MENTOR PICKLEBALL
SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

Below is information about Pickleball in the Mentor, OH area.
1. Outdoor Tournament Results & Schedule  (through October)
2. Outdoor Leagues  (Mentor Civic Center Park) - Sept/Oct session
3. Beginner Clinic  -  September 30
4. “3 and Me” Sessions / Lessons
5. Outdoor Play  (Mentor Civic Center Park)
6. Indoor Play  (Mentor Community Recreation Center) - includes instructions to reserve/rent courts
7. Pickleball Mindset Workshop
8. Places to Play
9. Pickleball Magazine
10. About Us

NOTE:  THE CITY OF MENTOR HAS INFORMED US THAT THE MENTOR CIVIC CENTER PICKLEBALL COURTS WILL BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS BEGINNING TOMORROW (THURSDAY, SEPT 14) AT 12:00 NOON.  ALL COURTS WILL BE CLOSED.  COURTS WILL RE-OPEN FRIDAY MORNING. SEPT 15.

*** PLEASE SUPPORT OUR NEW SPONSOR:  Pickle Bill's Lobster House ***
After your next match, have dinner at Pickle Bill's and enjoy a free dessert.  Attached is a coupon for a free dessert at Pickle Bill's, 101 River St, Grand River, OH.





1.  OUTDOOR TOURNAMENT RESULTS & SCHEDULE

RESULTS:

 Click here for results of all 2023 Mentor Pickleball Shootout tournaments.

REMAINING SCHEDULE:

OCTOBER MXD SHOOTOUT  (Mixed Doubles only) - Saturday, October 7th, 11:00 am.  Registration is open..  Currently FULL in the 4.0, 3.5A, and 3.5B divisions.  Several openings remain in the 4.5/5.0 division.

We suggest to put your name on the wait list if a division is currently full.

2023 Outdoor Shootout Tournaments are held at Mentor Civic Center Park, 8600 Munson Rd, Mentor, OH 44060.  All events are doubles, and cost is $25 per person, which covers  tournament entry, medals for top 3 teams in each division, and pizza at end of the event.  Events typically run 3 to 3-1/2 hours.  Teams will play a game against each other team in their skill division, and divisions will normally max out at 10 teams.

HOW TO REGISTER:
To register, e-mail you and your partner's names and e-mail addresses, along with desired division (4.5/5.0, 4.0, 3.5A, or 3.5B) to  [email protected].  We will accept registration of full teams on a first-come, first-served basis.  We will e-mail back with confirmation if there is room.  We also place teams on a wait list if a division is currently full.

Note that the 3.5A division is a normal 3.5 division, while the 3.5B division is closer to a traditional 3.0 division.

 Don't get shut out - these events often fill up and we have to turn people away!

If there are any questions, best to e-mail Ken Werner at  [email protected].  Or you can  call/text at 440-478-6542.


 2.  OUTDOOR LEAGUES

We are currently conducting Session 3 (Sept-Oct) of the following leagues which are held outdoors at Mentor Civic Center Park.  If interested in joining an existing league, e-mail your request to [email protected].  We will email back whether we have room available, and will place people on a wait list if a league is currently full.

Each week, league participants will play 6 games which will take approximately 90 minutes.  Cost is $30 each session.


DAYS/TIMES/LEVEL

Tuesdays at 12:00 noon - Advanced (3.5+) -  CURRENTLY FULL

Tuesdays at 2:00 pm - Intermediate (3.0) -  LIMITED OPENINGS

Wednesdays at 12:00 noon - Intermediate / Advanced (3.0 – 3.5) – LIMITED OPENINGS

Wednesdays at 2:00 pm - Advanced Beginner / Intermediate (2.5-3.0)

Thursdays at 12:00 noon -  Intermediate / Advanced (3.0 - 3.5) - CURRENTLY FULL

Thursdays at 2:00 pm - Intermediate (3.0) – LIMITED OPENINGS

Fridays at 12:00 noon -  Intermediate / Advanced (3.0 - 3.5)– LIMITED OPENINGS

Fridays at 2:00 pm - Advanced Beginner / Intermediate (2.5-3.0) - CURRENTLY FULL

Saturdays at 12:00 noon * -  Intermediate / Advanced (3.0 - 3.5) - CURRENTLY FULL

Saturdays at 2:00 pm * - Beginner Instructional (1.0-2.0) - this league is one hour long, Includes instruction, and cost is $40 per person

*Saturday leagues will start at 3:00 pm on days when there is a tournament (e.g. September 9, October 7)

 IMPORTANT NOTES:
Our intent is to organize leagues with players of similar level to allow for the best pickleball experience for all.  Please pay close attention to the level of each league, and be very realistic as to where you would best fit in.  With any league, you need to be competitive.  We will always work with people to find the most appropriate league, and if we cannot accommodate, we will always provide a full refund.

 HOW TO SIGN UP:

To sign up or if questions, e-mail Ken at  [email protected].  You can also text to 440-478-6542.  Include name, e-mail address and which league(s) you are interested in.


 3.  BEGINNER CLINIC

Learn how to play the fastest growing sport in the country!  

All equipment provided, just bring yourself and be ready to learn and play.

Date:  Saturday, September 30th
Time:  2:00-3:30 pm
Location:  Mentor Civic Center Park
Cost: $20 per person

 You must make a reservation by e-mailing  [email protected].  Include name and whether you will need a paddle.


4.  ”3 AND ME” SESSIONS / LESSONS

“3 and Me” sessions are a chance for 3-4 people to play in a game with an instructor and receive personalized tips/instructions. Cost is $20 per person. Improve your game by receiving instruction that is pertinent to you in an actual game.

Regular lessons are also available indoors – cost is $60 per hour for up to 4 people.

For both “3 and Me” sessions and lessons, contact Brian Murphy at 440-221-7487 or e-mail:    [email protected].


5.  OUTDOOR PLAY  (Mentor Civic Center Park)

Outdoor play is available at Mentor Civic Center Park, 8600 Munson Rd, Mentor, OH 44060.  Courts are located behind the outdoor pools.

Courts are available to groups on a first-come, first-served basis from sunrise until about 11:00 pm when lights go off.    We do not have organized open play, meaning there is no requirement for players to rotate off/on the courts.  Having said that, most Pickleball players are accommodating, and will usually allow players of similar ability to join their group for a game or two.  Bottom-line, each player is responsible for finding or organizing their own playing group.

Busiest times of play are typically 8:00-11:00 am (all days) and 5:00-8:00 pm (Sun-Thu).

Courts will be UNAVAILABLE on the following days when tournaments are held:
- Saturday, October 7th  from 10:30 am until 3:00 pm


6.  INDOOR PLAY (Mentor Community Recreation Center)

The new Mentor Community Recreation Center (formerly Mentor Heisley Racquet and Fitness Club) located at 6000 Heisley Rd, Mentor, OH 44060 just recently announced procedures to reserve/rent Pickleball courts from October 2nd through December 31st.  Procedures are posted on the "Mentor Community Recreation Center" Facebook page, and signups will begin Monday, September 18th at 8:30 am in person at the Mentor Community Recreation Center pickleball/soccer field entrance located at the back of the building.  Please make sure to review the procedures on the Facebook post from September 11.

Any questions regarding rentals or other indoor Pickleball programs should be addressed to Brandon Eichholz at 440-974-5720 ext 7904 or via email at [email protected].

7.  PICKLEBALL MINDSET WORKSHOP

The next Pickleball Mindset Workshop will be held on Saturday, September 30th from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM in the Mentor Community Center, 8600 Munson Rd.  Details on the workshop and how to sign up are contained in the two links below: 

Flyer for PB Mindset Workshop on September 30, 2023

Bios on Instructors for Pickleball Mindset Workshop

8.  PLACES TO PLAY - CLEVELAND/AKRON AREA

Click here for detailed information on Places to Play in the Cleveland/Akron area.  This list has been put together and maintained by Rick Warsinskey who is a Cleveland Area Pickleball Ambassador.  It not only includes the addresses of available courts, but includes many notes on hours, activities, etc. at each location.  Thanks, Rick!!

We have also added a link on our home page (www.mentorpickleball.org) if you ever need to access the Places to Play list.


9.  PICKLEBALL MAGAZINE

Click here to access an electronic version of the September/October 2023 issue of Pickleball Magazine.

*********************************************************************************************************
ABOUT US:

WHAT IS MENTOR PICKLEBALL?
Mentor Pickleball is the collaboration of two brothers and a friend (Brian Murphy, Mike Murphy, Ken Werner) who enjoy and want to promote the sport of Pickleball in the Mentor, OH area. We work closely with the City of Mentor and help with maintaining facilities and organizing clinics, lessons, leagues, and tournaments. We also maintain a website (www.mentorpickleball.org), an e-mailbox ([email protected]), and publish this e-newsletter as a free service to help "spread the word".

E-MAIL LIST
If you are receiving this e-mail, you are currently on our e-mail distribution list and will periodically receive information on Pickleball in the Mentor and Northeast Ohio areas.  To unsubscribe or add an e-mail address, e-mail us at  [email protected].

WEBSITE / FACEBOOK / TWITTER
Check out our website,  www.mentorpickleball.org, for general information on Pickleball in the Mentor (OH) area.  We also have a Facebook page (Mentor Pickleball) and Twitter account (MentorPickBall).

SPONSOR MESSAGES
Any sponsor/outside party messages need to be submitted by the 25th of month to be included in the following month's newsletter.  Send all information via e-mail to [email protected].

QUESTIONS? / FEEDBACK?
We would like to hear from you! E-mail us at  [email protected]  with any questions or feedback. Leave a phone number if you would like to talk with someone directly.

MENTOR CIVIC CENTER PARK
- Located at 8600 Munson Rd, Mentor, OH 44060
- 15 state-of-the-art outdoor Pickleball courts (located behind outdoor pools)
- High quality playing surfaces and permanent nets
- Individually fenced courts
- Courts available 7 days per week, with lights for night-time play (until approx. 11:00 pm)
- Currently open to residents and non-residents, with no cost to play
We would like to thank the City of Mentor for providing one of the largest and finest Pickleball complexes in the country

MENTOR COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER
- Located at 6000 Heisley Rd, Mentor, OH 44060
- Located in the back building (there is a back parking lot)
- 4 dedicated indoor pickleball courts
- City of Mentor announced purchase of facility effective Dec 31, 2021.
- For all inquiries, contact City of Mentor Parks and Recreation Department at 440-974-5720 or [email protected].

Hope to see you on the courts!

Brian Murphy, Mike Murphy, Ken Werner
Mentor Pickleball