Pat Sand
Dink, dink, dink! The sound of ice clinking in cocktail glasses was joined by plenty of laughter as the Pickleball Club held its first cocktail social on Aug. 21. Nearly 80 members and spouses turned out for an afternoon of fun, friendship, and a little friendly competition—although, as any pickleball player knows, “friendly” can sometimes be a relative term!
At check-in, everyone received a name tag and a raffle ticket before heading in to enjoy the bar and a tempting assortment of appetizers.
At 3:30 p.m., Doris Beutel blew her whistle, and the social really got underway. Joe explained the rules for the get-acquainted game. Each table had an envelope filled with questions designed to get people talking and learning more about their fellow players. For every five people you spoke with and asked the designated questions, you earned another raffle ticket. Complete the entire page by talking with 10 people, and you earned two tickets!
Before long, the club’s competitive spirit kicked in. After all, these are pickleball players—we know how to keep score and we know how to chase a win! Members circulated around the room, meeting new people as they answered questions such as:
* “What was your favorite vacation?”
* “What would you do if you were 25 again?”
* “If you could sit down and have a conversation with anyone, who would it be?”
The game may not have involved paddles, nets, or pickleballs, but there was plenty of action as everyone worked the room. It was a great way to discover some interesting things about the people we see on the courts—and to meet members we may not have crossed paths with during regular play.
At 4:30 p.m., Doris blew her whistle again, bringing the get-acquainted game to an end. Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: the raffle drawing!
The prizes included restaurant gift cards, bottles of wine, and even a whiskey glass set generously donated by one of our members. There were plenty of smiles as the winning tickets were drawn.
By 5 p.m., the social was winding down, with some members heading home and others staying to enjoy dinner in the Grill. Everyone agreed that the afternoon had been a smashing success. Members not only had a great time, but many left having made new friends, discovered new playing partners, and learned a little more about the people behind the paddles.
It was a great reminder that pickleball is about more than dinks, drives, drops, and keeping the ball in play—it’s about the people we meet along the way!
We’re already looking forward to the next club event.