Part 3 of this “Men Behind the Scenes” has been tweaked to spotlight one of the superwomen behind the scenes. Cottonwood Tennis Club is so successful because of the members who are so generous with their time and talent. This month’s spotlight is Teresa Hermsen. Teresa provides leadership to our food court activities year round.…
Larry Wolfe The Lady Sluggers will open their season with a home game at the Field of Dreams on Monday, Jan. 5. Below is their entire home schedule for the 2026 season. All games start at noon; doubleheaders are played against each opposing squad. Monday, Jan. 5, vs. the Roadhaven Rebels Monday, Jan. 19, vs.…
Larry Wolfe Sioux Falls, S.D., native Craig “Chili” Pochardt grew up playing baseball, basketball, football, golf, and tennis. If there was a ball involved, he played it! (You can ask him how he got his nickname!) Craig graduated from Washington High and then Augustana College where he earned a B.S. in business administration. After college,…
Larry Wolfe Our Fall Softball Season schedule of games was shortened due to the unusual amount of November rainfall. We lost a dozen games and several practice sessions due to the downpours and the resulting unplayable field. At the press deadline for this issue of the Splash, we had close pennant races in both divisions.…
David Zapatka Dinking is often misunderstood as purely defensive play—a soft, patient exchange while you wait for your opponent to make a mistake. The most effective pickleball players know that dinking can be a powerful offensive weapon. Aggressive dinking transforms you from a passive participant into the player dictating the pace and creating opportunities to…
Johnny Henson, Professor Pool There are three things that can help every billiard player play much better in a short period of time 1. Players must realize that they can’t teach themselves. Books, videos, and the tip of the day from other players will never replace having lessons from a professional instructor. 2. Hiring a…
Jeff Dunn You step onto the pickleball court. A quick greeting, two hours of play, and a casual “See you tomorrow.” Yet how much do you really know about the person you just played with? Behind every serve lies a story waiting to be discovered, and this story belongs to Jerry Strom. You’ll often see…
Rick Staszewski, Publicity The course came out of overseeding in wonderful condition! Hats off to the grounds crew! Upcoming Events: Jan. 6: 2 Best Ball Net Jan. 13: Round 1 Ironwood Cup Jan. 20: Round 2 Ironwood Cup Jan. 27: Round 3 Ironwood Cup The annual Member-Guest will be on Feb. 17. Mark your calendars!…
Ruthanne Strohn Sun Lakes resident Kenneth Nichols won the Championship at the National Senior Olympics in Table Tennis, which were held in Des Moines, Iowa, in August. Ken had qualified to play in previous years by winning the Arizona Senior Olympics in 2020-2022, but to play in this year’s Nationals, he had to requalify. He…
Jeff French The PVMGA kicked off the 2025-26 new calendar year in November with a full schedule of events, starting with a Pick Your Partner 1 Best Ball event. The next week’s ladies and men’s challenge (Battle of the Sexes) was canceled due to weather, so the men must hang on to the losers trophy…