Morreene Park Pickleball, Bethesda nets (again!), and all the other news

[Sandi Metz]

All,

The news, as always, requires an outline...so I've included lots of tempting pictures and graphics. I'm sure you'll want to read the whole thing.

1. Morreene Park Pickleball Courts
2. Trash and Nets Bethesda
3. Piney Wood Survey Results
4. Piney Wood Construction Status
5. Piney Wood Pickleball Par! ty!
6. Minutes from Q2 DAPP meeting

1. Morreene Road Park Pickleball Courts

DPR has painted four new pickleball courts at Morreene Road Park!  There are two pickleball courts on each of the two far right tennis courts as you enter the gate.

The August 1st news release has all the details, so I'll just add a few notes.

Lights

These courts have lights that can run between 7pm and 9:30pm in the summer. The "lights on" button is beside the entrance gate.

Nets

Notice that Morreene Road courts are "bring your own nets", and that nets left on the courts might be "removed and discarded".  Now that you need a net, PickleballCentral has a good assortment.  Use our club code CRDAPP to receive a 5% discount on your order, to put 5% in DAPP's club account at Pickleball Central.  They give us the accumulated $$ back as a credit once a year and we buy stuff.  It's all good.

2. Trash and Nets at Bethesda

Trash

At 7:30pm Sunday eve, I picked up this pile of trash at Bethesda.

I don't hate you for this. :-)  I suspect this isn't even your personal trash.  However, well, there it was, and I spent the entire evening last night trying to figure out a way to get you to help pick it up.

I had two ideas.  A motivational poem, and prizes.

So, in haiku form, I offer you:

Plains of Bethesda

Gleaming in the setting sun

Not a bit of trash

Don't complain until you have one to offer!

There's a prize, and (optionally) public acclaim for anyone who submits a motivational trash-picking-up poem in any format.  I'll publish them in a future email. :-)

I'll also be seeding bits of trash at Bethesda with a sticker that says "I'm a Bethesda trash elf".  Send a picture of yourself holding one of these labeled pieces to durhampi...@gmail.com to win...something!

Nets

We're repairing the wobbly SwiftNets at Bethesda.  The parts will be here tomorrow, repairs soon thereafter.

The SwiftNets need repair because someone is DRAGGING them on and off the courts. Dragging toosens the net post bolts, and destroys and then detaches the rubber foot covers. Here's a foot cover that I found laying beside the courts Sunday. 

Yup.  Destroyed.

We're working on a way to toughen up these foot covers, but meantime, please pick up the SwiftNets when you move them to the sides.

As I was leaving last night I moved two SwiftNets to the side, and packed two older nets and returned them to the bin. 

No, I did not simultaneously play on four courts. 

Yes, someone played on those courts and walked away from the nets.

This someone was clearly a pickleball player.

However, I suspect some of the dragging of SwiftNets is coming from tennis folk.  If I were them, I would not treat our nets kindly either. If we want these nets to last, we need to remove them from the courts after play.

Here's the rule:

When you finish play, if no one immediately comes onto your court, 

1) move the SwiftNets to the side, or 

2) pack up the older nets and return them to the bin.

Do this no matter what time it is, and regardless of how many folks are hanging around.  

Your court? No one coming onto it? Put the net back where it goes!  We may not be able to save the whales, but we can certainly save our nets!

3. Piney Wood Survey Results

Here are the results from the Summer Survey about how to spend the Piney Wood GoFundMe money.  

Shade wins pulling away.  I am the only person who wants fans.  The people have spoken.  

Now all we need is folks to help shop...volunteer at durhampickle...@gmail.com.

Here's what you think about court usages. It's no surprise that Open Play is everyone's top priority.

The labels are truncated in the graph above, here's the full text from the survey.

1. Open play
2. Free public events organized by DAPP
3. DPR Programs (ladders, clinics, etc)
4. Tournaments (run by DPR or DAPP, or by independent fundraisers
5. Reservations by individuals for private use
6. Reservations by coaches for private lessons

See the full survey results here.

4) Piney Wood Construction Status

It's happening.  We're still trying to sort out how to get (and pay for) permanent court dividers.  I haven't heard anything definite, but I suspect the schedule is slipping rather than compressing (how not?) Regardless, I have high hopes of playing there late this fall.

Piney as of Aug, 6.

5) Piney Wood Pickleball Party

It's also happening! The planners are planning. Email duhampickleba...@gmail.com to help.

6) Minutes from Q2 DAPP meeting

The July 20 DAPP meeting at Bethesda was, err, sparsely attended.  Thanks to all who came.  Your voice matters.  Minutes are on the DAPP Website.

And now I gotta run!  More news later.  Meantime, join us in service to Durham Pickleball by sending email to durhampickleb...@gmail.com.

Hope you get to play some pickleball today,

Best,

Sandi Metz

2023 President

Durham Area Pickleball Players (DAPP)

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[hap...@frontier.com]

Thanks Sandi...such good news except for the garbage piece!  I appreciate the update!

Carol

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[Toby Berla]

Thanks, Sandi, for all that you do! 

Toby

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