Pickleball Magazine 3-4 Courtesy of Pickleball Guru | Page 82

PASSIONATE PICKLEBALLERS
Are you Passionate About Pickleball?
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Jane and Amy
demonstrate how to
incorporate “Swan
Lake” into Pickleball
at Longview Parks &
Rec in Spring Hill, TN
The Little Engine That Could
Vincent “Pickleball Vinny”
Rivera was recently named USAPA
Ambassador for the Bakersfield,
CA, area, and is leading a group of
local pickleball enthusiasts.
The group—Northwest
Bakersfield Pickleball—has steadily
grown to 150 members, and Vinny
has been bringing in new players by
setting up courts at local farmers
markets and street fairs. He calls
it “Pop-Up Pickleball,” bringing
the sport to people who would
otherwise not know about it. The
club offers free clinics to beginners.
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Recently, local news station
23ABC did a four-minute segment
on the subject, during which the
general manager of one of the
local park districts said plans
were underway for a tennis court
conversion.
“We’re now near completion of
this first project—the tennis court
conversion to eight dedicated
pickleball courts. This is a first for
this area,” says Vinny.
He added, “We’re accomplishing
a lot in our little town. What we
have here is a lot of heart and a
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love for this sport. I could imagine a
‘Little Engine That Could’ reference
right about now.”