On the Pickleball Courts

06/28/2022

Robbie Brooks and Shannon Labossiere Silver Medalists in Men’s Doubles 3.0 (19+ 35+) Canadian National Pickleball Championships! So proud of this team! Well done! So fun (and nerve wracking) to watch!

Thank you Pickleball Canada and True North Pickleball for running a fantastic five day tournament. Kingston Pickleball Club thank you for hosting all of us in your hometown, appreciate your generosity; you have an enviable facility!

More pics and posts to come as catch up on backlog from months of training. 😁

06/01/2022

Waiting patiently for the pickleball court resurfacing at Knights of Columbus Park and Bonnerworth Park. The cement in some of those bigger spots are still wet. Amazing what a good power wash can do to brighten up courts. Thank you to all who have advocated for this work and kept everyone in the loop and the city for responding to the need.

I think switching ends at mid-point of game (recreation or not) a good practice. There are some cracks that will still bounce the ball unexpectedly; everyone should enjoy the various court nuances 😉

Where has everyone been playing with local courts locked up?

05/09/2022

First outdoor pickleball tournament of the season and off to a fantastic start. Robbie and I won gold in Mixed Doubles 3.0 (50+).

Peterborough pickleball community came out and medaled in all events! Here is a link to the results: https://pickleballbrackets.com/ptD.aspx?eid=143c6115-8875-486a-9a6a-38fbb8f81c7a&fbclid=IwAR32Y8dV2Y4jBRFmFNfVd9rZ9H_y726_r_1X0uSofLyvd_8Rl77fwQH-b7s

Huge shout out to the Peterborough pickleball players and teams that train, practice and play in the region. The level of play and success at tournaments is because of the commitment of the community to support each other’s game play and skill development (with a lot of laughter, teasing and hearty competition).

Thanks to the Peterborough Pickleball Association (https://peterboroughpickleball.ca) for nurturing an inclusive environment.

05/08/2022

Success! Durham Open at Radio Park went well for Peterborough players! Robbie and Godwin won Men’s Doubles 3.5 (16+). Briar and Louise won Women’s Doubles 3.0 (50+).

Here is a link to see all of the medalists - so many from Peterborough https://pickleballbrackets.com/ptD.aspx?eid=143c6115-8875-486a-9a6a-38fbb8f81c7a

Thank you True North Pickleball for hosting another great tournament. Will see you tomorrow for mixed.

05/07/2022

Good morning! Outdoor Pickleball tournament season is officially open! First tournament of the season for Robbie and I, this weekend at Durham Open at Radio Park. Excited to see how our training has benefited our game.

This event is in the city and right behind a mall, so no need for me to pack meals. First time going with a salty tray. Also in the background on iPad, early morning preparation watching APP Pickleball Pro women doubles match to channel the athleticism of the Waters, Jardim and Parenteau.

Good luck to all participants. See you On the Pickleball Courts!

04/27/2022

Episode 3 of OTPC podcast was about pickleball partner communication. As we were analyzing video of our game play, we discovered another tool we use during a match to communicate with our partner - go retrieve the out ball together (see this in video)!

04/24/2022

It was so exciting to be playing outdoors with Pickleball partners for Canadian National Pickleball Championships (Louise, 50-59, under 3.5; Jo-Ann, 50+, 3.0 and Robbie, 50+, 3.0). Was also joined by other Intermediate Competitive women in the morning who put the pressure on my partners and I! The level of play and the easy going camaraderie of the Peterborough Pickleball community are big reasons I love the sport. (My understanding is that all Pickleball communities are the same!)

I was on the pickleball courts from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. I was there mentally but was physically exhausted. Looking forward to getting fitness level up for upcoming tournaments!

Featured in photos are Cam and Jo-Ann who will partner in Mixed for the Canadian Nationals!

04/22/2022

Recording Jo-Ann Walsh for Episode 3 Rapid Fire. Jo-Ann is my other Doubles partner in the Women’s 3.0+, over 50 event at the Canadian National Pickleball Championships.

We video recorded our first time out playing this season, then spent time analyzing the strengths and areas for improvement, see Jo-Ann’s note book! Continuous learning in action!

The video also helped end a line call dispute. I was sure the ball was out…lol, but in slow motion accept that the other team made the correct call. 👍🏻

04/18/2022

Hi all! Great Sunday pickleball at the YMCA! Robbie and I worked hard against Steve and Serge. Robbie and I were practicing our on the court communication (short instructional cues with lots of positivity). We talk about our partner communication in upcoming episode 3 of OTPC).

Other games at the YMCA were lovely. Some fantastic new/newer players where out and making great shots! Won’t be long before they are a force on the pickleball courts.

I was also practicing wearing a First Server bracelet (see post image). At tournaments, to help referees keep score, you need to identify the first server wearing a tournament designated symbol (has been a red rubber band bracket in the tournaments I have played in). In my first tournament wearing this extra accessory was a distraction, so I am getting used to wearing it for future tournament medal rounds ;)

04/08/2022

Our first Rapid Fire guest is Joan Pollard! Joan is a super star on the courts and she will also be playing at the Canadian National Championships at the end of June. Joan has set the bar high in being able to complete the Rapid Fire Questions in one audio take!

Episode 2 (while delayed because of illness) is finally in post production. Expect to learn more about our training and our thoughts about picking a partner for pickleball tournaments.

We would love to know - How do you choose a pickleball partner?

04/04/2022

Good morning all! Was an early Sunday morning at YMCA Peterborough. Great games with Robbie and with Louise (Briar’s partners in Canadian National Pickleball Championships in June 2022).

How is everyone doing with their Pickleball? Are you looking forward to outdoor play?

03/28/2022

Episode 1 of On the Pickleball Courts is available! Robbie and I introduce the podcast format and provide background details of our pickleball playing history.

Please be sure to reply and let us know your thoughts.

Here is the link: https://anchor.fm/onthepickleballcourt/episodes/S1E1---Introduction-to-On-the-Pickleball-Courts-e1gbved

(Note: We received permission from people that we personally identified if we could use their name. We want to be respectful of our community’s privacy.)

This first episode introduces the regular podcast sections, includes: 0-0-start reflection on the weekly training, Etiquette/Rule, Weekly Topic, Rapid Fire and Question to our Listeners. Robbie and Briar talk about their regular warmups and provide some details about their pickleball playing history...

03/27/2022

Missing Pickleball this morning because Robbie is playing in the Ontario Sledge Hockey Championships in the gold medal game.

Looking forward to our first episode of On The Pickleball Courts. Robbie talks about how sledge hockey helps his pickleball game.

03/23/2022