Last year at the Heartland Senior Games was the first time I (Donna) had ever played in a Pickleball Tournament. It was a great time because there was a big group of us that came to Tanglewood representing PeaceRiver..........And we went home with about 20 medals. We had a great time...... could it get any better?
Here is Jim Rankin and Dennie Johnson. They didn't medal but both played very well. Jim played in the mixed with Teresa Lightsey and Dennis played with Barb.
Speaking of Teresa and Barb...Well here they are wearing their Bronze Medals that they won in the woman's 50-54 age group. Nadine and Louanne took the Silver. Way to go ladies!!
And Mr. T (Travis) and Mark Jones are showing off their Silver Medals, won in the men's 50-59 doubles. Not bad for an OLD MAN who had to play with all the young'uns today. Travis played with Nadine in the mixed 65-69 and they took the Bronze. 
As expected, Judy Goldberg and Linda Kramer took the gold in the ladies 60-64 doubles. They don't look a day over 20!!! Judy and Al took the Silver behind Rich and Linda in the 60-64 mixed doubles. Again another great match to watch. These four are very competitive. And would you believe it.........I missed the whole match!!! Because I was refereeing another mixed doubles gold medal match!
AND....in the Men's 65-69 the GOLD Medal winners were Marcel LeMieux and Stan Michalski. These guys didn't get too much time to practice together since Marcel was in Tanglewood and Stan at Peace River........When you're good,,,,your good!
And the ladies again - In the 65-69 - Louise Barrett and Michelle King took the gold. This was a great match. All four ladies played super! Pat Lively and Sally Michalski took the Silver. Louise also won the gold with Marcel in the mixed doubles. I refereed the match with Michelle King and Dennis Brock in the mixed doubles against a team from Sun City Center. It was a hard fought match and Michelle and Dennis took the Silver. Stan and Sally played but did not medal in the mixed doubles.
This year the Heartland Senior Games would again be a memorable event, but for many different reasons. We were very involved in the planning of the games this year. Wayne Roswell was the official tournament director, but Rich and I worked very clos
e with Wayne for several months prior to the event. This was the first USAPA Sanctioned Tournament in our Region, so both of us worked to solicit and train referees for the game. Kathy Hughes and I would not be playing this year, we were "official referees". Rich would participate in both the doubles and mixed doubles competition, but was also responsible for setting up the tournament brackets that determine sequence of play, and for preparing the Tennis Courts with lines for pickleball play. I was responsible for setting up the raffle for the day and I was one of the main referees selected for the medal matches.
e with Wayne for several months prior to the event. This was the first USAPA Sanctioned Tournament in our Region, so both of us worked to solicit and train referees for the game. Kathy Hughes and I would not be playing this year, we were "official referees". Rich would participate in both the doubles and mixed doubles competition, but was also responsible for setting up the tournament brackets that determine sequence of play, and for preparing the Tennis Courts with lines for pickleball play. I was responsible for setting up the raffle for the day and I was one of the main referees selected for the medal matches.One of the best things about both days was that once again so many of our friends from other parks were there. Nandine and Louanne were there along with Ron and Connie Monson from Kings Pointe in Sun City Center. Bruce and Gena along with Jack Beck and Russ Cuccia were there from Venice. Bill Freeman and Jeff Shank came down from the Villages along with "Greenie". And of course our RV friends from Peace River.
Here is Jim Rankin and Dennie Johnson. They didn't medal but both played very well. Jim played in the mixed with Teresa Lightsey and Dennis played with Barb.Speaking of Teresa and Barb...Well here they are wearing their Bronze Medals that they won in the woman's 50-54 age group. Nadine and Louanne took the Silver. Way to go ladies!!And Mr. T (Travis) and Mark Jones are showing off their Silver Medals, won in the men's 50-59 doubles. Not bad for an OLD MAN who had to play with all the young'uns today. Travis played with Nadine in the mixed 65-69 and they took the Bronze. As expected, Judy Goldberg and Linda Kramer took the gold in the ladies 60-64 doubles. They don't look a day over 20!!! Judy and Al took the Silver behind Rich and Linda in the 60-64 mixed doubles. Again another great match to watch. These four are very competitive. And would you believe it.........I missed the whole match!!! Because I was refereeing another mixed doubles gold medal match!AND....in the Men's 65-69 the GOLD Medal winners were Marcel LeMieux and Stan Michalski. These guys didn't get too much time to practice together since Marcel was in Tanglewood and Stan at Peace River........When you're good,,,,your good!And the ladies again - In the 65-69 - Louise Barrett and Michelle King took the gold. This was a great match. All four ladies played super! Pat Lively and Sally Michalski took the Silver. Louise also won the gold with Marcel in the mixed doubles. I refereed the match with Michelle King and Dennis Brock in the mixed doubles against a team from Sun City Center. It was a hard fought match and Michelle and Dennis took the Silver. Stan and Sally played but did not medal in the mixed doubles.And of course - Miss Barbara wins one of the paddles in the raffle. You could by an arms length of tickets for $5........What a deal. How much did you spend Barb?
Here is Barb and John McKinney. What a really nice couple and both of them are very good players. We play most every morning with these guys. They winter here in Tanglewood from Michigan. They took the Bronze Medal in the 50-59. Barb took the GOLD medal with Gloria Soltes in the ladies 50-55 doubles.
Jimmy Maynard and Gloria Soltes. Jimmy is one very good player and one very nice guy. We both enjoy playing on the courts every day with him. These two took the Silver in the mixed 65-69. Jimmy also took the Gold medal with Neal Nightengale in the men's 70-74 doubles. 
Nancy and Jeff are another couple that we have really enjoyed meeting. Nancy and I both enjoy Line Dancing on Monday afternoons, and you'll always see us out on the dance floor at the Fire Rings or Bashes, and Jeff is one of the only guys who will play singles with Rich in pickleball. They also winter here in Tanglewood and spend the summers in...........where else?? Michigan!! Neither of them have been playing pickelball very long but Nancy took the Silver medal with Suzanne Goldman in the 55-59 ladies doubles.
This had to be the best match in the whole tournament. This is Rich and Al and their competitors from...........Yes you guessed it.....Michigan. Patrick McPhail and Jack Licata are Gold Medal Winners in the Michigan Senior Olympics and great players. These four met in the early rounds and Rich and Al won, sending Pat and Jack to the losers bracket. Rich and Al continuted on and won all their matches, and Pat and Jack fought back winning all of their matches in the losers bracket. That put the four of them back together for the Gold Medal match. It was a nail biter and went three games, with Rich and Al coming out on top with the Gold Medal. Whew!!!
Jimmy Maynard and Gloria Soltes. Jimmy is one very good player and one very nice guy. We both enjoy playing on the courts every day with him. These two took the Silver in the mixed 65-69. Jimmy also took the Gold medal with Neal Nightengale in the men's 70-74 doubles. Nancy and Jeff are another couple that we have really enjoyed meeting. Nancy and I both enjoy Line Dancing on Monday afternoons, and you'll always see us out on the dance floor at the Fire Rings or Bashes, and Jeff is one of the only guys who will play singles with Rich in pickleball. They also winter here in Tanglewood and spend the summers in...........where else?? Michigan!! Neither of them have been playing pickelball very long but Nancy took the Silver medal with Suzanne Goldman in the 55-59 ladies doubles. This had to be the best match in the whole tournament. This is Rich and Al and their competitors from...........Yes you guessed it.....Michigan. Patrick McPhail and Jack Licata are Gold Medal Winners in the Michigan Senior Olympics and great players. These four met in the early rounds and Rich and Al won, sending Pat and Jack to the losers bracket. Rich and Al continuted on and won all their matches, and Pat and Jack fought back winning all of their matches in the losers bracket. That put the four of them back together for the Gold Medal match. It was a nail biter and went three games, with Rich and Al coming out on top with the Gold Medal. Whew!!!What a way to end a great day!
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