FROM THE USAPA
NEW USAPA AMBASSADORS
NEW AMBASSADORS : Nancy Bartusch . . . . . . . Olympic Valley CA Diane Baumgartner . . . . At-Large Bill Barbuto . . . . . . . . . . . Peoria AZ Justin Baxter . . . . . . . . . . Belvidere IL Linda Cappello . . . . . . . . The Hamptons NY Marcia Dalton . . . . . . . . . Peoria AZ Norma Davidson . . . . . . Rabun County GA Phil Davidson . . . . . . . . . Salem-Keizer OR Louis DeGreef . . . . . . . . Quincy IL
Rick Dula . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cuyahoga County East OH
Brien Galon . . . . . . . . . . . San Antonio TX Bill Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ria Arriba County NM Betty Kenniston . . . . . . . Toledo OH George Lee . . . . . . . . . . . Colorado Springs CO Tracy Gavin . . . . . . . . . . . New Aurora NY Phil Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . New Smyrna Beach FL Denise Izatt . . . . . . . . . . . Elmhurst I Andrea Jones . . . . . . . . . Orefield PA Helen Jordan . . . . . . . . . . Brenham TX Rich Kalich . . . . . . . . . . . . Spofford NH Don & Carol Kolenda . . . Lilue HI Leann Land . . . . . . . . . . . Austin TX Babs Lester . . . . . . . . . . . Chandler AZ Helen McChesney . . . . . Colorado Springs CO Debby Magenheimer . . Palmetto Bay FL Susan Manolis . . . . . . . . Phoenix AZ Eddie McDonald . . . . . . . NW Montana Lisa Meenan . . . . . . . . . . Hermosa Beach CA Carla Norris-Hopkins . . . Little Elm TX David Pike . . . . . . . . . . . . At-Large Bill Ries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cincinnati OH Bob & Irene Romagosa Denton TX Ashley Schandel . . . . . . . Riverhead NY Mike & Nancy Sechrist . Monte Vista CO Tyler Skea . . . . . . . . . . . . Traverse City MI Greg Smith . . . . . . . . . . . Haiku HI Scott Smith . . . . . . . . . . . Grand Haven MI Jim Stapleton . . . . . . . . . Morganton NC Floyd Warren . . . . . . . . . Hollywood MD David Weston . . . . . . . . . The Villages FL Peggy Whitlow . . . . . . . . Elmhurst IL
Donna Zukas . . . . . . . . . Natrona Hts- Vandergrift PA
FROM THE PRESIDENT
It was in April when Nancy and I were visiting my sister in Ft . Myers , Fla ., that we had an opportunity to drive to Port St . Lucie , Fla ., to visit the Club Med at Sandpiper Bay , the site for the 2016 Ambassador Retreat . It was a great visit and we knew that it would be a super location for the retreat . With over 200 ambassadors and friends registered , this second annual ambassador retreat was set to be another great pickleball event . That it was — as participants
DAVID JORDAN began to arrive at the resort on September 11 , it was obvious that they were impressed and ready to have a great pickleball week , full of pickleball , educational opportunities and a great network of folks to socialize with and learn from .
The first item of business was to get together with everyone at our first cocktail party on Sunday evening . Our hostess with the mostest , Audrey Phillips , was ready to greet and introduce all in attendance . From the first sessions on Monday morning to the farewell party on Thursday evening it was a week full of fun , learning and laughter with great food and entertainment . Since this was an all-inclusive resort , everything was provided and the buffet was great . From team pickleball to just casual play on the 16 courts that Regional Director Carrie Jermstad ( CJ ) and crew had set up , it was a time of enjoyment and fun . These are the kind of events that the founders of pickleball had in mind when they envisioned a sport for all .
See additional information and pictures in Audrey ’ s article in this issue of Pickleball Magazine and watch for the announcement of the 2017 Ambassador Retreat soon . Also , go to our website for a recap of all the sessions and presentations that took place during the retreat .
From our courts to yours .
If you are interested in being an ambassador to help promote pickleball in your region , visit usapa . org .
DECEMBER 2016 | MAGAZINE 7