Dinkville News: Organized Play has begun; Leagues Starting 8/22; Get to Know Dinkville Pro Michael Smits; Today in Pickleball
Dinkville Debut
Dinkville had its first organized play in Hendersonville, TN at Memorial Park Monday night. Multiple members showed up to play and have fun!
See pictures below of some of the action from Monday Night!
Dinkville Doubles League
You asked for it, We listened, and Now we have Pickleball Leagues starting Week of 8/22. Click here to join a league and have weekly scheduled opponents, updated standings, and an end of season tournament! Registration ends Sunday 8/21. Doubles League- https://coda.io/form/Dinkville-Doubles-League_dFVGg5FH5Gh
Get to know Dinkville Pro Michael Smits
My name is Michael Smits, and I will be one of the "Pro" Pickleball players and instructors at Dinkville.
How did you get started in Pickleball?
My journey started about 3 years ago when I was a Nashville Hot Chicken Festival. Dani and my husband, Laz, were checking the festival out when we met a guy and his girlfriend who talked to us about this game name pickleball and how he has fallen in love with it. He told us he plays all the time and travels for tournaments. We all were looking for something to get us more active, out in the community and something to do for fun. We found a local community center, Old Hickory Community Center, where we stepped on the court for the first time.
Since that day it has consumed my life. I play anywhere from 5 to 7 days a week and travel all across the country for tournaments.
Pickleball Career:
In December of 2021, I was a National Gold Medalist in the 19+ division with my partner, Kingsley. All the credit goes out to Stephanie Lane and Noi Sourinthone. They have shared their knowledge and even got me to slow my game down. I never did understand how they did that, but dinking, third shot drops and rolling the ball are all now part of my vocabulary and a part of my game. I could go on and on about all the people I have met over the past three years that have not only been a huge influence on my game, but more so my life. This game has shown me that there are amazing people in this world and I am happy to call all of you, my friends.
In March of 2022, I took the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA) workshop with Stephanie Lane and was humble enough to walk out of there with a Level 1 Instructor Certification. I have been honored to not only teach along side Stephanie, but have met some great players that have wanted me to teach them this sport I love.
Today in Pickleball
The Ranchers Take Home $100,000
Last weekend's MLP (Major League Pickleball) event was held in Newport Beach, CA. Congratulations to Team Ranchers, who consisted of Anna Bright, Jackie Kawamoto, DJ Young and James Ignatowich. They took home the largest cash prize in all of Pickleball, $100,000. They knocked off the previous 2 MLP Event winners with a clean sweep of 3-0!
Photo Credit :www.majorleaguepickleball.net
Selkirk Labs Showdown
The event went down in Tarzana, CA where they mixed things up in the PPA and had pool play for Women's Doubles, Men's Doubles and Mixed Doubles. After pool play, based off of their standings, a bracket was created. The winners of gold this weekend were: Anna Leigh Waters and Callie Smith in Women's Doubles, Ben Johns and Jay Devilliers in Men's Doubles and Ben Johns and Jessie Irvine. What a weekend it was and a great way to mix up the normal teams we are accustom to seeing on the PPA tour stops!
Pickleball during the week?
Tuesday Night Pickleball at the Orchard was nothing short of some great pickleball the last two Tuesdays! The format was different than the normal pickleball matches we are accustom to seeing. There are only two teams and they play two 20 minute games with a running clock (Unless there is a timeout). When the clock hits 2 minutes the time only runs while the ball is in play. The winner at the end of the time wins the game. At the end of the two games, if the teams tie, they play a tie breaker singles game up to 11 (rally scoring) until a there is a winner. Each player on each team takes a turn of 4 singles points at a time.
Two weeks ago, on August 2nd, 2022, Tuesday Night Pickleball had its inaugural event. The teams were voted on by the fans: Jessie Irvine and Lucy Kovalova took on Catherine Parenteau and Irina Tereschenko. They tied in the first 2 games of times 20-minute matches and it came down to singles. Catherine and Irina took home the win in the first ever Tuesday Night Pickleball Events.
This past Tuesday Ben Johns and Tyler Loong took on Collin Johns and AJ Koller. Ben and Tyler took it in 2 games, but the fans wanted to see a singles tie breaker anyways, which Collin and AJ won in dramatic fashion.
Up Coming News/Events
The Skechers Invitational will be live on CBS August 13th starting at 3pm CST.
APP New Jersey Open ($50K) is happening this weekend from 8/8/2022- 8/14/22. If you have some free time, take a look on YouTube or Facebook. The links are below:
https://www.facebook.com/theapptour
APP Tour, Chicago, Illinois. 8,265 likes · 706 talking about this. The APP Tour serves amateurs, professionals, and senior professionals in one of the fastest growing sports in the country. It is the... |
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzp8-zq6Qpd3g1ykc8Tj9BA
 | The Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP) is a “Tour” of prize money tournaments for professionals and amateurs throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. |
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Thanks,
Landon Hallam, Dinkville Commissioner
You can text me if you have any questions-> 405-816-6984