Boise Area Pickleball News

I just spoke with Sue Connor, Dick’s wife, and it seems his cancer is in Stage 4 and he would like to say goodbye to his pickleball friends.  She suggested that if any of you would like to see Dick to contact her at (208) 331-2422 or email her at: grammiesue13@cableone.net . You can also email Dick direct at: rac10s4me@cableone.net.  She said it would be ok if anyone wanted to come by the house and talk with Dick but please call first.  I know our hearts go out to Dick and his family and if you can please call or go by and say goodbye.  Dick has always loved the game of pickleball and helped many of us get started.

The pickleball world will be celebrating the game we love the week of April 16th through the 21st internationally.  Here locally we will be holding an event at Home Court to kick-off the week on Friday, April the 13th from 4pm to 8pm.  John Sweeting is heading this project up so bring the whole family and join us for a free pickleball clinic and refreshments.  Talk to all your friends, families, or really just anyone you think would be interested in learning more about pickleball.  We are hoping to have some Meridian city council members and maybe even the Mayor attend to help promote our sport.

This event will be advertised on local radio and newspapers so we hope to get a lot of participation so come one come all and join us for an evening of fun.

I would like to ask our club members to help by way of bringing some type of refreshment (i.e., cookies, drinks, plates and/or napkins) or volunteering to helping with the clinic, so if you can help please contact me, Tami, Jack, or John Sweeting.

I hope you will join with me to welcome three new pickleball players from Jack and Joe’s class.  They are Don McDaniel, Sue Powell and ReNae Evans.  They are new so please reach out and give them a hand and some coaching.  Don comes to us from the Plantation group that began to play pickleball last summer and were coached by Rodell, Tim and Dennis Forbes.  Sue and ReNae are ex-tennis players so all of these newbies have some “paddle” sport experience.  Jack and Joe’s class will end this Thursday and maybe then we’ll get some more newbies, we can always use newbies.

Jack said there will be a spring beginner class in May, more information to follow so stay turned.

There is a pickleball tournament at the Peachland Community Centre in Peachland, B.C. in April. It will be using IFP rules with events for Men’s and Women’s singles, doubles as well as mixed doubles. Age groups will be 49 and under, 50-64 and 65+. Registration deadline is April 20th.  For more information and detail go to our “Future Tournament tab or www.peachland.ca .  You can also call direct: (250) 767-2133.  So if anyone is headed to Canada here’s a tournament for you.

This request goes out to all club members with a further request to pass it on to your friends and/or relatives.  Today Tami received the following email from our fellow club member, Dick Conner:

Tami,

This is to let you know that I will not be able to return to pickleball. For several weeks I have been walking the mall to get in better shape to be more competitive with the rest of you.

However in the meantime I have discovered that my weakness and lack of energy was due to an underlying cause…Cancer.

I have an incurable cancer in my lymph nodes. I had a PET scan on Thursday, with results available on Tuesday as to how far it has progressed, what treatment might be possible and how long I might be expected to stick around in this world.

Of course I am not happy with the news, but have accepted it.

I will miss the pickleball gang.  Give my best to all.

Keep your paddles up.

Dick Conner

This news really hit us hard.  Dick was the first person we played pickleball with when we first moved here.  It would be great if we could all get together, maybe at a pizza place, and have a dinner for Dick, what do you think??  I have not spoken with Dick about this but I feel we, as a pickleball community, need to show Dick how much he means to us and pickleball.  So if anyone has any ideas or suggestions please contact us, we’ll make any arrangement needed.

Please pass on this prayer request and keep Dick in your personal prayers.