WHAT’S HAPPENING MARCH 2025: |
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Welcome to the Spring Edition |
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In this Issue... 2025 Member Survey – A Snapshot of Your Feedback The Annual Members Meeting – April 15th UPCOMING COMPETITIONS: Time To Bloom Tournament Memorial Day Ladder
Season Opener Play & Potluck – Sunday, April 27th Update on Camano Park Covered Courts Project Clinics Planned for Spring 2025 CSPA Committee Overview – What does the Board of Directors Do? NEW: Did You Know? – a Pickleball Trivia Quiz View from the Kitchen Humor Column: Basic Pickleball Etiquette
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Results are in! Thanks to those 109 members – or roughly one third of our CSPA membership – who took the time to answer the Communication Committee’s recent survey and for adding many helpful specific comments. Your responses provide valuable feedback for our Board of Directors and Committees and document our collective passion for playing. It is one of the reasons our Expansion Committee is working hard to advocate with county officials for more courts (specifically dedicated, covered courts on Camano Island). |
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No big surprises in the feedback we received. Our members shared that we play primarily for fun, exercise, and for the social aspects of play – all important benefits for our aging population. A few details: In general, more than 90% of responders are 50 years or older, and numbers are growing for our younger players. A clear majority (90+%) are satisfied with our skill level group options on Playtime Scheduler. Nearly 50% rate ourselves as intermediate. 75% say weekday times and format generally work for them, and 66% like the Sunday (Fun Day) open play format. And about 83% of us read this newsletter regularly – thank you for staying informed! Keep reading these issues for volunteer opportunities for upcoming events. We’re so glad that 73% of you are willing to help out as needed. |
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The Annual All Members Meeting – April 15th |
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Every April the CSPA holds its annual Members Meeting. This is an in-person meeting, not virtual. As always, the meeting is open to all members. Put this event on your calendar. Date: Tuesday, April 15th Time: Doors open at 5:30pm. Meeting commences at 6pm. Location: Country Club Clubhouse building, 1243 Beach Dr, Camano Island The annual meeting is an excellent chance to learn about what the CSPA leadership team has been working on, our priorities for the upcoming year, and to invite feedback and questions from our members. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served. We also use this occasion to vote on the board members for the upcoming year. Three board positions will be open for new members to join. See the section below: "What does the Board Do?" to learn more. If you are interested in running for the board, please send an email to our current Board Secretary, Lynne Koyamatsu (secretary@camanopickleball.com). Come participate and let us hear your voice. |
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April: Time to Bloom Tournament |
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Our first tournament of the year is one that is specifically intended for players with limited or no previous tournament experience. It will be a lot of fun. We already have 40 players enrolled, but we are still accepting registrations. There will be three skill divisions and their time slots for competition: Under 3.0 (Beginner) > 7:30 AM - 11:00 AM 3.0 – 3.25 (Advanced Beginner) > 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM 3.25 – 3.5 (Low Intermediate) > 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
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Date: Saturday, April 19th, from 7:30am – 5:00pm Location: Lincoln Hills High School, 7400 272nd St. NW, Stanwood Format: Round Robin, sign up as an individual For more information and to register, visit the CSPA website. |
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May: Memorial Day Ladder on Memorial Day |
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The Memorial Day Ladder is not actually a tournament, but it is a competitive, fun event. Players move up and down the ladder rungs based on wins and losses. There will be Men's and Women's ladder divisions. Six ladder groups of 4 players in each division (Novice to Advanced) will find fun and challenging play! Date: Monday, May 26th, from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM Location: Camano Tennis and Pickleball Courts. Camano Park Registration opens March 15 on the CSPA Website. |
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SOCIAL EVENTS: The Season Opener Play & Potluck |
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Our first social event of the spring is coming up next month. Mark your calendars for the Season Opener Play & Potluck at the public courts. Date: Sunday, April 27th Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm Please bring a snack, dessert, main dish, chips, juice, or whatever you’d like to bring. Let’s hope for sun! To participate, just sign up on Playtime Scheduler. |
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UPDATE ON CAMANO PARK COVERED COURTS PROJECT |
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We are excited to share that the CSPA’s Expansion Committee continues to work with Island County on our goal to build covered, dedicated pickleball courts at Camano Park, expanding access for year-round play. We have been working on this project for the past several years and have made some progress. There are still too many variables and uncertainties to be able to state with any degree of confidence when these covered courts may become a reality. This is not a done deal yet. It requires the approval and a lot of coordination with Island County. We want to work with the various other stakeholders to make sure the park meets the needs of everyone. We plan to launch a dedicated capital campaign combining public grants with private donations to fund the design, construction, and ongoing maintenance of this project. For us to succeed, our committee will need to amplify its efforts related to design, construction and fundraising. To bring this major vision to life, we need help from our members. Would you be willing to help us make these dedicated courts a reality? Watch for the survey that will be emailed to you next week for more details about our dedicated courts and how you can help! |
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CLINICS PLANNED FOR SPRING 2025 |
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April: Doug’s Beginner Sessions (8-12 Players)Beginner to Novice 5-Week Sessions, covering serve to net Every Thursday for 4 Weeks April 10, 17, 24, and May 1 from 3:00 to 5:00pm Players must sign in for each session. The cost is free for Camano Stanwood Pickleball Association Members. There is a limit of 12 Players for this 5-week program. Location: Camano Park, public tennis and pickleball courts. Sign up via Playtime Schedule - first session NOTE: If the session is full, add your name to the wait list in case anybody drops out. May: Skills Beyond the Basics with Scott and Levon (12 Players)Our duo of Scott and Levon will instruct and coach various levels of experience: Series #101: For 3.0-3.25 players When: Tuesdays, May 6,13, 20 from 1:00 to 3:00pm Cost $100 for the three-session program
Series #201: for 3.25-3.5 players When: Tuesdays, May 6,13, 20 from 3:00 to 5:00pm Cost $100 for the three-session program
Class #301: for 3.5+ players
When: Monday, May 12th from 4:00 to 6:00pm Cost $35 per person Class #401: for 3.75 players Schedule this instruction individually with Scott and Levon The location for all these classes is Camano Park, on the public tennis and pickleball courts. Sign ups for these sessions will be via Playtime Scheduler |
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CSPA COMMITTEE OVERVIEW: What Does the Board of Directors Do? |
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This is a new segment we have added to the newsletter. With each issue, we will feature a different committee and explain what their responsibilities entail, along with their key priorities for the upcoming year. This month, we thought we’d start with the leadership team overseeing all the various committees – the Board of Directors. |
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CSPA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, powered entirely by passionate volunteers. At the heart of our club is a five-member Board of Directors (BOD), managing the finances, administration, policies, and overall direction of the organization while providing guidance to our six volunteer committees: Communications, Expansion, Equipment & Facilities, Member Play, Member Skills Development, and Tournament. Each BOD member gets to roll up their sleeves and contribute to one (or more!) committees, making a real impact on the club’s success. The BOD meets monthly to keep things running smoothly, collaborate on various initiatives, and ensure our club continues to grow and thrive. You can see what types of topics the board works on in the meeting minutes posted in the members-only section of the CSPA website. Serving on the BOD is a fantastic way to get involved, shape the future of CSPA, and work alongside fellow members who share a love for the game. Elections take place at the All-Member Annual Meeting, and candidates don’t run for specific positions—once elected, the new board itself decides how to assign roles based on strengths and interests. Two-year terms are staggered, ensuring a balance of continuity and fresh ideas. This year, we'll be electing three people to serve two-year terms, joining our two board members with continuing terms (Bret Haggerty and Doug Shafer.) If you’re looking for a rewarding way to give back, build friendships, and help shape the future of CSPA, consider throwing your hat in the ring! |
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DID YOU KNOW? – A PICKLEBALL TRIVIA QUIZ |
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This month’s pickleball trivia question is about its name. How did the sport of pickleball get its name? True or false: Pickleball was named after a dog named Pickles. Scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer. |
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VIEW FROM THE KITCHEN: BASIC PICKLEBALL ETIQUETTE – by Tim Jones |
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One aspect of pickleball that people enjoy the most is that it’s a friendly game where people congregate to have fun. In fact, if I find that I am going to be playing in a game where one of the players is a total newbie, someone who has only played two times, can barely get his serve in, and who, to be honest, probably has no business being within 10 miles of a pickleball court, still, I will always welcome him with a smile and a warm handshake – just so long as he’s not going to be MY partner. If you’re fuzzy about some of the unspoken rules of pickleball etiquette, here are a few pointers to help you avoid pissing off your opponent – or your partner. KEEP READING… |
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ANSWER TO THIS MONTH’S PICKLEBALL TRIVIA QUIZ |
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True or false: Pickleball was named after a dog named Pickles. ANSWER: FALSE! Many people have heard the story that pickleball was invented by two men, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, from Bainbridge Island, WA back in the 1960s. This part is true. But the rest of the story most of us have heard says they named their new game after their pet dog, Pickles. FALSE! |
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The game came first. Joel Pritchard’s wife Joan actually came up with the name for the sport, explaining that it reminded her of pickle boats in rowing when “oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats.” She went on to clarify that she and Joel did in fact have a dog named Pickles, but he came years after the game was created. So, the sport of pickleball wasn’t named after a dog named Pickles. A dog named Pickles was named after the sport. |
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Let's Play!- Communications Team: Lynne, Theresa, Alene, Tim and Brenda G! |
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