Page 12A THETHE NORTH NORTH GEORGIA GEORGIA NEWS NEWS July July 15, 201515, 2015

SportsSee the Sports Section at nganews.com Pickleball invasion is on its way to Union County By Todd Forrest ton court. The actual size of North Georgia News the court is 20×44 feet for both [email protected] doubles and singles. The net is hung at 36 inches on the ends, There is a sport with and 34 inches in the middle. a funny name that’s gaining The court is striped like a popularity in North Georgia tennis court, with no alleys; and Western North Carolina, but the outer courts, and not and it’s called pickleball. the inner courts, are divided You can’t really call it in half by service lines. The a ‘new’ sport anymore since inner courts are non-volley it dates back to 1965 with 4 zones and extend 7 feet from million players worldwide, the net on either side. but since its taken 50 years The ball is served with to reach this area, you could an underhand stroke so that definitely call it ‘new’ to contact with the ball is made Union County. below waist level in an up- After acquiring quite ward arc from behind the a following in Fannin and baseline, diagonally to the Towns Counties, Clay County, opponent’s service zone. The NC, and Murphy, NC, pick- player must exit the non- leball, which is a combina- volley zone before playing a tion of tennis, badminton, volley. The first side scoring ping-pong, and played with a 11 points and leading by at ball similar to a wiffle ball, is least two points wins. set to invade Union County In doubles play, at the in the near future, and long- start of the game, the serving time pickleball player and side gets only one fault before coach, David Block will be their side is out, and the oppo- offering classes for beginners nents begin their serve. After at Meeks Park on Tuesdays this, each side gets 2 faults for those who want a leg-up (one with each team member on the competition before it serving) before their serve is takes over, and everybody is Pickleball is a sport that has caught on amongst seniors. In September, Towns County will host a Pickleball Tournament at the Rec Center finished. Thus, each side is doing it. biking, great hiking, we’ve among older people because paddles weigh between 6 to always one serve ahead or “It’s inexpensive to to steal the ball. got some beautiful tennis most of us who come out of 9 ounces. You can get a new behind, or tied. play, it doesn’t require a lot According to Block, courts that are exquisite at tennis, badminton, or racket paddle for as low as $10-$15. In singles play, each of room, you only need 880 pickleball came to the North- Meeks (Park) and Young Har- ball, we just don’t have the Good composite pickleball side gets only one fault before square feet for a court, and east Georgia mountains about ris College. strength and the stamina to paddles start at around $40. a side out and the opponent I’ve been told that it was 2-to-3 years ago. “Bill Kendall (Towns run after tennis balls,” Block There are three categories of then serves. The server’s score played in Union County and “Now it’s been adopted County Commissioner) is said. “So Pickleball, because paddles - wood prices range will always be even (0, 2, 4, Towns County High Schools, by Towns County and we hope putting in new tennis courts at the court is small, the game from $13-$36, composite 6, 8, 10...) when serving from but I don’t know that for a Union County,” he said. “It’s the Towns County Rec Center is extremely fast but it makes from $40-$125 and graphite the right side, and odd (1, 3, 5, fact.” Block said. because there is such a large and is also putting in another use of a lot of the strategies from $60- $110. 7, 9...) when serving from the And in case you were number of older people here 20 pickleball courts. In fact that people learn playing ten- The intriguing history left side (singles play only). wondering, the game has and it’s become a real retire- we’re going to have a tourna- nis or racquetball, ping-pong of the sport begins back in Points are scored by nothing to do with cucumbers ment community. In fact, and ment in September in Towns or badminton. 1965. After playing golf one the serving side only and oc- or any kind of vegetable. The this may sound funny, but County that will draw from “Games usually last Saturday during the summer, cur when the opponent faults inventor of the game named it we’re hoping to make this area the entire southeast so there 10-12 minutes and we usu- Joel Pritchard, congressman (fails to return the ball, hits after his dog, “Pickles,” who a sports destination. We have will be some very high quality ally play doubles. It’s a very from State and ball out of bounds, steps into constantly ran onto the court great fishing, great mountain players coming in.” social game, although their Bill Bell, successful business- the non-volley zone [the first The tournament is slated certainly are people that play man, returned to Pritchard’s seven feet from the net, also to begin on Friday, Sept. 18th with tremendous intensity. home on Bainbridge Island, known as the ‘kitchen’] in the and wraps up on Saturday the It’s virtually impossible to WA (near Seattle) to find their act of volleying the ball, etc.). 19th. According to Block, it get hurt. If you get hit with families sitting around with A player may enter the non- will most likely be held at a tennis ball, you’re going nothing to do. The property volley zone to play a ball that the new courts going in at the to remember it for a long had an old badminton court so bounces and may stay there to Towns County Rec Center. time. I just finished playing Pritchard and Bell looked for play balls that bounce “Larry Conley was also (pickleball) for 2 ½ hours and some badminton equipment For further information kind enough to let us try to was hit multiple times. The and could not find a full set regarding the free pickle- bring pickleball to Union ball weighs 1 ounce so it’s of rackets. They improvised ball instructional classes and County and will let us use tape essentially impossible to get and started playing with ping- to register, you can contact on the pretty tennis courts. hurt by it.” pong paddles and a perforated Block at gamountainpickler. I’ve been contacted by 14 The game is also one plastic ball. The only equipment required people who want to learn.” of the least expensive indoor The pickleball court is is a pair of sneakers, every- Block will be offering or outdoor sports that you’re similar to a doubles badmin- thing else will be provided. free pickleball instructions at going to find. According to the Meeks Park tennis courts Pickleball Central (www.pick- Youth baseball finishes up at State leballcentral.com), a paddle on Tuesdays, and possibly the SSYS Cyclones. weighs from 6-14 ounces. Union County’s 12&U Thursday mornings. Meanwhile, the 10&U Locals take part in a sport that’s taken over the surrounding counties. “It’s extremely popular Most composite or graphite youth baseball team got off to a strong start at State by winning baseball Panthers dropped its first its first two games of the tourna- two games of the State Tournament ment. to Dade County and Eastside. NASCAR 2015 Following wins over Sha- Congratulations to all of the By Gerald Hodges/the Racing Reporter ron Springs and Sandy Plains, the Union County youth baseball and P/R releases regarding the Con- Panthers fell to Murray County and softball stars. “Rowdy” Kyle claims Kentucky Cup Race federate flag, Donald Trump, SPARTA, Ken.—Kyle get the lead on the last start and and other issues. A lot of fans MUSA registration deadline nears Busch won Saturday’s Sprint was able to pull away from Kyle contaced me. What is so strange Cup Series race at Kentucky for a little bit and then he start- is that everyone was of one opin- Mountain United Soccer to P.O. Box 1862, Blairsville, Speedway for his second win of ed making some ground on the ion. Association’s Fall Registration GA 30514. Deadline to register the season, and 31st career win. top,” said Logano. “And when And these weren’t just is now open. Age groups from is July 18th. He led 163 laps of the 267-lap you’re second place, you have Southern race fans. They were U6 to U16. For additional informa- race and finished nearly two sec- the advantage of trying to move from all parts of the country, You can register online tion, please check our website including Pennsylvania, New onds ahead of runner-up, Joey around and taking that chance of at www.mountainsoccer.org. at: www.mountainsoccer.org or Logano. losing a little bit of time to try to York, and Wisconsin. One newspaper editor Registration forms are also email us at: musa.soccer@g. Busch, who led the most find something.” mail.com laps, was running second on the Denny Hamlin was third, “Rowdy” Kyle Busch takes Ken- said she was ‘sick and tired’ of available to print from the last restart. Logano was the lead- followed by Carl Edwards, Matt tucky Cup race. NASCAR’s political correct website. Forms can be mailed er, and held the front position for Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Jeff owski’s third at Kentucky and stance. the next 20 laps. Finally, Busch Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie the 33rd of his career. A lady from Georgia said Trout stocking sites was able to draw closer, and Johnson, and Kurt Busch. The remaining top-10: 3. her grandfather died fighting for closer, until with 15-to-go, he Dale Earnhardt Jr. had Kyle Busch, 4. Daniel Suarez, the South, and that she never week of July 6-10, 2015 made the pass around Logano. brake issues with his car for 5. Elliott Sadler, 6. Paul Me- regarded the Confederate flag “I knew that last restart most of the race. On lap 136, he nard, 7. Darrell Wallace, 8. Dale as a hate symbol. She wishes Fannin: Rock Creek was definitely an opportunity for scraped the outside wall. During Earnhardt, 9. Brendan Gaughan, people would get over that, Union: Cooper Creek us to take a chance on winning lap 204, he got into the back of 10.Regan Smith. because her family fought for individual rights. She went on Note: Information is subject to change. For the latest the race,” said Busch. “When , and sent her No. Top-10 leaders after 16 on stocking and event information, remember to “like” us on of 33: 1. C. Buescher-593, 2. to say, “What if the young man Logano was getting away from 10 into the wall. He Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChattahoocheeForestNation- me at the beginning of the run finished 21st. Elliott-557, 3. T. Dillon-547, that killed those seven people in I was getting disappointed. I’m Current Chase leaders 4. Sadler-528, 5. Smith-527, 6. South Carolina had been holding alFishHatchery. Please call the hatchery at 706-838-4723 for trying; I’m driving as hard as I with eight races left before the Wallace-510, 7. Scott-478, 8. a U. S. flag?” questions. The hatchery also provides trout for the state. Please could. I’m hitting all my marks Chase begins: 1. Johnson-624 Suarez-477, 9. B. Gaughan-473, “NASCAR should stick to contact Georgia DNR for information on sites stocked by the and I’m just not keeping up. I (4 wins), 2. Harvick-692 (2), 10. Reed-471. racing, they have enough prob- state. N(July15,Z7)CA knew that I just had to move. I’m 3. Earnhardt-616 (2), 4. Lo- CRAFTON GETS lems getting that right,” said S. going to give this a few more gano-624 (1), 5. Truex-596 TRUCK WIN M. “I am offended by the recent laps and see if I get anything. If (1), 6. Keselwoski-559 (1), 7. , two-time political babble from them. What I’m not gaining then, I’m going Kenseth-540 ((1), 8. Hamlin-522 Camping World Truck Series do they plan to do for me?” to move like no matter what. If I (1), 9. Edwards-449 (1), 10. Mc- champion took the lead from Erik That last statement pretty lose ground, then it is what it is, Murray-556 (0), 11. Gordon-537 Jones on the restart on Lap 145 much summed up all the others. I’ll finish second. (0), 12. Kahne-513 (0), 13. Me- of the scheduled 150-lap race. Weekend Racing: The “But I moved around and nard-509 (0), 14. Newman-497 Going down the backstretch, Sprint Cup and Xfinity teams I found something and it really (0), 15. Bowyer-490 (0), 16. Ben Kennedy’s truck collided will be at the 1-mile New Hamp- worked for me. So I just kept do- Almirola-473 (0). with and was shire Speedway for daytime ing it, and here we are.” Note: Some of the driver pushed into the SAFER barrier, races. While the win was im- points might be confusing, but then into the fence, knocking Sat., July 18; Xfinity Se- pressive, and he is making prog- this is the official NASCAR out a big hole in it. Since it was ries race 17 of 33; Starting time: ress towards making this year’s standings, based on wins. going to take up to two hours to 4 pm ET; TV: NBCSN. Sprint Cup Chase, he still has a KENTUCKY XFINITY repair the fence, NASCAR de- Sun. July 19; Sprint Cup ways to go. RACE TO KESELOWSKI cided to end it. Series race 19 of 36; Starting Busch was sidelined for What was bad for Eric Crafton led twice for 43 time: 1:30 pm ET; TV: NBCSN. six races due to a broken foot Jones was good for Brad Kesel- laps, while runner-up Note: NBCSN is NBC’s and leg, received in a wreck at owski. led three times for 55 laps. Sports Network Channel. The Daytona. Eric Jones was leading , Daniel Su- listings I have are: Media- NASCAR ruled that he Friday’s Xfinity race with 19- arez, Timothy Peters, Tyler Red- com-827; DirecTV-603; Dish- would be eligible for the Chase laps remaining. Keselowski was dick, David Gilliland, John Wes 159; Time Warner-060. With if he won a race and finished in close behind, when the pair came Townley, Cameron Hayley, and Cablevision and AT&T you must the top-30 in points. His win at up on a lapped car. Instead of Brandon Jones rounded out the buy a complete sports package, Kentucky was his second win, moving up, the car went down. top-10. and those channels are not the but he is currently in 35th place This caused Jones to lose mo- Top-10 points leaders af- same in all parts of the country. with 200 points. Cole Whitt is mentum. Keselowski zipped by ter 10 of 22: 1. Crafton-417, 2. Racing Trivia Question: the 30th-place driver, with 287 and went on to win his first Xfin- Reddick-397, 3. E. Jones-388, Who won the 2014 Xfinity Se- points. ity event of the season. 4. Sauter-359, 5. Townley-330, ries championship? With eight races remain- “I just caught a little 6. Peters-322, 7. Hayley-315, 8. Last Week’s Question: ing before the Chase begins, and break, to be honest,” Keselowski Gallagher-308, 9. Hemric-308, Which team owner helped Carl the points are reset, Busch must said. “One of the lapped cars 10. Kennedy-297. Edwards break into NASCAR? gain at least another 87 points, locked in Erik. He had done a ON POLIICAL Answer. It was Jack Roush Rac- and maybe more. heck of job and still was doing CORRECTNESS ing. It looks like a long road a heck of a job, and sometimes Last week I asked for You may contact the Rac- for him, but it’s not impossible. things don’t go your way.” reader’s input on some of NA- ing Reporter by e-mail at: hodg- “I felt like we were able to The victory was Kesel- SCAR’s recent decisions and [email protected]. NT(Jul15,C1)ac