Our very own SMPA Founder, Theresa Haynie, is one of the 4 finalists of the WISE (Women in Sports and Events) award! Voting closes on Thursday, September 22nd at 8:00PM PST.
Theresa Haynie helped found the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association to improve access and advocate for pickleball in the greater metro area. following a gold medal win at the USA Pickleball National Championships in 2019, Theresa decided to focus on promoting play for women.
The cash prize donation would go towards advancing her work of encouraging and empowering women in pickleball to help offset court rentals for early evening access to women still in the workplace.
Magic happened behind the T-Mobile Park sign on 9/10/2022!
Mariners Pickleball Night 2022 was a huge success and a triumphant way to cap a great year for pickleball in Washington State. Over 900 pickleball fans joined an almost sold-out T-Mobile Park crowd of 44,965 people, who cheered on the Mariners in a thrilling 3-1 victory over last year’s reigning World Series Champions on September 10th.
We didn’t just show up for a baseball game. Pickleball fans from Canada, eastern Washington and the Puget Sound area united for pre-game festivities on the rooftop deck, socializing with others they regularly see on the courts at a major sporting event. It certainly speaks to the elevation of pickleball in Washington.
Launched Pickleball License Plate initiative – Kate Van Gent, Frank Chiappone, and Amy Greger
Pickleball Central set up a demo court on the rooftop deck
Done with set up and ready for the fans!
Fans having fun pre-game
Dan and Katie testing out the GAMMA paddles
Does it get any better?
Pre-game funk on the rooftop deck
Riley and Lindsey Newman signing shirts for fans
Riley and Lindsey Newman with fans
Frank Chiappone, Riley Newman, and Kate Van Gent before the Group First Pitch
Kate Van Gent, Mariner Moose, and Riley Newman
Half of SMPA Board and Riley Newman in the background
PICKLEBALL NIGHT!!!
Professional pickleball athletes Riley and Lindsey Newman signed Pickleball Night t-shirts and snapped photos with excited and smiling fans. People dinked on the rooftop pickleball court (a few even tried for full games), demo-d Riley and Lindsey Newman’s signature Gamma paddles, entered the free two paddle raffle, got free coozies from our partner Pickleball Central, and signed Seattle Metro Pickleball Association’s state sport license plate petition. After all that excitement, fans took their seats and watched pickleball capture center field at T-Mobile Park when Riley Newman threw out the first pitch.
Riley Newman represented SMPA and threw the Group First Pitch. Correction to the intro: Frank Chiappone is still the SMPA President!
Pickleball became the official state sport in March 2022. We think our state sport deserves a state license plate. The Seattle Metro Pickleball Association officially launched the Pickleball License Plate initiative on Mariners Pickleball Night, and is excited to be joining Senator John Lovick in this effort.
Mariners just sent the Gameday Guide by email. They will open the gate 2 HOURS before game at 4:10 p.m. We will have more time on the rooftop!
Traffic advisory: All southbound traffic on Interstate 5 will be reduced to the left lanes and the West Seattle Bridge will be closed. Expecting lots of traffic so leave early and see you at the T-Mobile Park tomorrow!
Update on Mariners Pickleball Night on September 10th, Mariners vs. Atlanta Braves. The Seattle Metro Pickleball Association’s Pickleball Night pre-game event is being held from 4:10 pm to 5:45 pm. Gates open at 4:10 pm. Raffle must be entered by 5:30 pm and the drawing will take place at 5:40 pm. The Rooftop Deck event ends at 5:45 so everyone has time to get to their seats before Riley’s first pitch!
Seventy-five main level Pickleball Night seats in section 115 were added the morning of September 7th after selling out over Labor Day weekend. Per Alexa Olague, Account Executive with the Seattle Mariners, this is the last batch of main level seats being released for Pickleball Night. Main level seats are $30.
View level tickets are still available. These $20 seats are just to the right of home plate and are a short walk directly from the Rooftop Deck where the pre-game pickleball event is being held. These seats have a view overlooking home plate and are located in sections 327 and 328.
The Seattle Mariners have 99% playoff odds and the stadium is expected to sell out. The last day to purchase tickets is September 9th. Call Mariners Account Executive Alexa Olague at (206) 346-4506 if you have any ticket questions. If you plan on driving, don’t forget to reserve a parking spot on mobile device apps like Spot Hero.
View seats overlooking home plate in section 329. Pickleball Night sections 328 and 327 are located just to the right.Pickleball Night view seats still available. View seats are located in Sections 327 and 328, shown circled in red. These seats are a short walk directly off the Rooftop Deck where the Pickleball Night meet and greet, dinking court and raffle are being held. 75 main level seats in section 115 were the last batch of Pickleball Night main level seats released and are expected to sell out quickly. T-shirts are available for pick-up in section 339 until the third inning.
Don’t miss out on the magic of the special evening the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association has planned. In addition to a pre-game meet and greet with pickleball pro athletes Riley and Lindsey Newman, the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association is hosting a two paddle raffle, a four-person dinking court and is partnering with Pickleball Central, who has a few special give-a-ways of their own. Did we mention the Rooftop Deck has breathtaking Puget Sound and Seattle skyline views? After the pre-game festivities, walk down to your seats to watch top professional pickleball athlete Riley Newman throw out the group first pitch.
Pickleball License Plate!
The Seattle Metro Association has one more special event planned that evening. We are launching the pickleball license plate bill initiative! We need 3,500 signatures to help make this happen. Come sign our petition at the SMPA booth.
The Seattle Metro Pickleball Association would like to give a special shout out to Senator John Lovick for being the legislator supporting this effort!
We were hoping to learn more about SPR’s current plan for outdoor pickleball during this briefing, but the presentation remained at a very high-level. If you have attended Seattle Parks’ two open houses on the subject or read our post titled New Seattle Outdoor Pickleball Courts: Draft Plan, you probably know a lot more about the subject than the Commissioners do.
SPR was surprised to get over 3,000 responses to their online survey.
SPR thinks that a few single tennis courts that are not very much used are the best candidates to be converted into dedicated pickleball courts. Unfortunately, most such courts in Seattle are smaller than regular size tennis courts. This means that once converted into pickleball courts, these pickleball courts would have less room than you might expect behind the base lines. Watch the beginning of this video to see why having space behind the baselines is important to be able to retrieve deep shots.
Preliminary cost estimates for two brand new dedicated pickleball facilities of 8 to 12 courts are more than originally anticipated when planning for the upcoming Seattle Parks District budget cycle.
SPR reports that Seattle schools might start lining some of the tennis courts at their facilities.
You can watch the entire presentation below. We apologize for the blue box covering some of the slides.
The entire meeting, including the presentation above is available here. This video does not have the blue box problem of the video above, but the image is not as sharp.
As you already know, Seattle’s Miller pickleball community has petitioned the Seattle Parks Department, asking it to paint lines for six pickleball courts instead of four on the existing two tennis courts at Miller Playfield on Capitol Hill.
The Parks Department replied that they will keep limiting the number of pickleball courts to four.
Thank you Lee-Lee, Yash, Phil, Michelle, Joni and everyone else who worked tirelessly to make this happen!
Below is a copy of some of the handouts Joni gave to the commissioners.
A pickleball court layout for Miller designed to keep two distinct area. Each area can be used for tennis or pickleball, without any conflict between the areas.
A drawing presented by Seattle Parks to explain why they will not draw 4 pickleball courts on a single tennis court. It turns out that the tennis courts are much closer together in this drawing than in reality.
To get a chance to speak for two minutes during the “public comments” section at the beginning of the meeting, send an email to Paula Hoff (paula.hoff@seattle.gov) before 5:30pm on Thursday. In the Subject field of your email, please write: Board meeting public comment. Please provide in the body of the email, your name, email address, and if calling in to the meeting, your phone number.
Note that the “public comments” section of the meeting will happen before the “Outdoor Pickleball Construction Briefing and Update” section.
Will I have a chance to comment on the “Outdoor Pickleball Construction Briefing and Update”?
Not during this meeting.
You can offer your comments after the meeting by reaching out to the Parks Board Commissioners via Benjamin Burtzos or drectly to Oliver Bazinet.
Come celebrate Mariners Pickleball Night with your host Seattle Metro Pickleball Association at a Mariners game! The Mariners play against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday, September 10th at 6:10 pm at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. Fans excited about the Mariners’ 14-game game winning streak sold out T-Mobile Park in July’s first game after the All-Star Break, so don’t delay. The rookie phenom and showman Julio Rodriquez continues to stun and delight fans, who chant his name at games. The Mariners recently acquired Luis Castillo, the best pitcher on the trade market.
The Mariners and pickleball, it seems, are on a roll.
Pickleball pro Riley Newman will be throwing out the first pitch! Riley Newman is the #1 ranked mixed doubles player, #2 men’s doubles player, 3 x major champ and 12 x PPA champ. But best of all, he’s one of our own, a home-grown Washington State, Whidbey Island native. Pickleball fans will enjoy a pre-game meet and greet with the dynamic duo Riley Newman and his sister and mixed doubles partner, Lindsey Newman, who won gold together at the 2021 Nationals.
Riley Newman
Riley and Lindsey were born on Whidbey Island, Washington, and raised in a large family of five sisters and two brothers. They have been thrilling fans since 2017 with their visually stunning and well-coordinated defensive playing and are known for their signature backhand style.
A solid tournament player who consistently medals, Riley had a breakout year in 2022. He went undefeated at the PPA Atlanta Open in May, taking gold in men’s doubles against number one player Ben Johns and his brother Collin Johns, and gold in mixed doubles against Ben Johns and top female player Anna Leigh Waters. Riley won double gold at the PPA North Carolina Open in May in men’s doubles and mixed doubles, and gold in men’s doubles at the Orange County Cup in June.
Riley and Lindsey Newman, Gold medal winners at 2021 Nationals
Riley’s pro circuit tournament schedule is rigorous. He will be playing in 20 tournaments in 2022. When Riley is not touring, he connects with fans and the community by teaching pickleball camps and clinics throughout the U.S., usually with Lindsey. Lindsey recently took some time off from the pro circuit to welcome a daughter to her growing family.
Pickleball Central will be joining SMPA to host a mini pop-up pickleball court for demos with Gamma paddles. A SMPA on-site, no cost raffle will consist of two prizes, a Riley Newman signed signature Gamma 206 paddle and a Lindsey Newman signed signature Gamma paddle. Yes, that’s right, signed! Mariners Pickleball Night t-shirts are included with each ticket purchase, with a special logo created to celebrate this special evening of the Mariners and pickleball! This event is going to be lit!
For one night only, pickleball fans can watch the game and cheer from their own special sections when Riley throws out the first pitch. Specially priced tickets purchased through the link are available in Section 117 on the main level for $30 each. Upper-level view tickets are located in Sections 327 & 328 for $20 each. Section 116 has already sold out! Additional sections for Pickleball Night will added as seats sell. Want to purchase more than seven tickets? No problem, contact Alexa Olague, Account Executive with the Seattle Mariners at aolague@mariners.com or (206) 346-4506. Purchase 20 tickets or more to avoid a ticket surcharge and get your group name displayed on the scoreboard. The purchaser of 20 tickets or more gets two complimentary tickets to a 2022 regular season home game!
$2 of every ticket sold through this special offer will benefit the Seattle Metro Pickleball Association.
Bring your friends and family! Come have some pickleball fun and cheer on the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Hope to see you there!
July 20-24, 2022 Shoreview Park, Shoreline, Washington
That’s a wrap on the 2022 Humana Seattle Metro Classic! Five days of fun, sunshine, fierce competition amongst 600 players, 700+ matches complete, 228 medals awarded, and over $12,000 in prize money collected. Thanks to all who came out to play and spectate. And a very, very, special thank you to the 120+ volunteers who make this tournament what it is.
Beautiful morning at Shoreview ParkMixed Doubles Open Division – Michelle Lui and Lukas CrippenWomen’s Doubles DayMedals!
State Sport Celebration
Washington state Senator John Lovick sponsored a bill which designated Pickleball as the official Washington state sport in March 2022. We had a ceremony to celebrate at the tournament. Awards were presented to Senator John Lovick, Kate Van Gent, and Chuck Wright, who helped make Chuck’s idea into reality.
Frank Chiappone (SMPA President), Kate Van Gent (SMPA Director), Senator John Lovick, Chuck Wright, and Anna Copley (co-founder of Pickleball Central).
Pictures and Videos
Great photos by Stephanie Keegan and visit us on Facebook for tournament news including amazing drone footage from the Mixed Doubles Open Division gold medal match!
While the Miller courts currently have lines for two tennis courts or four pickleball courts, they are used predominantly for pickleball. Moreover, there are often long lines of pickleball players waiting for a turn to play. Adding 2 pickleball courts in the existing space would provide 50% more pickleball capacity at very little cost.
Since Seattle Parks is planning to resurface these courts this summer, now would be the perfect time to transition from 4 to 6 pickleball courts at this location.
