Looking for an opportunity to play pickleball in the evening? Outside open play at Odell Weeks on Tuesday and Thursday is the place to be. Weather permitting, come join the group at 6pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings as the summer heat abates. There are eight (8) courts, the lights are working and no sign up is required.
Aiken Pickleball News
The Skill Rating Session scheduled for Monday, Septmber 20th, has been cancelled. Next scheduled session is Monday, October 18th, at Smith-Hazel. Click here to sign up.
Need a minimum of three players to have a rating session.
Click here to see match results. Aiken players won a total of 27 medals (8 gold; 7 silver, 12 bronze) in 24 events Click here to see photos. Click here to see photos that can be downloaded..
Our heartfelt thanks goes to Larry Gleason for the many hours he spent taking and processing these photos.
Twenty-five player participated in the Saturday Open Social Round Robin - held at Odell Weeks this afternoon. Play was eight games with a different partner each game. Everyone that played won at least one game. Even more important, everyone had a good time. Basketball seasons starts at Odell in November, so it will probably be February before we are able to do this again, as there will be no weekend indoor play at Odell the next couple of months.
In the meantime, there is still room in the November 6th, Round Robin at Gregg Park for Men & Women 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 divisions. You do not have to be a member of Gregg Park to play. Click to sign up.
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What a tournament! I heard so many positive remarks about how smoothly things ran and how organized we were. Thanks to all of you for your time and energy in making this tournament a great success. Robert Fogle, Tournament Director
Click here for an article in the Aiken Standard
Ben is a professional coach certified by the Professional Pickleball Registry and is currently in training to become a USAP Certified Referee. Starting after the Palmetto Tournament, Ben will be giving lessons at Smith-Hazel Recreation Center on most Mondays and Wednesdays from 9am - 12pm. You can reach him at benlacy1962@gmail.com to schedule a session. See photo and complete bio below.
Ben Lacy was born in Naples, Italy in 1962 to a US Air Force father and stay-at-home mom. Military life took him around most of the United States early in life, but he lived mostly in the southeast (Georgia and Alabama).
After a 10-year stint in the US Navy as a nuclear plant operator, Ben settled in Aiken, SC, where he now resides with his loving wife, Jillian Ashworth and their numerous canine companions. After earning a BS in Nuclear Engineering, Ben spent 25 years as a contractor to the Department of Energy, working most of that time as a nuclear engineer.
Jill and Ben have three children (Alden Nead, Brent Lacy, and Nolan Lacy).
Since retiring from engineering, Ben spends much of his time either playing, coaching or refereeing pickleball, performing live music, and traveling around North America with Jill and the pups in their Airstream. Ben also enjoys writing and has published one novel (Shattered Diary) and one collection of short stories (Tales Best Consumed In The Light) both on Amazon.
The next New Players Clinic at Odell Weeks will be held on Saturday, Ocrober 2nd. Sign up and pay at the front desk.
0900-0915 - Check-in at front desk
0915-0930 - Orientation & court setup
0930-1030 - New Players Clinic
1045-1200 - Practice Play
The September Skill Rating Session will be held on Monday, Septebmer 20th, at Smith-Hazel Recreation Center. Click here to sign up.
The minutes for the Leadership Team Meeting that was held Wednesday, August 18th, 2021, at 4pm at Gregg Park, have been posted. Topics included what is happening at Odell and Gregg Park, an update on the tournament in September; our next Social scheduled for Friday, October 15th, and much more. Go to Forums or click here to see the full report.
If today’s Men’s Twelve Teams Open Round Robin is any indication, there is going to be some exciting play at the Palmetto Doubles Tournament coming in September. As with the Women’s RR earlier this month, this event was meant as a tune-up for the main tournament just weeks away and it did not disappoint. Three teams finished at 7-1 in this eight game, play to 11, win by 2 RR. Everyone was a winner with Greg Sparks and Fawzi Naji having a slight edge over Chris Tubbs/Brandon Hoffman and Brian Eberhard/Doug Boessneck in the point differential tiebreaker. Well done everyone, and thanks for participating. .
See below for pictures.
