Not in their wildest dreams could Maureen and Dick Norris have imagined what the Sun Lakes pickleball community would one day become. Back in 2008, the couple—now the namesakes of the Norris Invitational Tournament—stood with a handful of friends in the Sisk Park parking lot, taping makeshift lines onto cracked asphalt just to create a…
David Zapatka Summer is coming and the sun is out. The sun is beautiful, but it’s also a genuine challenge on the pickleball court. We love playing in it and we occasionally curse it while squinting into a lob we’ve completely lost. Playing pickleball in the sun is a complicated relationship. You need a strategy.…
David Zapatka Wind is the great equalizer on the pickleball court. It doesn’t matter how polished your dink game is or how powerful your drive is; a stiff breeze can turn your best shots into unforced errors in a hurry. The good news is that with a few smart adjustments, you can use the wind…
David Zapatka Have you noticed how often people are hitting lobs these days or is it just me? Think SMASH! The overhead smash is one of the most satisfying and effective shots in pickleball. When executed well, it can end a rally immediately or put your opponents on the defensive. However, many players struggle with…
Rod Badgley Pickleball players, spectators, and community supporters alike will have something to celebrate when the Sun Lakes Pickleball Club hosts its highly anticipated NIT Tournament March 2–4. This three-day event blends exciting competition, community connection, and charitable giving, making it one of the most vibrant gatherings of the spring season. Interest continues to surge,…
Jim Meagher Here in the Valley of the Sun, February is one of our very best months of the year to enjoy living in the Desert Southwest. We usually have our best weather of the year in late winter. Cactus League teams are summoning their players to their desert training facilities. The first pitch will…
Jeff Dunn Pickleball players across the community are invited to grab a partner and join the fun at this year’s Norris Invitational Pickleball Tournament, happening March 3, 4, and 5 at the Cottonwood courts. The tournament features competitive divisions at the 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 levels, with brackets for Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Doubles.…
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…
David Zapatka No man’s land, sometimes referred to as the transition area, aka the kitchen, is the area of the pickleball court between the non-volley zone line and the baseline. Think of it as a space 11 feet long and 20 feet wide; two feet behind the non-volley zone line and two feet inside the…
Jeff Dunn Racquet sports have emerged as powerful predictors of longevity, offering some of the highest life expectancy gains among physical activities. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Cottonwood Pickleball Club where 40 active members over the age of 80 prove that staying active can be both joyful and life-extending. While the physical…