GENERAL VW PICKLEBALL INFORMATION
Pickleball is a well-used amenity in VeronaWalk, enjoyed by a very friendly and welcoming group of players of all levels. The Pickleball Club has its own web page at www.veronawalkpickleball.com, with information about playing in our community, including access to VeronaWalk Sports, our court reservation system. You can also email the Pickleball Club at veronawalkpb@gmail.com for general information.
VeronaWalk Pickleball Club
VeronaWalk has an active Pickleball Club. To become a member, go to the VeronaWalk Sports registration page and complete the membership form.
Enter your name, email address, and the other requested information. Once your registration has been processed, you will receive instructions for accessing your VeronaWalk Sports account.
After completing your registration, you can log in to VeronaWalk Sports through the website or the VeronaWalk Sports app to:
View court availability and make court reservations
Manage your member profile
Enter your pickleball rating and other information
View club activities and events
The Pickleball Club also offers a variety of activities and benefits throughout the year, including:
Club social events and activities
VeronaWalk Pickleball Club shirts, hats, and visors for purchase
Periodic raffles and other club activities
Opportunities to meet and play with other VeronaWalk pickleball players
FACILITY INFORMATION
There are 2 court facilities: the original 4 courts and a lighted 2-court facility near the playground. Equipment boxes by the courts hold extra paddles that can be borrowed while playing, a first-aid kit, extra (used) balls, and towels to dry the benches when they are wet.
Two nearby restrooms are available: one by the basketball court and the other in the tennis gazebo. The tennis gazebo restroom requires your amenity fob.
There is an unrefrigerated water fountain by the 4-court facility, and refrigerated water fountains on the southwest side of the maintenance garage near the 2 courts as well as at the tennis gazebo. An ice machine is at the tennis gazebo.
AED machines are located inside the bocce gazebo near the 2 courts and at the 4 courts on the outside of the Court 1 fence near the trash cans.
PLAYING TIMES AND PROCEDURES
The 4-court (north) facility is open from 7:30 am until dusk. The 2 (south) courts have lights and are open from 7:30 am to 9 pm, with the light switch located just outside and on the left of the court gate.
Early morning hours (7:30–10:30 am) on all courts and 6:00–9:00 pm on the 2 lit courts are designated as "open play."
There is a dry erase board at each court facility near the benches where players place their names in blocks to create foursomes and play in turn.
Suggested method of rotation when the sign-up board is in play: everyone must exit the court. The winning pair stays on the court if there are only 2 players coming in to fill. If 3 are coming in to fill, then 1 player from the winning side stays on to play again. If two players are on the winning side and one player sat the game before, then that player has priority over the other. If both sat, flip a coin.
During the busy season there are “Just for Fun” leagues. These leagues are for VeronaWalk resident players, organized by Men, Women, or Mixed and also by skill level. Generally, every day of the week from 10:30 am–12:00 noon is the time frame for JFF leagues. Foursomes are created randomly and changed after each game.
Schedules can be found on the VeronaWalk Pickleball website, in the VeronaWalk Sports calendar, and posted by the benches at each court facility.
During the season there are recurring playing groups that reserve the courts in 1–2-hour blocks during the week. The schedule for group reservations can be found posted at the courts, on our website, or in the VeronaWalk Sports app under “Events.”
At other times, courts are open for residents and their guests to reserve a court or, if a specific court is not reserved, play when they choose as walk-ons.
Court reservations are made through the VeronaWalk Sports app or the VeronaWalk Sports website. Reservations can be made from 1 week before the date to 1 hour before the requested time and are restricted to 1 hour per player per day.
To register for VeronaWalk Sports, visit the VeronaWalk Sports registration page and complete the registration form. Once registered, the VeronaWalk Sports app can be downloaded to your mobile phone for convenient access to court availability, reservations, events, and other club information.
EQUIPMENT
For beginners, we recommend waiting to purchase a paddle, borrowing one from the equipment boxes by the courts or another player until you are sure you enjoy the game and want to continue playing. Quiet paddles are mandated for play and are widely available.
Avoid very inexpensive paddles, which tend to be constructed of loud materials. Look for “USAPA APPROVED” marking on the paddle face, indicating higher quality construction.
Three paddles are banned due to loudness: Onix Z5, Paddletek Anna Leigh Waters Bantam, and the ProKennex Black Ace Pro.
To help prevent injuries on the court, we strongly suggest court shoes that have firmer support than conventional sneakers. Protective eye wear is also advised. Hats or visors with a firm brim are helpful to prevent eye injuries and protect from the sun.
Due to surrounding homeowner noise complaints, we are required to use quieter softer balls: Onix Pure 2 or Onix Fuse G2. Fuse G2 balls are located inside the courts in ball holders for all players to use.
If you want to purchase equipment such as paddles or court shoes, there is an online site called Pickleball Central, www.pickleballcentral.com, 888-854-0163. Their selection is good, and we have an account with them, so if you enter our code (CRVW) when checking out, you will get a 5% discount, and another 5% is put in our club account. There is free shipping for orders of more than $69.00, and they often have sales. Their customer service representatives are very helpful, and if you buy a paddle there and don’t like it, you can return it.
A local store is Pro-Am Tennis & Pickleball, 13,000 Tamiami Trail, North Naples, 239-597-1222, www.proamtennis.com. It is about 20 miles away on Tamiami Trail (Rt 41) just north of Immokalee Rd, on the right (north side) in a strip mall. The store is small with a knowledgeable staff, and they will let you borrow demo paddles free for a week to see if you like them.
The East Naples Pickleball Park has a pro shop about 5 miles away at 3500 Thomasson Dr, Naples 34112, 239-252-4414. You can try out paddles on the outdoor courts there.
A new store recently opened near Tin City in Naples: Pickleball Performance Pro, 1100 Sixth Ave South, Unit 8 in Naples, 239-692-3438.
Gary Stouffer is a player advocate for the Selkirk paddle company, which manufactures excellent quiet paddles. He has several sample paddles that can be tried on our courts, and he can explain the benefits of the various models. If you order a paddle through the Selkirk website, put in Gary’s code: ADVGSTOUFFER, and a percentage of the sale will be put into our club account. Through these paddle sales we are able to provide the free demo paddles in the equipment boxes.
Other local stores such as Walmart and Dick’s have limited equipment, but their sales personnel are not usually as knowledgeable if you need assistance, and they don't always carry quiet paddles and balls. Amazon has several paddles, many of which are inexpensive and loud, so be careful if ordering from them.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
These can be found on our website, and signage is also posted at the gate of each court. In general, court use is restricted to residents and their guests, and the courts can only be used to play the game. Appropriate dress and conduct are expected.
If you drive a cart to the area, please park on the diagonal or parallel to the court fence at the 4 courts to avoid infringing on the sidewalk and avoid parking on the grass.
If you ride a bike there, park it on the pavers next to the court fence, not on the sidewalk. Courts 5 and 6 are next to a parking lot where cars and carts can be parked, and a bike rack is also available there.
Both court facilities have shade umbrellas which need to be closed by players after use.
CLUB RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES
Our web page has all information regarding playing the sport in VeronaWalk: www.veronawalkpickleball.com.
There is a VeronaWalk Pickleball Club private Facebook page, and you can sign up on Facebook to be added. The site includes helpful posts related to pickleball in general as well as specifically regarding playing in VeronaWalk.
Contact the Pickleball Club at veronawalkpb@gmail.com to be added to the email list to receive updates and announcements.
The Pickleball Club has periodic group get-togethers for players and their significant others on the lawn behind the town center. Party date announcements will be emailed to the players.