Sweet Onion Pickleball Association
Organizers of the Sweet Onion Pickleball Association (SOPA) want to “cultivate an atmosphere that makes all pickleball players at all skill levels feel welcome and comfortable to participate.”
The Association met recently to establish Officers and a Board, and to plan the first public clinic. The Officers are: President – Vickie Mixon; Vice-President – Richard Martin; Treasurer – Dwight Stout; Secretary – Maria Sasser. Three additional Board members will be selected to represent various age groups. The first beginners pickleball clinic is scheduled for Saturday, April 17 at the courts at the Vidalia Recreation Department on Stockyard Road. There is no cost for the clinic. Participants may join one of two sessions, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., or from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Bring your own equipment, or Association members will share buckets of balls and paddles, instruction and encouragement in learning the game.
Forms to join the SOPA are available at the VRD. The cost to join is $25. Contact the VRD at 912-537-7913, or SOPA President Vickie Mixon at 912-253-2902. There are resources for learning more about the game and for planning your play time. Local players use the TeamReach app, with code VidaliaGA, (teamreach. com) to communicate plans for meeting at the VRD to play. The USA Pickleball Association’splaces2play. org website is a search tool to find court locations across the country. Rules and tips about pickleball can be found atusapickleball. org.
