiken Pickleball, led by Mo Garcia (our head teaching professional) held a clinic for over fifty Aiken County Physical Education Teachers to help them introduce pickleball to their students. The event was written up in the Aiken Standard.  On Thursday and Friday of last week, Aiken Pickleball also provided pickleball clinics as part of the City's Summer  Camp Program.   And on Saturday, eight people attended a New Players Clinic. 

News articles from the Aiken Standard and  action photos of Mo and the kids from the summer camp program are shown below. .  Thanks to all of you that assisted with these endeavors.

Did you know that a local Aiken player, who may be playing on your court or the one next to you, is currently ranked number one in the world according to Global Rankings?

Congratulations to Chris Powers for achieving the highest accolade in Mixed and Women's Pickleball Doubles in the 60+ age group according to the independent Global Rankings system.

Well Done!

We wish her continued success in her Pickleball endeavors.

Starting Wednesday, October 5, and every Wednesday thereafter until the middle of December, Clinics with Coach Mo will be offered at Smith-Hazel Recreation Center from 9-11am. The first five sessions are available for sign up.  

 Each week will work on a different stroke for the first hour, then practice play the second hour. The clinics will be given by our head teaching professional Mo Garcia and are intended for 2.0-3.0 players looking to improve their pickleball skills.   Schedule as follows:

Oct 5 - Return of Serve, down the line.

Oct 12 - Dinks with a purpose; hitting your target spots 

Oct 19 - Half Volley soft drop; Half Volley drives.

Oct 26 - Overhead smash; Volley snap at the kitchen.

Nov 2 - 3rd Shot drop 

Nov 9 - Drive topspin Volley

Nov 16  - King/Queen of the court, (Doubles)

Nov 23 - Thanksgiving week 

Nov 30 - Block volleys at the net.

Dec 7 - Lobs 

Dec 14 - Specialty shots (Various Big Mo Shot choices).

Cost is $10 per person for a two hour  clinic.  Each session is  limited to a maximum of eight players (minimum of three).     Payment should be made at the Smith-Hazel  front desk and  the receipt  presented to the instructor.   Click here to sign up or select “Clinics with Coach Mo” under our Sign-up lists.  The first five sessions will be available on August 15 for sign up.   

The membership card  you use to access Odell Weeks will allow you entry into Smith-Hazel as they are both City of Aiken recreational facilities.  The daily fee at Smith-Hazel for non-members to play pickleball is $3.  The Smith-Hazel Recreation Center is located at 400 Kershaw Street in northeast Aiken.  

If you have the good fortune to play with 4.0s or some of the stronger players on Monday Funday, do yourself and them a favor - hit the ball to/at/by/thru/over them.  You both will enjoy the results.  Click here to read what you should do if "Your Opponents Won’t Hit the Ball to You."