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…
Tag: pickleball
December 2025, Sports
80 and Still Swinging … You Bet!
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…
November 2025, Sports
Firebird Pickleball Ladder League at Cottonwood Palo Verde
Jim Carlson The Summer Firebird Pickleball Ladder League has been a well-attended, major success. As of the submission date of this posting, the Ladder League had completed 17 weeks of fun and competitive pickleball on Thursday nights at the Cottonwood Palo Verde pickleball courts, with more than 87 participants from every development in the Sun…
November 2025, Front Page
Raising the Bar in Sun Lakes: Sun Lakes Pickleball Club, IronOaks
A Message from Joe Koken, Club President Since its establishment in 2008, the IronOaks Pickleball Club has mirrored the explosive national growth of the sport, evolving into one of the Southwest’s most dedicated and thriving organizations. Our mission is centered on maximizing the enjoyment, health benefits, and community fellowship that pickleball offers to players of…
Sports, October 2025
New Pickleball League Launches in October!
Rod Badgley, VP, Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood Pickleball fever is set to sweep the town this fall as a brand-new community league launches on Tuesday, Oct. 14. Presented by the Sun Lakes Pickleball Club Cottonwood (SLPCC), with eight spirited teams: the Roadrunners, Bulldogs, Huskies, Sun Devils, Buckeyes, Coyotes, Hawks, and Jackrabbits, the league promises…
October 2025, Sports
From Trainer to Teammate—Wanda’s Next Chapter Begins
Jeff Dunn In every great club there is someone whose energy, dedication, and joy leave an indelible mark. For the Cottonwood Pickleball Club, that heartbeat is Wanda Siedlecki. Over the past three years, with the assistance of Paul Nichol, Wanda headed up the club’s training program by pouring countless hours into a variety of classes…
September 2025, Sports
Relishing Pickleball: The ESPY Awards Recognize Pickleball!
David Zapatka The ESPY Awards, or Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, are an annual American awards show produced by ESPN that recognizes individual and team athletic achievements and other sports-related performances. The awards are presented for achievements during the calendar year preceding the ceremony. Has pickleball ever been recognized in the ESPY Awards ceremony?…
September 2025, Sports
Pickleball on August’s Hottest Day Ever!
Jim Carlson Pickleball must be an addiction if 30 people show up to play pickleball at the Cottonwood pickleball courts on the hottest day in August, ever! That’s right, the temperature on Aug. 7 set the all-time highest temperature in August! It did not deter the die-hard pickleballers from showing their skills, endurance, and savvy…
August 2025, Front Page
Firebird Pickleball Ladder League
Jim Carlson Pickleball does not stop at the Sun Lakes Cottonwood Palo Verde pickleball courts during the summer months. Starting in May, the courts have been home to the Firebird Ladder League with 25 to 30 players each Thursday evening. Each week, the courts have been equally attended by men and women showcasing their skills.…
August 2025, Sports
It All Started …
David Douglas … when five Sun Lakes Pickleball Club at Cottonwood Palo Verde (SLPCC) members were sitting on the Saguaro Room’s south porch relaxing and enjoying each other after a vigorous afternoon of pickleball play. Of course, all the courts were full of players, with many waiting in reload position as the club clock was…