Piney Wood Inaugural Tournament! and other winter news

[Durham Area Pickleball Players]

All,

I hope you're enjoying those beautiful new courts at Piney Wood.  How lucky we are!

In today's email:

1. Piney Inaugural / 4th Annual Bull City Open (Fundraiser, March 1-3)
2. Sponsorship Opportunities at Bull City Open
3. DAPP Elections
4. Piney Pickleball Etiquette
   
5. DPR New Year's Pickleball Mixer at Piney
6. Exchange Family Center Pickleball Tournament (Fundraiser, April 12-14)

1. Piney Inaugural / 4th Annual Bull City Open (Fundraiser, March 1-3)

The Inaugural Piney Wood Bull City Open will be held at, yes, Piney Wood, on March 1-3.  DAPP is partnering with Durham Parks Foundation for this event.  

Those of you who imbibe may be happy to know this means we'll not only have great pickleball, great swag, and great food trucks, but we'll also have beer.  Yes, beer.  Believe it or don't. 

Read all about it at DurhamPickleball.org, or jump right to PickelballDen and register now!

2. Sponsorship Opportunities at Bull City Open (BCO)

We're looking for Silver ($250), Gold ($500), T-Shirt ($1,000) and Presenting ($2,000) Sponsors for the BCO.  

Whether Silver (for which we'll say nice things about you) or Presenting (we'll give you promotional space, and hang your banner, and say nice things about you, plus much more), your much appreciated sponsorship defers costs and so allows us to spend more money on pickleball and parks in Durham.  Only good can come of this.

Check out the perks for each level, and then contact us at DurhamPi...@gmail.com to become a sponsor!

3. DAPP Elections

Thanks to those who voted. Please meet the 2024 DAPP Board.

4. Piney Pickleball Etiquette

DPR has written a Piney Pickleball Etiquette document which will be posted at Piney and is attached below.

There have already been a zillion alternative suggestions about how to rotate courts at Piney, I know, but wait--DPR already has a plan.  Here 'tis:

There are three paddle racks, each of which is associated with a "pod" of four courts.  

When courts are full, you indicate that you want to play by putting your paddle in one of the racks.  This puts you in the queue for a court in that pod.

When a court in your pod becomes free, the next group waiting in that paddlerack takes that court.

This effectively divides Piney into three sections of courts when it's busy.  It's easy to imagine that this will cause equally skilled players to gravitate to a common pod, thus ensuring that folks at any skill level can have the game they want.

Maybe this will work, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ It's early days. and who knows what will happen.  Don't worry if it's not perfect right now.  We'll do it for a while and then adjust once we have more data about use at Piney.  

As much as you might want to, please do not write me back with your suggestion of some other way to do this. Just. Don't!. Let's follow the plan for a few months, and then DAPP will solicit your feedback and present your thoughts to DPR.

For now, just be happy!  What a great set of courts!  Durham's gonna be famous. :-)

5. DPR New Year's Pickleball Mixer at Piney

Durham Parks and Rec has organized the 1st Annual New Years Pickleball Mixer at Bethesda on Saturday, Jan 6.  This appears to involve dressing up in New Years costumes? Hmmm. Well, I likely won't do that, but will happily come and sneak photos of you.

There are only a few spots left; sign up now.

6. Exchange Family Center Pickleball Tournament (Fundraiser, April 12-14)

Here's another upcoming fundraiser that's for a great cause, the Exchange Family Center in Durham.  You can't sign up yet, but save these dates -> April 12-14.  I'll let you know when registration opens.

That's all I have for you today.  Stay warm out there, and have some fun for me!

Cheers,

Sandi Metz

2024 President

Durham Area Pickleball Players

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[Sandi Metz]

All,

TLDR; If you did not just receive an email from DurhamPi...@gmail.com, please check your spam folder and mark it as 'not' spam!

The gory details:

I'm now sending updates from DAPP's email account (DurhamPi...@gmail.com) instead of my own (this one, skm...@gmail.com).

I just sent a long update, I know you want to read it, and also know that it went to Spam for some folks.  Look in your spam folder if you don't see it in your inbox!

Best,

Sandi

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