Metro West Pbal News!

 News from Jim Acton, USA Ambassador Metro West

PRO LAUNCHES NEWSLETTER

Top ranked singles and doubles player (and New England native) James Ignatowich has launched a newsletter for all levels of players. James shares his tips for playing better, including fun drills designed to improve performance. James includes videos to provide a better understanding of his tips. Click here to subscribe to this free weekly newsletter: https://jamesignatowichnewsletter.beehiiv.com/subscribe?ref=W7t6zYJ8Fj. 

BOSTON PICKLE CLUB, Boston

The greater Boston area finally has a state-of-the-art pickleball facility - Boston Pickle Club. Located in Hyde Park on the Dedham line, the Boston Pickle Club is an outstanding indoor pickleball experience. Outfitted with seven premium indoor courts featuring modern lighting and court surfaces, the BPC offers daily court rentals as well as lessons, open play sessions by levels, and special events. 

The club is operated by two local industry veterans. Stephen Mitchell, a resident of Natick, is the former Director of Racquets Sports at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton. He played Division 1 collegiate tennis at Alabama and competed in various Grand Slam events at the junior level. Johan lives in Wayland and was previously Head Professional at The Country Club in Brookline. Both Stephen and Johan played professional tennis and were ranked in the top 350 on the ATP Tour. Together, Stephen and Johan have won nine national platform tennis titles and are currently ranked as the No. 1 doubles team in the U.S. Johan was recently inducted into the American Platform Tennis Association Hall of Fame.
Stephen and Johan's business partner is Steve Hauck, a Natick native and resident of Dover. The three understand the need for high-level pickleball courts in this area.
"We wanted to create a club that isn't just a place to play but a spot for pickleball players to make connections and compete against fellow pickleball enthusiasts," Stephen said. "Johan and I have dedicated our lives to helping people learn and excel in racquet sports and along with Steve, our vision for a dynamic pickleball location has come true. Once people try our club, I think they will be hooked. It's that nice of a facility."

Located a short drive off the Canton Street/East Street exit on I-95/128, the club is easily accessible and has ample parking. Boston Pickle Club has monthly memberships, as well as leagues, clinics and daily drop-in play opportunities. More information at https://www.bostonpickleclub.com/.

Rt. 12 PICKLEBALL, West Boylston

Now into its third month, Rt. 12 Pickle continues to expand its offering to members, like the introduction of Family Memberships. In addition to memberships and court rentals, Rt. 12 Pickle now offers leveled Open Play, clinics, private lessons, leagues, weekend tournaments and corporate event/team building activities.

The club is offering a Youth Pickleball Academy for players 10-15 years old. The Pickleball Academy will teach participants the fundamentals of pickleball in a fun and engaging way through team and individual drills The primary focus of this clinic will be to learn the rules, basic technique and skills of the game. RT.12 Pickle will supply paddles and balls for the clinic. 

Rt. 12 Pickle is also offering Assessments, which helps identify players' current rating for Open Play, leagues and tournaments. Rt. 12 Pickle's assessments combine skill, execution and tactical decisions by measuring participants' success rate through an event recording observation game. The assessment focuses on the execution of the serve and ground strokes, as well as the tactical decisions and the ability to use shot selection to move opponents'. 

More information on Rt. 12 Pickle is here: www.rt12pickle.com.

CLOCK TOWER PICKLEBALL, Ashland

Route 135 in Ashland won't only be known for the Marathon route - it's now also the location of a new indoor pickleball facility. Clock Tower Pickleball opened its doors in early March and has seen a steady stream of players over the past few weeks. Featuring four courts in a bright, spacious, well-lit facility, Clock Tower Pickleball offers various tiers of memberships as well as drop-in play options. Members can play from 5 a.m. - 10 p.m., seven days a week.

More information about Clock Tower Pickleball is available at www.ctpball.com. Or swing by the club and check it out. The facility is located at 200 Homer Avenue in Ashland (across the street from the old Dairy Queen).