Happy thinking, dinking and driving in 2024! I’m Dave Graff, a Twin Cities Pickleball Member and recently appointed USA Pickleball Ambassador. I’m also a Selkirk Advocate and a PPR Certified Pickleball Coach.
You should know I love pickleball and play 5-6 times a week. I actively watch videos and read articles relating to the the sport. So far, I’ve converted my son, daughter, two granddaughters, many friends and neighbors into becoming pickleball aficionados.
Prior to becoming a “pickleball evangelist,” my wife and I ran a Marketing Consultancy in the Twin Cities for 30 years. For my encore I’m now the Board Chairman of Playtime Tech, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We create and build fun, colorful, interactive playboards providing joy to toddlers and children experiencing serious health challenges. We donate these playboards to Children’s Hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and other non-profit organizations serving special needs kids.
On a quarterly basis you’ll be hearing from me on a variety of pickleball topics geared to helping you to be more informed about what’s happening with rules, products, play tips and much more.
Kicking off our quarterly debut, we’re going to highlight the top ten attributes of good pickleball sportsmanship. Everyone talks about techniques and tactics which are crucial to becoming a more seasoned player. However, there’s very little attention paid to sportsmanship. Rather than recreate the wheel, I came upon the USA Pickleball Sportsmanship Guide which was drafted by 11 USAP Ambassadors and a pickleball magazine columnist. I hope these top ten will inspire you, your partners and opponents to grow in your love of the game!
Next quarter, my focus will be on the new OWL paddle. I had the opportunity to be one the early adopters through my USAP Ambassadorship. I’ve been playing with it for a few weeks and it’s a blast! It’s notably quieter than other paddles, very lightweight, and allows for amazing control of the ball because of its felt cover. I still love my Selkirk Invikta paddle but enjoy changing up my play with the OWL. More to follow next quarter.
