Jerry Strom
Judy Rolfs
Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood is pleased to announce that Jerry Strom has achieved the certification of PPR Pro level instructor. In November, Jerry traveled to Las Vegas where he tested and obtained his certification. Amazing accomplishment!
Jerry’s pickleball journey began eight years ago when he and his wife Melody began to winter in Sun Lakes. He knew very little about the sport of pickleball but was encouraged by a fellow Iowa City native, Rex Daubenberger, to try it out. And as the saying goes, the rest is history. Jerry was hooked on pickleball.
Being around athletics all his life, Jerry brought his competitive spirit to pickleball. He kept working on his game on the courts and studied the game off the courts. Jerry began playing in tournaments with a friend, Keith Ori, starting at the 3.0 level and finally receiving a 4.0 USAPA rating/certification a few years ago. Jerry has competed in over 40 tournaments, earning the nickname “Stromboli” by fellow competitors. He has won many Gold medals. One of his highlights occurred in March of 2022, winning Gold at the Southwest Regional Mixed Doubles. Of course, celebrating drinking margaritas on the podium is a great memory.
Jerry is a former high school/college basketball coach and ran basketball camps for 35 years, so it was a natural fit for Jerry to become a pickleball instructor. Jerry says, “I want to give back to the sport of pickleball, which has given me so much enjoyment and friendships.”
We are so fortunate to have Jerry Strom as a member of our Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood.