A SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR'S DAY PARTY AT MUNI Thanks to our Santa Barbara Pickleball non-profit board for organizing such a wonderful community event. Everyone who attended, contributed, and/or volunteered, made our annual New Year's Day Pickleball Party a huge success! Special shout-out to volunteers Bill & Claudia Werlin who helped with all aspects of the event!
Thanks also to everyone who donated used paddles! The 45 paddles collected will be distributed to local schools and to those in need.
SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT'S "BEST OF"
Best of Santa Barbara® 2024
Best Place to Play Pickleball Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Center
Why are the city courts along Old Coast Highway the top spot in all of Santa Barbara to play some pickleball? Recreation Supervisor Jeff Smith explains: “The Municipal Tennis and Pickleball Facility offers eight tennis courts and 16 pickleball courts for public use year-round from 8 a.m. to dark,” he said. “Adult player fees are purposely kept low, and youth 17 years and under play for free.” Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation offers after school tennis clinics, summer camps, holiday camps for youth, year-round pickleball clinics, and pickleball leagues for adults.
NEW LOST AND FOUND POLICY Valuable items can now be given to the Parks & Recreation Department's gate monitor for safe keeping (only paddles, phones, valuable jewelry). The items will be held in the office until the end of each month. After that, the items will be returned to the blue bin outside court #1. Please note that the Parks & Recreation Department cannot be held responsible for un-recovered lost or stolen items.
Note: The blue lost and found box will also be emptied at the end of each month.
Several players have recently left paddles behind on the courts. In some cases their paddles were not recovered. Please I.D. the handle of your paddle by tagging your name and phone # at the bottom.
NEW BROKEN BALL DEPOSITORY Look for clear bags on fences to dispose of broken balls. Please do not leave broken balls on court or on back of benches! If you come across a broken ball, please pick up and deposit in one of the bags.
CHALLENGE COURTS Courts 11 & 12 (8am-noon) are still a pilot program for advanced players (4.0+). Players can stay on until losing. Contact Richard Salzberg with any input, feedback, suggestions.
MUNI OPERATING HOURS Gates open daily at 8:00am and close at Sunset. Open Play on all courts, every day (including holidays).
Rental courts available from 12 noon - 5:00 pm on courts 11 & 12. Rental information click here
There is a $6 Daily Use Fee for visiting players who do not hold an annual pass (Note: Credit Cards now required at the gate in lieu of cash). Click here to get your annual pass. Comments, concerns or questions about Muni operations should be emailed to: Sports@SantaBarbaraCa.Gov
OPEN PLAY GUIDELINES
Wet Court Etiquette - All players, please be kind and lend a hand to dry courts after rain events. If you arrive after a group has dried a court and already playing a game, let them play another before rotating in. It's a lot of work to dry a court and it's courteous to let players enjoy their hard work! If there is a nearby court still wet, grab a roller or squeegee and help dry it off.
Please note that ALL courts (including the blended line courts) are Open Play ALL DAY. Reminder that no player may be turned away/excluded from rotating in during Open Play!
Please observe the level of play prior to sitting on a bench. It is recommended that you join a group that is playing at a skill level similar to your own.
When waiting to rotate into a game, pick a court and sit on the bench.
Activity along sides of the court is a distraction to players. Please walk quickly from court to court, and only when players are in-between points.
Please remember to call 'Ball On!' and stop play when wayward balls enter the court.
Please do not sit on the ball/cup holders between benches as they are beginning to crack. Bags and articles of clothing should also be hung on the fence and not placed on the benches.
Please do not leave your trash behind on the courts (broken balls, banana peels, gum, drink cups, wrappers, etc.)
Players wishing to play in dedicated foursomes are welcome to rent a court (afternoons only) or play elsewhere (see" Other Places to Play").
Be kind, play at least one game with someone at ANY skill level. Remember, we all started somewhere!
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Importance of Flexibility & Stretching
Would you like to get to the ball faster? Would you like to extend your reach? Would you like to improve your footwork & coordination?
Please send an email to resalzberg@gmail.com for information about personal trainers and upcoming stretching sessions. | 
