Tag: Pickleball

Relishing Pickleball

David Zapatka When your opponent hits the ball high in the air, above your shoulders, think overhead smash! The smash is one of the most fun shots in all of pickleball. It ends rallies with an exclamation point. Execute this fun, rally-ending shot using these seven steps: 1. Use many small steps to position your…

Relishing Pickleball: Pickleball Bangers

David Zapatka Are you getting tired of playing the bangers? They have one strategy; hit the ball as hard as they can. They rarely hit third shot drop shots. What can you do? There are two options. The first is the punch volley, a volley hit hard and deep. The second is the soft volley,…

Pickleball Club Player Profile

Nancy Fadrowski

Dave Parker Beginning this month, the Pickleball Club would like to highlight some of our members. Our club is over 500 strong and includes young to old and beginners to advanced. No matter what, there is a passion for playing the game and improving every day. This month, we would like to highlight Nancy Fadrowski,…

The Third Shot Drop. Why Is It So Important?

David Zapatka The third shot drop is a shot performed near the baseline that lands softly in the opponents’ kitchen. The shot is designed with one thing in mind—get your team to the net. The mechanics of the third shot drop are simple. The ball sails up into the air and drops into the kitchen…

Pickleball Skills Development

Sherril Kerr and Donna Henry

Dave Parker No matter what level a pickleball player is, there is always some skill to work on. The person at Robson Ranch Pickleball Club that oversees all skill development is Donna Henry. Donna is charged with organizing and developing skills development programs tailored to the needs of each level within the club. Clinics focus…

Interview with Pickleballer Chuck Utzman

Pat Austin Charles (Chuck) Darwin Utzman was born on Oct.1, 1929, by a country doctor in a farmhouse in Miles, TX. As a youngster, he worked behind mules picking cotton and milking cows. He attended a country school through the ninth grade. It was discovered that his actual birth was never filed so there was…

Pickleball on the high seas

Pam and Mike Clements, Tom and Susan Michelsen, Fred Monroe and Susan Beggs. Not shown: Steve Beggs, Gene Mason and Steve Williams.

Tom Michelsen Recently, a few couples from our Robson Ranch Denton Pickleball Club were on a Holland America TransAtlantic Cruise. Destination: Amsterdam. Pickleball is now becoming an activity offered on cruise ships. This ship had two very nice pickleball courts, with all the equipment needed to have fun! We enjoyed many days of playing and…

Cheers to the volunteers

To show her appreciation to the dedicated volunteers of the Robson Ranch Denton Pickleball Club Social Committee, Pat Austin, 2018 Social Chair, invited the volunteers to her home for homemade pizzas and margaritas. A message from Pat: We had a very busy year with three tournaments, but who’s counting! Then banquets, 4th of July float…