Hello Fellow Pickleballers, I am thrilled to announce that the USAPA has welcomed Greg Lowe as a Pickleball Ambassador for the Red Bank area. As many of you are aware Greg has already done some phenomenal things to help promote pickleball in the Monmouth County area. His website is a wonderful resource for many people and helps keep people “in the know” of all things pickleball in the area. The USAPA is excited to add him as an ambassador and leverage his enthusiasm and, of course, his excellent technology skills.
Ambassadors are volunteers who have pledged to promote the sport of pickleball and the USAPA in the local area they have applied to represent. They may be individuals or couples, or a group of ambassadors working together as a team. The main prerequisite is a love of the sport and the desire to share our game with others of all ages. – USAPA Website
Greg is extremely passionate about helping beginners and advanced beginners realize their potential. We’ve worked together to develop a curriculum and both teach Pickleball Boot Camp at Fort Monmouth Recreation Center which is aimed at teaching drills and skills. Greg also continues to share tips about pickleball and insights into the community every week with his This week in Pickleball posts.
The Future
As part of our on-going activities as ambassadors, we will also continue to introduce pickleball in new towns, and encourage them to add courts for their residents. Besides developing the Monmouth Pickleball website, Greg also developed a presentation to use when we go to towns to introduce the sport and explain it’s rapid rise in popularity and the benefits to the community. This past fall Greg and I, along with Long Branch residents Bob and Andrea Sickles, met with Carl Jennings, the Long Branch recreation director to introduce pickleball to Long Branch. Greg was very instrumental in getting the director to agree to convert some of their tennis courts at Manahasset Park into pickleball courts. (Coming Spring 2018).
Greg and I have met together several times these last few months in an effort to explore ideas as to how to promote pickleball, bring more tournaments to our area and address the challenges that any growing program faces. Please feel free to share any ideas you might have with us as far as locations to pursue the installation or adaptation of courts, and/or thoughts on relevant issues you would like to see addressed.
I am very excited to have Greg join me as an ambassador and I look forward to working with him as we try to continue to grow the sport in our area and make it a positive experience for all. I hope you’ll all join me in welcoming him.
Congratulations Greg!
Kim Smith
USAPA Ambassador
Thanks for all the work you do!
Thanks so much for your weekly emails. And YOUR enthusiasm. Makes me feel like there’s a family of “pickleballers”. Looking forward to additional PB fans and their “addictions” to the game which you certainly help promote. Mindy
We are very fortunate to have Kim and NOW Greg! The east coast is fast paced and Pickleball is fast growing. We need you both. Thank you both for your dedication, efforts and enthusiasm.
L.T. and the COLTS NECK RACQUET CLUB
I was talking to Susan Sorensen, a Fair Haven town council member, and she said that they had put in courts at the Fair Haven Youth center, but that she hadn’t seen any activity there. Is there any way to organize some dates there for the club so that the town knows we appreciate it, and don’t take them away? I’m happy to give you Susan’s details or put you in touch with the rec director. Thanks for all you do!
Hi Sue,
The town of Fair Haven painted pickleball lines on two of the tennis courts at Fair Haven fields which opened in September, so we do not need to worry about the town taking away the courts. I put on a free introductory clinic in September which was run through the Recreation Department and it was offered to all the residents in town. I also taught two four week clinics through the Recreation department for new players in Fair Haven. A lot of the players seemed interested in doing an open play session come spring, so I will organize something for the town in April. There are only two courts painted, so it would be hard to do an open play session with the pickleball club. I do not see us chalking any additional courts to accommodate more players, as the high school uses the tennis courts for their matches and chalking could be a huge issue.
I have seen people playing pickleball there and other people have told me they have used the courts. I’m sure there will be more activity there in the spring once we start doing more clinics and having open play sessions. I hope this answers your question.
Congrats Greg !!
Thank you for all of your work. We are very lucky to have you and Kim in our area. Congratulations!
Well Deserved Greg! Congratulations!
Congratulations Greg also,
Your news letter is much appreciated. I Hope to see you at the Cults Neck Tournament.
Congratulations ??
Who’s This Greg guy, I never heard about him but seems like everybody likes him so congrads Greg whoever you are.!!!!
Thanks, Matty. With friends like you…sort of reminds me of the old commercial that states…’From a Deli owner, that’s a rave.”