A few years ago our dear friend Gen started a group of pickleball players in Redmond Oregon known as The Redmond Picklers. Many in this group of players did not choose to play with some of the more aggressive players on the courts although some of these people have honed their skills and have moved on or up for more challenging games.
The faces in this group have changed over the years and although sadly Gen and her husband Jim have moved away to Arizona and we miss them dearly, the tradition of her end of summer tournament has continued to live on.
This past Friday we celebrated with 16 players ( 4 on 4 courts), 4 refs (1 on each court) 2 scorekeepers as well as some picture takers and what fun we had. We played 6 games and then stopped for snacks and a medal ceremony.
We awarded the top 3 players each with a medal and everyone went home with a really nice gift that Claire, Becky and I crafted. First Claire & Becky picked up 20 jars of pickles at the grocery store. Then Becky & her husband James spray painted 20 old pickleballs with a gold spray paint.
Claire attached some Christmas décor and a pick through the holes in the ball to turn it into an ornament and then used temporary sticky tape to tape the ornament to the top of the pickle jar. I sewed bags with pickleball design to cover the pickle jar. The idea is that after (or before) the pickle jar is empty the recipients can take the ornament ball off the top of the jar and store it in the crafted bag until it is time to hang it on their Christmas tree.
Some great refs and scorekeepers.
Some great fun for everyone. Now we only have to wait one year to do this tournament again.
I love this group of women and all of our Picklers who were out of town this week! I’m thankful for Gen and Jim who started this group, encouraged us in this sport and thankful that we all work together to keep this group thriving! Thank you for these beautiful thoughts, Suzan!
Well done ladies, I had as much fun as the players, great organization, I’m signing up to ref again next year!
Oh my goodness!! I am so very honored and humbled. Thank you, Suzan, for your beautiful tribute. The only reason this group is so fantastic is because of the wonderful people who are a part of it. I truly just wanted a group to play with, and God blessed me with more and more good people until I realized that our very special group was more than just pickleball. That initially brought all of us together, but friendships that I can never replace melded the group. I sorely miss these beautiful (inside and out) women (and a few guys). What a special treasure they are. My many, many sincerest thanks to Suzan, Becky, and Claire for carrying on the tradition. You are all so talented.. the prizes were so well thought out, cute, and ingenious! What lovely keepsakes! My humble thanks and love to you all.
What a super great group of women! I feel so fortunate to be a part of all the fun, pickling, laughter and friendships that all of you bring together. So sorry to have missed the well-organized and fun end of year tournament finale, but so cool to get a pickle jar/Christmas ornament “trophy” anyway! Thank you.
Hi. I’m Gen’s sister, Gwynne. I know She misses you all and loved the “work” she did for this pickle ball group. She mentioned you girls and how you gave her confidence and how fun and kind everyone was to her. Thank you. Gen is shy by nature, but loves interacting with people so this will always be her “home” team.!!