1. Benefits of Club Membership

As a new member, you can enjoy the benefits of a sport that is easy to learn, gathers together active people, and stimulates outdoor activity.  What could be better?!

Throughout the year, we schedule activities which are free or nearly free, including annual meeting/luncheon, spring picnic & tournament, fall “play day” & BBQ, Christmas party, tournaments for all skill levels, and weekly league nights.  See descriptions below.

The storage box next to the courts is available to members, containing balls, paddles, 5-gal water cooler, leaf blowers, fans, and a ball machine for drills. The lock combination is available to members via email. It can also be obtained by texting the club vice-president at the number shown in attached list of officers.

Club members get discounts on orders from Pickleball Central. (Attachment 11.)

 

2. Is Pickleball a Sport or a Social Activity?

Surprise: It’s BOTH!  First, this is a sport that does not demand a high-level of athleticism. Indeed, it draws participants from every demographic: men and women, young and old (perhaps especially the old) and the fit and not-so-fit.  It’s common to have women playing against men as powerful shots are not necessarily advantageous.  However, some women prefer not to play with men and that is OK. They can have separate play times.

And if you don’t move quickly, that’s OK too!  We have many players less mobile than others and they still play a very good game.  Our motto is “Fun and Safety Always.”  We want everyone to play within their capability, safely, and still have fun.

So don’t worry if you don’t play well or don’t reach a high level of play quickly, or at all.  Some players participate at certain times called “non-competitive play” -- playing for fun. 

At the other end of the scale are those who play competitively to hone their skills and compete in regional tournaments.  Most players are in the middle, enjoying the competition locally but not involved at higher levels of play.  Again, just for the fun of competition.

See our web sites at www.hollylakeranch.com and Facebook information, photos, schedules, and contacts: Pickleball Club

 

3. Member Play Schedule

Another benefit is member scheduled play, which are member only sessions.  The courts are reserved about 18 hours per week for our club members.

In order to reduce the number playing at a particular time and to allow group members to play with those of their own skill level, sessions are scheduled in three categories: Beginners/Novices, Intermediate and Advanced.  (These approximate numbered skill levels recognized nationally, referenced in section below titled “What are Skill Levels?”) 

Beginners/Novices are invited to meet and play on Tuesdays, usually in the morning.  It’s best to check the court schedule from time to time as it varies with the seasons.  Summer­time hours are in the early morning and evenings, while hours in winter months are towards the middle of the day.

See the court schedule posted next to the courts,
on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HollyLakePickleball,
or at our club page at HLR Pickleball.

Any unscheduled time is available for anyone to play. That is, you aren’t locked into the scheduled member play periods and can play anytime you wish. Just arrange a foursome to meet at a time other than scheduled play and come on out!  See “Court Etiquette” for guidelines on sharing courts during scheduled and unscheduled times.

To facilitate communication among members to schedule times other than member play, there are a few message boards at www.GroupMe.com.
For example, see GroupMe/Pickleballers and join if you wish.  (If there’s difficulty joining the group, contact the club secretary at below number/email in the section “Board Members.”)

If you desire to get better faster, then play more often.  Here are suggestions for improvement besides playing games:

 

• Practice hitting balls against the plywood backboard at the tennis courts. 
• Invite someone to have a practice session and drill different pickleball shots, such as serves, returns, dinks and volleys.  Just 20 or 30 mins will bring a lot of improvement.
• Practice alone with the ball machine in the storage box, available only to members.  Please ask any of the experienced players how to set up and return balls with the machine.
• Watch instruction videos on www.YouTube.com at your convenience.  Here are a few names to search:  Joe Baker, Jordan Briones, John Cincola and ThatPickleballGuy (Kyle Koszuta.) These are nationally-known, popular instructors who produce excellent short videos to learn the basics. 
  Here’s a good one: 
  Basic Shots for Beginners
  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aenvZ_3Bof4)

4. Safety on Courts

Two important safety tips: 

 

• Number One is drink plenty of water during summer months in Texas!  That should go without saying, but we have had a couple of heat-related emergency calls.  Don’t overdo it and stay within your limits.
• Number Two:  Keep your feet underneath you and don’t trip & fall.  Especially, DO NOT run backwards!  Too many players trip and fall backwards, then catch themselves with their hand, and end up with sprained or broken wrists. 
  This should have been emphasized at the introductory class: If the ball is hit over your head do not back up.  The acceptable technique is to TURN to run toward the baseline.  OR, the partner on other side of the court with a view of the overhead ball should run at a diagonal to the baseline where the ball will land. 
  There is actually lots of time while the ball is up in the air during a “lob” shot over the heads of players.  Do not rush but move toward the ball in a forward direction, either first turning 180-degrees (if ball is directly overhead) or diagonally across the court (if the ball is over your partner.)  By the way, it's best to yell “Switch!” so your partner knows you are running back to the baseline and he/she can move over to other side of kitchen, giving more room to return the shot.  All of this comes with experience, but right away learn to RESIST THE URGE to back-pedal and hit the ball overhead.  Rather, just let it go and concede the rally.
  
  A first aid kit is kept in the storage box for minor emergencies.  For SEVERE emergencies, apply immediate first aid as stop bleeding and keep injured person from moving, and CALL 911.  Reply to any 911 dispatcher that you are in WOOD COUNTY and at Holly Lake Ranch.  The official “911 address” for the pickleball courts is 220 Holly Lodge Circle.
  
  The HLRPA will send newsletters from time to time and include a Safety flyer.  A sample is attached.

5. Court Etiquette

During scheduled member play sessions, the objectives are: (1) Rotate players into the courts fairly and quickly and (2) mix players so all will have different partners and opponents.* 

If there are more than 16 players on the courts:

 

• Any waiting players should be allowed to take the place of those who finished a game.  If there are four or more waiting then after any game is complete, all four players should exit the court and invite four more to play.
• If fewer than four are waiting to play, then someone who has played two consecutive games should exit. 
• Usually, pairs will split up and partner with incoming players.
• The HLRPA “paddle up” system should be used.  An explanation of this system is attached. All players will exit a court on completion of a game and put their paddles in the rack, splitting winners and losers according to the designated slots.  This is to mix partners for the next game.

  If there are fewer than 16 players, invite waiting players to join.  If no one is waiting then the four players on each court may stay after completing a game and simply switch partners and opponents to play another game.  If players are resting or defer to a different court then they may pass on playing the next game and the players finishing a game may remain on the court. Sometimes after two courts end games, two players from one court will switch with two on the other court. 

  Primarily, however, ensure everyone waiting is rotated into courts, with players sitting out after completing two games in a row.  Play goes quickly and with less than 20 players there will be constant rotation.

  During HLRPA-member sessions, take every opportunity to give everyone a chance to play.  An unwritten rule is someone who just arrived at the courts should be given an opportunity to play next rather than those who have already played and are waiting.

  At times when the courts are not scheduled for member sessions, called “unscheduled play,” players should still try to rotate everyone into games.  An exception is two players who are partners and wish to play together for practice toward a tournament.  They may remain together for successive games as long as other players have a chance to play in other courts.  For example, say there are 14 players at the courts with two sets of players who wish to remain as partners, and say those two teams want to play against each other in successive games (sometimes this is pre-arranged/scheduled by the four players.)  That leaves the other 10 players to rotate into courts for games.  This is permissible under the guidelines above as long as all other players have a chance to rotate into the other courts. 

6. Leagues and Tournaments

During a given year, HLRPA schedules weekly leagues, each lasting about 8 weeks, along with several one-day tournaments.  “League night” is usually Monday or Friday evenings and tournaments are usually scheduled on a Saturday.  These are designed for all skill levels and everyone is encouraged to participate. 

Playing against better players increases your skills and you’ll get better as a result.  It may not be pretty though!  Just bear in mind that everyone started as a Novice and everyone progressed through the stages of learning the game.

League play is meant to be scheduled with the same players every week, so if you sign up for a league, please commit to playing all of the scheduled dates.  Some players sign up as substitutes (alternates) to play if someone can’t show up for an unforeseen reason, or perhaps it was a planned absence that was approved by the league manager when signing up.  The usual policy is to allow one absence during the 8-week duration of league play.

Tournaments are friendly competition with different brackets by skill and usually separate brackets for men, women and mixed doubles.  Medals are awarded to winners in each bracket, so that Novices can win a gold medal.

 

7. Future Events

The schedule of events for the coming year is attached to this brochure.

Regional tournaments:  As players progress to a level that enables more competition, there are tournaments occasionally in Longview, Gilmer, Rockwall, DFW area which draw from a large part of Texas and several states.  Tournaments are held all over Texas but travel time can be an issue.  Even so, our members have competed in LA, OK, AR and FL – even at the 2023 National Pickleball Championships in Pittsburgh, PA.

 

8. What are “Skill Levels”?

Skill levels basically rank players on a scale of 1.0 to 7.0 with the lowest number being someone who has never been on a Pickleball court to the highest level, which is a professional player.  The highest amateur is rated 5.0 with most players in the 2.5 to 3.5 range.  Skill levels are self-rated, meaning there’s no one enforcing who is what rating.  On the other hand, if you are out for fun and exercise, then it doesn’t matter what your number is.

Some members compete in tournaments where players are grouped according to skill levels, so it’s more of an issue to choose what level in which to play. 

Someone who has taken the introductory class or been on a court to learn the basic rules and how to play the game, culminating in playing several games the first day, can assume automatically a rating of 2.0.  If that person has shown proficiency in serving and returning serves, knows how to keep score, and knows where to stand at beginning of each serve, then 2.5 level is appropriate.

After that, how does a player know what level they have achieved?  How does one player compare with others?  A chart is attached showing the standard proficiencies for each skill level.

From the chart, after mastering the basics of serving and returning balls, which takes a little time, then that person is on the way to 2.5 and beyond.  Many new players get the hang of serving in the first session; some take a little longer.  We recommend keeping it simple when serving.  Just aim for the middle of the receiving court. 

Returning serve takes touch and eye-hand coordination which is not automatic to many.  Work on that next and don’t be discouraged if it’s not coming easily.  Keeping your eye on the ball is essential.

“Dinking” is an important skill because play at the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ, or “kitchen”) is about half of the game.  Work on that to become familiar with the touch needed to keep the ball low and in the kitchen.  A soft shot is better than a hard shot most of the time.  Improvement comes with practice, placing balls accurately and keeping the ball low. 

Please note the skill-level chart shows qualitative measures.  Achieving the next higher rating is not by simply winning games or passing a test.  Players judge their skills by playing against others.  The differences between players at different levels can be very small, but enough to win games consistently, and then those players realize they should be playing at higher ratings.  Again, this applies mainly to tournament play which have brackets for each skill level.  Players “self-rate” and choose which bracket to play. 

At our club, the three main groups compare to the numbered skill levels (referring again to the chart at Attachment 6) roughly as follows:

For those who seek to broaden their play into regional/national tournaments,* skill-level assessments are determined on a national basis by comparing players’ game results at tournaments or organized “DUPR events.”  Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating is a relatively new system which uses an algorithm to calculate DUPR numbers after such events.  Go here for more info:  www.mydupr.com.  Again, this is intended for those playing beyond HLR.

*For information on tournaments, refer to these two web sites: www.pickleballtournaments.com and www.pickleballbrackets.com 
The latter will calculate players’ ratings after participation in tournaments.  An algorithm is used to compare skill levels of each pair and shows new ratings after each match. 

 

1. Novice players are generally in 2.5-level and have not played many games.  It only takes a few months to gain 3.0-level skills, which is where many players fit.  Perhaps most HLRPA members are about 3.0 level.
2. Intermediate players are solidly 3.0 and approaching 3.5-skill level, but that also describes some Advanced players. The skill set for 3.5-level takes a lot more practice and play time.  Some do not grasp the strategy of the “soft game” and stay at 3.0.
   The main differences between Novice, Intermediate and Advanced will be simply how long a rally can be held, or how soon a winning shot can be made. 
3. Most Advanced players are solidly 3.5 and nearing 4.0 level of play.  There are very few true 4.0 players at Holly Lake Ranch as the competition at that level is quite intense.  In all of East Texas are perhaps a half-dozen 4.5-level players.

9. Official Rules

Here is link to the full set of Pickleball rules:
USAPA Rule Book   (URL is https://usapickleball.org/docs/USA-Pickleball-Official-Rulebook-2023-v4-1.pdf)

The official rules pertain mainly to tournaments and pro-level play, especially regarding referees.  We adhere to the rules for basic play, with the understanding this is just “recreational” (or “rec play”) so some leeway should be allowed.  We don’t strictly enforce all of the rules for new players as some take getting used to. 
As above, the first two club rules are (1)  have fun and (2) safety is paramount, so those will overtake official rules if the latter get in the way.

For new players, the basic rules of play cover just six points:

• Position of players at the serve.  Server must stand at one position and the returner must stand at another.  The other two players may stand anywhere.
• Motion and contact with ball when serving:  When serving out-of-hand, the motion of paddle is upward, contact is below the waist, and paddle is below the wrist on contact.  Backhand and spin serves are allowed as long as the above three rules are followed.  A “drop serve” is performed by dropping the ball from one hand and striking the ball with paddle in the other hand.  The ball may not be tossed up or thrown downward.  The above three rules on serving do not apply to a drop serve but the ball does not rise very high on a drop, so a “standard” serve is almost automatic.
• The “two bounce rule” after serving.  The ball must bounce before it is returned from serve and then the serving team must let the ball bounce before the third shot is made. 
  This was a brilliant rule added to the game when it was developed as the rally (series of shots) does not truly start until the third shot, after the receiving team has a chance to gain the advantage by making their way to the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) line while the serving team is still back at the base line.
• It is a “fault” to hit a ball in the air and step into the NVZ (also called “the kitchen”) or onto its line.  Again, a brilliant rule as it prevents a team from gaining too much advantage at the net.  It often leads to a “dink war” as players hit the ball gently into the other kitchen, angling it for an advantage and waiting for a shot to be made too high that allows for a spiked ball and a winner.
• Call balls landing outside of lines as “out” clearly and as soon as possible. 
  If you “guess it was out” then it’s IN.  Sportsmanship is evidenced in Pickleball by the principle “benefit of doubt goes in favor of opponents.”  If in doubt, it’s in.  The ball must be clearly out to be called “out.”
• And lastly, keep score with the server calling it before each serve. 
  It will become a habit to do this and the reason should be obvious:  Most of us are old and forgetful!  After a long rally it’s common for all four players to forget who served and what the score was.  Don’t worry about it though, just agree on something and play on!

That’s about it.  There are many rules about faults but we don’t let them keep us from enjoying the game.

 

10. HLRPA By-Laws

Holly Lake Ranch Pickleball Association operates as an entity within and under authority of Holly Lake Ranch Association.  Besides abiding by the HLRA rules on the Ranch, HLRPA has its By-Laws, as adopted by and amended by the general membership of HLRPA.  An agenda item of the annual meeting or a special meeting, if called by the president, may include amendments to the By-Laws. 

The current By-Laws are attached and found here:  By-Laws
(Note:  Must log in to www.hollylakeranch.com to view this link.)

Hope to see you on the Courts!

The HLRPA Board

 

 

Attachments

1. Welcome Letter from HLRPA Board
2. List of Board Members 
3. Current Court Schedule
4. Future Events Schedule
5. Introductory Lesson Flyer
6. “Paddle Up” System
7. Committee Information
8. Skill-Level System
9. HLRPA Club By-Laws
10. Safety Newsletter (Sample)
11. Code for 5% Discount on “Pickleball Central” orders

 

 

1. Welcome Letter from HLRPA Board

    

    

2. List of Board Members

   Please feel free to contact these club members with any questions, suggestions, comments, or requests for assistance:

   Title Name Phone Email

   President Steve Schwaebler  903-353-1382 steve.schwaebler@gmail.com

   Vice-President Dave Evans 214-929-2763 evanstx@verizon.net

   Secretary Tracy Deupree 806-433-2305 tracyntx@live.com

   Treasurer Jane McCoy 979-236-8139 jarmccoy58@gmail.com

   Activities Director Debbie Conway 972-342-3096 ddconwaytx@gmail.com

   New Members (vacant)

    

    

    

3. Current Court Schedule

    

    

    

4. Future Events Schedule

    

    

    

5. Introductory Lesson Flyer

    

6. “Paddle Up” System
   • This system is to be utilized during scheduled HLRPA-member “open play” periods and all other times whenever there are more than 16 players at the courts, either #1-4 or #5-8. 
   • There is a “Paddle Up” rack at each set of courts.
   • Place your paddle in the first available spot.
   • Once play ends at a court, the owners of four paddles at the “Next up” bar take their paddles and slide the bar to the next group.
   • Players ending play and coming off the court put their paddles in the next available slots.
   • You should not move another person’s paddle without permission.
   • Look for opportunities to mix and play with anyone and everyone.

     Notes for 16 or fewer players: 
     Standard practice is to invite waiting players to take the place of someone who has played two games in a row. 
     If there are 4, 8 or 12 players, then standard practice is to mix players between two courts after both have finished a game.
     Finally, during open play (non-scheduled) it is courteous to invite all players into games and not omit those with different skill set.

      

    

    

    

7. Committee Information

   HLRPA members formed committees to address the following:

   New members are invited to participate and contribute if desired.

    

    

8. Skill-Level System

    

    

    

9. HLRPA By-Laws

   HOLLY LAKE RANCH PICKLEBALL ASSOCIATION

   CHARTER AND BY-LAWS

   Article I - Name: The name of the organization shall be the Holly Lake Ranch Pickleball Association.

   Article ll - Purpose Statement: The purpose and objectives of Holly Lake Ranch Pickleball Association (HLRPA) are'(1) the promotion of good fellowship and sportsmanship among its members in playing pickleball, (2) in so doing, improve and develop the game of pickleball for members in the HLRPA.

   Article lll - Membership:

   Section 1. All members of Holly Lake Ranch Association (HLRA) that are in good standing and their registered long-term renters are eligible for membership in the HLRPA, provided they are at least L8 years of age. Each member shall have one vote so long as they remain in good standing in the HLRPA.

   Section 2. Members will abide by these bylaws and by the Rules and Regulations of HLRA.

   Section 3. Membership shall be terminated by voluntary withdrawal from the HLRPA or by nonpayment of the HLRPA dues. Membership may also, at the discretion of the HLRPA Board, be terminated by a violation of the provisions of these bylaws and/or a violation of the HLRA Rules and Regulations.

   Article lV - Meetings:

   Section 1. The business meetings of the HLRPA Board shall be called via email by the President or three members of the Board.

   Section 2. Special meeting of the membership may be called by the President or upon request of at least three members of the Board. Such meetings shall have at least three days’ notice given to HLRPA members regarding time, place, and agenda.

   Section 3. An annual meeting of the membership shall be held in the month of January each year, for the purpose of electing officers, needs assessment, and general planning for the season's activities.

   Article V - By-Laws: The By-Laws of the HLRPA may be amended at any regular or special meeting held in conformity with the By-Laws. A two-thirds (2131vote of the total membership present at the meeting is required to change or amend the Charter and By-Laws of the HLRPA.

   Article Vl- Dues and Fees:

   Section 1. Annual HLRPA dues shall be determined by a majority vote of the Membership present at the annual meeting, and such dues shall be payable on February 1st of each year.

   Section 2. Additional fees may be assessed for league and tournament play. Such fees will be determined by the Board.

   Section 3. All players in league play sponsored by the HLRPA must be members of the HLRPA at the time of league play.

   Section 4. The HLRPA bank account shall be determined and established by the Board. The Treasure/s and President's signatures shall be on file for the HLRPA's bank account. The Treasurer and President will have access to online banking for the HLRPA account. Passwords will be managed by the Treasurer and the President.

   a. The President shall have the authority to direct expenditures for purchases up to 10% of the available funds.

   b. Purchases in amounts that are more than 10% but less than 50% of the available funds shall require the consent of a majority of the Board members.

   c. Purchases amounting to 50% or more of the available funds shall require authorization from both the Board and 50% of the membership present voting in a general or special meeting.

   Article Vll- Officers

   Section 1.

   The officers of the HLRPA shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary Treasurer and Activities Director. The officers make up the Board. An "act of the Board" requires the agreement of the majority of the members of the Board.

   Section 2.

   A meeting for the purpose of electing officers shall be held in January of each year.

   The nominees will be presented by the Nominating Committee to the Board no later than seven (7) days prior to the date of the annual members meeting. The election process will be conducted by the Board during the annual meeting. The vote will be conducted by paper ballot. The nominee with the majority of votes by the eligible members will serve in their position for a period of two (2) years beginning the first of February following the election. This term may be shortened if the Board Member resigns. A Board member may be removed from their position by a majority vote of eligible members present during a special meeting. A Board member may serve in any elected position indefinitely if reelected. Beginning in 2022, terms will be staggered to provide continuity on the Board. The President and Secretary in 2O22will serve from 2022 through 2023; the Vice President, Treasurer, and Activities Director will serve for 2022 only. All terms thereafter will be for a period of two (2) years.

   Section 3.

   The President shall preside at all meetings of the HLRPA and of the Board and shall have general supervision of the affairs of the HLRPA.

   Section 4.

   The President shall, on or before the 1st day of December of each year, appoint a five-member Nominating Committee and shall appoint a Chairperson of the Committee and shall provide the Committee with a list of HLRPA members.

   The Nominating Committee must be comprised of THE HLRPA members who ARE NOT on the existing Board. The Nominating Committee must represent both genders and more than one skill group.

   The Chairperson shall send out a notice to the membership requesting that members interested in serving as officers provide their names and qualifications in writing to the Nominating Committee.

   The only qualifications for serving on the Board are: the individual must be a member, in good standing, of HLRA and a member of the HLRPA.

   The members of the Nominating Committee shall, by majority vote, decide upon a recommended list of candidates as officers for election in January. Regardless of its recommendation, the Nominating Committee must present the member's name as a candidate for the office requested.

   After informing the Board, the Nominating Committee will inform the membership of its nominations.

   Section 5. The Vice-President shall assume the duties of the President in his/her absence of the President and generally assist the HLRPA in all functions as necessary. The Vice President shall facilitate HLRPA pickleball court maintenance and the provision of pickleball supplies.

   Section 6. The Secretary shall keep records of the HLRPA Annual, Special, and Board meetings. The Secretary shall facilitate communications between the Board and HLRPA members.

   Section 7. The Treasurer shall collect and keep all monies of the HLRPA and disburse them as directed by the Board. The Treasurer shall keep accurate records of all moneys received and dispensed; the records shall be open at all time for inspection by the Board. The Treasure shall make the HLRPA financial report at each the HLRPA business meeting and annual for members. The Treasurer shall keep a complete list of all members.

   Section 8. The Activities Director shall be responsible for planning and scheduling player development events, player rating activities, special member or guest events, league play and tournaments. The Board may determine additional activities expedient for the promotion and furtherance of the purposes of the HLRPA. The Activities Director may appoint HLRPA members to serve on committees to aid and assist in the responsibilities of the Activities Director. The appointed committee persons serve at the advice and consent of the Board.

   These Revised Bylaws are hereby effective as of January 7 ,2023.

    

    

10. Safety Newsletter (Sample)

     

    April tips of the month from your pickleball health and safety committee!

     

    April brings spring! Spring brings the bees, wasps, and other insects that sting!  If you are allergic be sure and bring your epi pen with you and let someone know on the court that you are allergic in case of an emergency.

     

    Bug spray for those pesky mosquitoes is also a good idea to keep in your bag!

     

    Always remember to hydrate, eat, and stretch before playing and during play as well.

     

    A water cooler is located in the storage bin for all players who forget their water!

     

     

    Remember to blow off the courts bee 4 you start play!

     

     

11. Discount on “Pickleball Central” orders

• Ambassadors to represent the club at HLRA events.
• Health and Safety to encourage safe practices and safeguard health of members.
• Activities to promote and manage schedules, leagues, tournaments and “fun days.”
• Court Appreciation to look after and care for our facilities.

Club members can claim a 5% discount for all purchases, and there will be a 5% payout to HLRPA, on products purchased through Pickleball Central.

Use the code CRHolly