Litchfield, NH Pickleball

This is my final report as treasurer; Dee Breton has assumed the role as of July 1st

Revenues in the first half were $3742: this was 17% less than budget. The major shortfall was Session Fees, which ran around $850 less than budgeted. This is the first instance in five years where the actual session fees were less than the budgeted amount. Despite having 104 members- something we couldn’t even comprehend two years ago- we found that 1 of every 3 sessions goes unused. Thanks to SUG, overcrowding is not a serious issue.

Expenses in the first half were $2352, almost $1650 less than budgeted. The major shortfalls in expenses were in Social Activities and Tournament Expenses- we just didn’t do anything in these areas. Another large shortfall was in Merchandise: we did plan to purchase duffel bags for members, but this expense will not occur until the beginning of the second half.

Click 1st Half Performance_2015 to get a detailed look.

My opinion is that the membership is fragmented and has access to multiple playing venues. Manchester and Hooksett have been popular playing venues for a few years, but are now joined by Merrimack, Nashua, Hudson and others. Pickleball is a more popular sport and Talent Hall is not the only game in town. Also, the club has evolved into a collection of ‘tribes’ who often play only with each other and have an aversion to mixing with other tribes.

Coaching, Skills Development, and Tournaments are issues that the club membership has previously voted on as highly desirable but that have not yet been addressed.

We can probably accept more members- as one third of our capacity is unused- but there is likely to be some pressure as popular slots fill up a week in advance while often requested slots go unused. Some creative thinking is needed to fill up the unused capacity.

Finances are in good shape, despite the less than budgeted performance- expenses are less than revenues.

Finally, again in my view, we need to identify club leaders in teaching and coaching, merchandising and promotion. Out of a hundred members, only a handful are willing to expend personal effort to support and lead the club. We need to identify and nurture that small group!

It’s been a rewarding five years as treasurer and a board member- it’s time for some new blood. I welcome Dee Breton in her new role and I sincerely hope that a few more members will put themselves forward to lead the group in future years.

A summary of individual surveys returned by 8 members of the Litchfield Pickleball Association indicate a recently completed trial Workshop was a great success! Overwhelming high marks were given to the three Coaches who agreed to assist with the trial. The Coaches were comprised of Lynne and Rick Trombley and John Croes.

Click for the Workshop Survey Summary_June 2015

The Workshop was a follow-up from the January Survey that indicated that many players had an interest in participating in Coached Workshop Sessions.

The Coaches were asked to provide instruction to a group of individual’s who were beyond “beginner status”; who currently play at a recreational level, and, who expected to continue to play recreationally. The group’s objective: To improve their skills and real knowledge of the strategy of the game.

This Workshop fulfilled some of those needs and served as a trial to determine whether both the coaches and the individual Litchfield member’s objectives could be met.

Workshop Outline

A total of 12 participants agreed to be part of the trial. Several additional individuals were invited to attend as “Alternates” when an open slot became available on a per week basis. Two individuals on the “disabled list” served as “listeners only”, and, assisted Coaches with videography, ball pickup, etc. Both were eventually able to attend 2 sessions each as Alternates.

Ultimately, 17 different members had an opportunity to attend one or more of the five Coached sessions that began the last week in May and ran thru the end of June.

A number of tools were utilized by the Coaches and tried by the participants throughout the Workshop. Those tools are listed and were evaluated on the survey. (Attached)

The results indicate the Workshop was a great success by those 7 regular and 1 alternate who were in all five, or, at least four of the sessions.

The participants wish to express their gratitude to our three Coaches, Lynne, Rick and John. Our appreciation also goes to several others who provided some much needed direction and behind the scenes support which includes our five Board members: Margaret Berg, Pete Burr, Ric French, Jean MacLeod, Ed McKinnon, and, also to Bob Welch for many early on suggestions to use or discard. .

In closing, my personal thanks to the Workshop participants who supported the trial and who also provided essential, timely feedback. As one survey respondent wrote to the Coaches “…you have made me a better pickleball player and that was no easy task!”