Vanity Fair said recently that Leonardo DiCaprio plays every day... George Clooney says his wife, Amal, routinely torches him on their home court in LA. Brené Brown and  Larry David play on a regular basis!!

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Everyone can play, even the entire generational family from kids, to parents, to grand parents - and now it's become all the rage in Hollywood! Professional athletes like Steve Deacon (number 5 world ranking) and number 1 ranked worldwide Ben Johns (who makes USD $250k/year) play on the two professional APP and PPA tours.

In a few years I think that we will see tennis players on the cusp of the pro tour opt to play Pickleball instead, says AXIOS recently. Enthusiasts are making courts out of driveways, streets and back yards. Stu Upson CEO of USA Pickleball says "If you've ever swung any sort of a racquet before, you can become competent in an hour".

Shouldn't you check it out to see what your missing??

My 6 + 4 Pickleball Resolutions for 2022 (original idea and some text originally from the Pickler Newsletter with my edits):

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1. I will not blame the wind every time I hit a third-shot drop into the net – especially when playing indoors.
2. I will call kitchen-line foot faults against myself at all times during rec play - until the score reaches 8.
3. I will not hit a hard smash directly at a vulnerable opponent – except one who has already left a red mark on my torso during the same game.
4. I will avoid taking issue with an opponent’s line call, and if that’s not possible, I will avoid saying something like, “even Stevie would have called that in.”
5. I will be kind to new players learning the game, because you never know: one day one of them might be your orthopedic surgeon, investment advisor or dentist.
6. I will not pretend to inspect the ball for cracks after I muff an easy return - and 4 more for good fortune...
7. When playing pickleball with somebody who stops play to answer cell phone calls on the court, I will not derisively refer to that person as “prime minister” for the rest of the session.
8. I will spend less time watching YouTube pickleball videos during Zoom meetings at work or with family.
9. I will not buy more than three paddles in 2022, unless I win the lottery or improve my skill rating by a point.
10. If the score is called out incorrectly, I will speak up – unless it’s in my/our favour!!

What are your 2022 Pickleball resolutions? Enjoy and play safe!!

For the 2022 calendar year, there are some important additions, deletions, and other revisions to the rules of Pickleball for enthusiasts to note. These include the following top 7 as outlined on the "Pickler" site and summarized here:

1. Chainsaw Serve Outlawed – The 2022 pickleball rule changes largely focus on the hottest topic around the courts in 2021 – the serve. The 2022 pickleball rule changes start with outlawing the chainsaw serve. In other words, no player may use the paddle or paddle hand to toss or otherwise impart spin on the pickleball.
2. Drop Serve Is Here to Stay – The drop serve was made as a provisional rule in 2021. After a year of probation, the drop serve is here to stay and is a full rule - read about the 10 second limitation and multiple bounces on serve as little known caveats.
3. Visibility Is a Must – On the serve, the referee (if there is one) and/or the receiving player must be able to see the pickleball on the toss or drop. If the pickleball was not visible, then there will be replay. Have you seen the pro player how used to hide the ball on serve??
4. Wrong Score Called? Play On – If the wrong score is called, a player cannot stop play after the serve due to the wrong score. Play should continue until the end of the rally and the score correction should be made before the next serve. Comments about the score in this case should be ignored!
5. Extra Balls Okay – The 2022 pickleball rule changes permit players to carry additional balls as long as the balls are not visible to opponents during play. However, if an additional ball falls out onto the pickleball court during a rally, then a fault will be declared against you.
6. No Jamming on Court – The 2022 pickleball rule changes specifically prohibit headphones or earbuds during competitive events. But, in our recreational play, you are able to jam with your headphones on as long as the dancing does not distract your opponent :) 
7. Other Revisions to Remove Conflict Between Players and Referees – There are a handful of revisions to clarify when fouls may be called, what verbal warnings may be issued by referees for, what questions players may ask of a referee, new profanity rules (never happens in our matches) and more. If you are interested, see the entire panoply of wonderful rules HERE!

Enjoy your time on court in 2022 now that you know all the new rules (along with all the old ones)!! 

Steve Deacon who is not only Canada's #1 ranked Doubles player, but is ranked an impressive #5 worldwide, recently conducted Pickleball clinics at Hollyburn Country Club in West Vancouver BC. Steve is also a native of BC, demonstrating how the clean air and mountain life contributes to the outstanding level of play of all of our enthusiastic Pickleball players here - after Steve's clinics!!                      


Jeff Boag, our Hollyburn Pickleball Pro, was kind enough to arrange Steve's clinics and oh boy were they an eye opener. For those of us who have been playing over the last 18 months after falling in love with this sport, and thought that we were pretty good, we soon found out that we had a LOT to learn. Not only is Steve a very good teacher, he is an enthusiastic ambassador of the sport, and also a really nice guy (he's Canadian so what would you expect??). Now it's a question of putting those new skills that Steve gave us to work and creating brand new muscle memory!!

As overviewed on his web site, Steve comes from a pro tennis background which gives viewers the beauty of all his technical prowess at the same time as giving us confidence in his ability to close on the big points. As Steve admits himself, playing a game with a hamburger garnish in its name did not excite him much, but when he first played Steve was immediately taken with this sport. 

Initially, pickleball appeared to be geared towards older players with its small court, light paddle, and social atmosphere. But, the last few years have brought us an entirely new level of competitive players to admire. Hollyburn will be nearing 1,000 avid players in 2022 we believe, and probably more as we watch players of all ages and competence join in!

So, as the word spreads, the age gap narrows and we’re watching this incredible Pickleball force unfold before us as younger stars are born. One of those Canadian Stars is Steve Deakin.