Author: andrewlenz (Page 170 of 329)

Thursday, January 20, 2022 (Court Day #458)

One of my staff closed up at work so I was able to get to Skypark at 6:30 p.m. Oddly, I couldn’t find my cap in the things. I don’t think I’ve ever played pickleball without a cap. Inside, outside, day, night, it doesn’t matter. I always wear a cap. I looked all around in my car. Well, it wasn’t there. No cap tonight. I got some comments from folks who had never seen my hair aside from what stuck out under my cap!

There were two guys playing singles tennis as at least ten pickleball players stood and congregated chatting hoping to get onto a court. I joined them and soon got into a game.

Sleeping on the Couch

While waiting for my next game, Matt S. was in a game with his daughter Sarah against his wife and another player. After Matt hit a winner past his wife, I yelled over, “Matt! If you need a place to sleep tonight, I have an extra room!” “Shut up, ‘Hair’!” (An obvious reference to me wearing no cap!)

Tennis Guys

After about 20 minutes, the two tennis guys sat and cracked open beers. One of us—I think it was Matt S.—approached them if they were done playing. They were done and a bunch of us went to quick work setting up four temporary nets. The lights are still miserable, one even continuing to flash like a strobe light all evening. Others were dim or simply out altogether. Kristin told us to write the person in charge of the courts for the city. I suggested she send the email address out to the text group; she thought that was a good idea.

I had assorted games with Dan, Tim, Matt S., Jeanne, Larry, Matt, and Paul.

Wonderkind

Casey had an insane shot. I hit their high ball angled so it bounced near the far sideline and far out of the court away from where Casey was out of position. Casey rocketed across the baseline and out the side of the court and, with his long arms, managed to hit the ball back over the net. Anyone else, it would have been an easy winner. I was covering the middle of the court with Dan to my left. That ball flew low across the kitchen in front of me out of reach and bounced just inside our right sideline for a winner. It was the most improbable shot that I recall ever seeing. Casey did admit that he was aiming more at Dan but had hooked the ball too much so it passed in front of me instead. Too bad it wasn’t recorded, it would have been a YouTube highlight!

As the Dan and I played the last game against Casey and his dad Tim, I noticed that the side of my shoe split open. I mentioned it to Dan, who was already aware, “Yes, I could see your sock from inside your shoe!”

PT

I took advantage of the fact that Casey, being my PT doctor after my shoulder surgery, was there. I’ve noticed that on shots low to my backhand—like serves down the middle when I’m on the even court—I don’t have the power that I’ve had in the past. I mentioned this to Casey and asked his advice. He turned to Dan, who is studying to become a PT. “What do you think, Dan?” Dan offered an exercise and Casey concurred:
Arm straight out to the sides (like forming a T), then squeeze shoulder blades together without raising shoulders. Or start with arms straight out at your sides , squeeze blades together, then move arms out to the front, maintaining the squeezing.

What did I learn?

Arg. I still need to fix my court positioning! I still occasionally leave opportunistic gaps for my opponents.

Arm

I iced my right arm when I got home. It’s a habit at this point.

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Friday, January 21, 2022 (No Play)

Ok. I overdid it. I played on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday night and last night. All right-handed and my right forearm is clearly giving me consistent tennis elbow pains. Typing on a keyboard, tapping on an iPad, or some other activities consistently demonstrate mild pain, like a charlie horse.

Monterey Tournament

Mike Ballard texted our group text saying the Monterey tournament had opened up additional spots. In my haste, I didn’t notice that it was Mike who sent it and I asked if wanted to partner for it. He said he was already playing with Shawnte. Ah, well.

I emailed Eric S. to see if he was interested. In the past, he said he was only interested in playing 60+, but we’ll see.

https://www.pickleballtournaments.com/tournamentinfo.pl?tid=3348

Number of days on a court: 458
Number of total hours: 2,206.5

To start at the beginning of this blog click on “1st Post” in the menu above.

Tuesday, January 18, 2022 (Court Day #457)

I couldn’t leave early and had a work-related brief stop on the way to Skypark. There were two parking spots open in the lot when I arrived—nice for a change.

I got into a game fairly quickly, with three weaker players. It was still a fun game and a good one to warm up with.

From there, I rolled from good game to good game. I had games with Matt S., Mike B., Paul and his buddy Matt and later to wrap up the night, three games of Larry Y. and myself against Matt and Paul.

The lights clicked off at 9:30, leaving only the four of us in the dark. We broke down the last temporary net—which we were using to be under the best light, they still haven’t fixed the lights over the permanent courts—and stowed it away. “Home, James!” as they say!

What did I learn?

It definitely takes me a few games to warm up! And I had an interesting experience. I remember poised waiting to receive a serve and feeling . . . I don’t think fear is the right word, maybe trepidation, playing against Matt S. and Mike B. I knew the ball was going to be coming fast and furious and I was concerned. Not for my physical well being but worry about being able to handle the impending serve/shots. It was a bit unnerving, but it’s great to get into games that make you uncomfortable. Those make you grow. I held my own.

Arm

I iced my right arm when I got home.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2022 (No Play)

Ok. I’ll admit I’m concerned. My right forearm is a touch sore right along the classic tennis elbow spot. Three days in a row was too much. It’s been holding up so well too. Drat.

Number of days on a court: 457
Number of total hours: 2,203.5

To start at the beginning of this blog click on “1st Post” in the menu above.

Monday, January 17, 2022 (Court Day #456)

51° on this partly-cloudy morning. I pulled into the last of five parking spots; it was already busy at Brommer Park. With finally enough crew at work today, I told my staff that I’d be in about 12:30 p.m. and I took the morning off to play.

Tall Clayton from Scotts Valley was there and when I yelled “hello”, he trotted over from his nearby game, holding his paddle to the chain link fence in greeting for me to tap mine to his.

Since Mondays are a club day, before 10 a.m. is mixed skill play. For the first game, I asked, “Which of you is the weakest player?” (I commented to Patty later on how there are so many new players who I don’t know these days!) One woman told me that she probably was. I said, “I’ll play with you.” “You must be pretty good.” I likely answered something noncommittal. We were soon down 4-0, but we went on to win by 4-5 points as I started to warm up and nail my shots.

Red, not red?

There was a “Matt” signed up in red on the board. I asked someone who it was and he pointed to firefighter Matt S. Matt should not be signing up in red in my opinion, at least at Brommer, but I added my name. Allan K. asked if he and Robin L. could sign with us. I paused, then said ok. A woman nearby nearby chided, “You hesitated!” I did. But I did say yes.

In that game, Allan made a great shallow cross-court shot, I dashed outside of the sideline to my left to return it, stretching and reaching in the process, then instantly pivoted and had to get back to cover the opening I’d left for Robin’s return shot. I managed that and we won the point, “Did you switch hands for that shot?” “I did.” Matt chuckled and said something to the affect of being in awe. If all my shots were like that, I’d be a 4.0 or 4.5 easy! But consistency is my hurdle.

I pulled something in the back of my right hand in that game. It wasn’t crippling, but it was painful enough that I missed a shot because of it. Almost like a cramp, but I’d strained it exactly like that once in recent months at work. It mostly went away, fortunately. Now, hours later, there’s still some residual from that, but it’s minor.

Last Game

Later, I played my last game with Eric (Anne’s partner) against Matt S. and a fellow named Glenn. (I’d seen Glenn before, but our paths don’t cross much at all.) It was a fairly close game, but Eric and I won 11-7. Not a wimpy game. It started lightly raining with big but sparse drops. By the time the game ended 25%-30% of the court area was covered with drops.

As I walked back to the waiting area, Patty called over, “Andrew! Play with us!” I told her “Sure” and she added me to her box of red players. Patty is a good player. It’s a feather in my cap to get tapped to play with her group. Some recognition! Unfortunately, that game never happened.

Rain

Leslie—SCPC board member and the site coordinator for today—walked over and asked me, “What do you think? Should we stop club play?” This was a “strength in numbers” move. I nodded/head-bobbed in a halfhearted questioning “yes” kind of way . . . like “yes, I think, but I don’t want to stop playing.” She took it as a yes and announced we were taking the club nets down. As several of us took some at 11:15, the courts were now completely wet from the large rain drops. It wasn’t a heavy rain, but it was plenty to make the courts slippery.

“Are you playing Tuesday night?”, Matt asked, as he stood by his wife Carolyn and daughter Sarah. I told him I was planning on it. He said, “Good . . . I want a rematch!”

I headed home then to work.

What did I learn?

It definitely takes me a few games to warm up!

Health

Tennis elbow is still acting up a little bit. The outside of my right knee has bothering me last week or so, but it’s not bad. And as mentioned, the back of my right hand. Various aches and pains from playing two days in a row. I can’t complain, it’s a good problem to have, muscle and joint fatigue!

Number of days on a court: 456
Number of total hours: 2,201

To start at the beginning of this blog click on “1st Post” in the menu above.