Aiken Pickleball League

We did a thing Thursday night...played an absolute blast of a new racquet sport! It's called TYPTI (pronounced tip-tee), and while it's already gaining momentum on the West Coast, it's now making its way to our side of the map. Created by Steve Bellamy, founder of the Tennis Channel, TYPTI blends elements of tennis, badminton, and pickleball into one exciting game. Played on a standard pickleball court with a specially designed foam ball and a small strung racquet, it delivers longer rallies, incredible spin, more shot-making, and less impact on the body, all without an overhead serve. Bellamy describes it as "the baby of tennis and badminton on a pickleball court," and after giving it a try, we can see why! TYPTI isn't here to replace tennis or pickleball, it's simply another fun way to enjoy racquet sports. Whether you're a former tennis player, an avid pickleballer, or just someone who loves trying new things, this game is worth experiencing.

Trust us...don't knock it until you try it! You just might find your next obsession. 🎾🔥

www.typti.com
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/y64MqS9bSQw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHj3L9Y2NyM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0fvywsd5XU

Some members of APL's Spring 2026 Team "Smash" made the trip out to Cayce Pickleball Complex on Tuesday evening to change things up, get some games in and, most importantly, to present Colleen and Jessica with their medals in recognition of their contributions to their divisional team championship league win, as they were unable to attend last month's End of Season Party. A special thank you to Tony and Taylor for rounding us up to make the trip out there to play. So much fun and I have to admit, there is some really great pickleball out there, and even better, the people were incredibly kind and welcoming! Although it's a trek, it was absolutely worth it. Grateful for the experience and hope to make it back again soon.

Sign up if interested, y’all!

The 2026 Dink'd Summer Open- Presented by Pickleball Charleston Pickleball Tournament in Augusta. Register at PickleballTournaments.com

Attention, Aiken Pickleball Family!

You know Ellie and her family and the many ways they have contributed to our pickleball community. Now it's our turn to celebrate Ellie and this special milestone!

Join us for an evening of pickleball, friendship, and fun as we celebrate Elliana Fahrbach's High School Graduation.
Friday, June 5 | 5:30–7:30 PM | Virginia Acres Outdoor Pickleball Courts | Homemade desserts by Ellie will be provided.

Congratulations, Ellie! We are so proud of all you have accomplished and excited to see where this next chapter takes you.

We hope you'll join us on the courts as we celebrate her achievements and wish her all the best for the future!

Passing on…

Dear Aiken Pickleball Community,

We are writing to share an important update regarding the management of indoor pickleball programming.

Effective July 1, Aiken Pickleball Inc. (API) will dissolve and terminate its Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Aiken. We would like to sincerely thank API leadership and volunteers for their dedication, time, and efforts in helping grow the game of pickleball throughout Aiken.

The City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) Department will assume administration for indoor pickleball play at both the Odell Weeks Activities Center and the Smith-Hazel Recreation Center. Our review process identified opportunities to improve overall court access, player rotation, and daily court utilization.

What Will Be Changing?

To maximize participation opportunities:

The current online reservation system operated through SignUpGenius will be discontinued
Indoor pickleball will move to a first-come, first-serve open-play model
Paddle rack rotation systems will be installed to help create an organized, fair, and efficient player rotation process during peak play times
This approach is consistent with the way many parks and recreation departments operate indoor pickleball programs and is standard to how the PRT currently manages indoor volleyball and basketball. The open-play model will offer flexibility, accessibility, and fairness for residents and visitors, while maximizing court time availability for the greatest number of players.

Additional information regarding open play procedures, schedules, and paddle rack guidelines will be shared prior to implementation. Details regarding league play will be released at a later date.

We appreciate your continued support as we work to enhance recreational opportunities for the entire Aiken community.

Sincerely,

City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department

The APL Spring 2026 Season is officially a wrap, and what a wonderful way to close it out at tonight’s End of Season party. From the laughter and fellowship to the games played before and after dinner, it was truly a special evening all around. We were especially grateful that the weather held out long enough for everyone to enjoy some time on the courts together as well. Tonight’s awards, gifts, and raffle prize giveaways were just a small reflection of how much each of you means to this league. The APL truly meant every word shared this evening,...you are the reason this league is what it is. Your support, , friendships, encouragement, and love for the game are what continue to make this community so special.

On behalf of Mo Garcia, Derek Fahrbach, Drew Fahrbach, Nichol Gregory, and Jordyn Balba, thank you sincerely for being part of the APL family this season. We appreciate each and every one of you more than words can express, and we look forward to seeing you all back out on the courts soon!

Our Spring 2026 End of Season Participant Survey has officially been sent out, so please be sure to check your email if you have not already done so. We have received a great number of thoughtful responses so far, and we would sincerely love to hear from as many of you as possible. All feedback is welcomed and valued whether positive, constructive, or anywhere in between as it helps us continue improving, growing, and shaping the best possible experience for our players and community.

We are grateful that so many of you shared that you truly enjoyed the season as much as we enjoyed having you. And for a handful of those who felt league play was not the right fit for them, we appreciate them giving it a try and wish them nothing but the very best in pickleball and beyond moving forward. League play is not one-size-fits-all, and that is perfectly okay.

Please continue sending in your survey responses. Every voice matters, and every response helps.

We are also excited to share that we currently have 62 player participants who are confirmed for our EOS Party. We look forward to seeing everyone indoors on May 26th at 5:30 PM, as communicated in the recent league email.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or need anything at all, please do not hesitate to reach out here, DM, or @ [email protected]

With gratitude,
The Aiken Pickleball League

Final matches of the Aiken Pickleball League’s 2026 Spring Season wrapped up this week, and what an incredible season it has been. From start to finish, both divisions brought fun, competition, growth, and unforgettable memories to the courts. While wins and losses are part of the game, the greatest victories were the friendships formed, the skills developed, and the sense of community built through every match played. So many players challenged themselves, learned from one another, and embraced everything league play has to offer and that is what it's all about.

From the entire APL Staff, a heartfelt thank you to the City of Aiken Parks & Recreation for partnering with us since the beginning of the league in 2017 (to 2020) and our relaunch in 2024 and giving us the platform and support to continue growing this amazing pickleball community. We appreciate you tremendously and look forward to continuing this partnership for years to come.

To Aiken Pickleball, Inc., thank you as well for your partnership and support throughout our league journey. We sincerely wish each of you the very best in all that lies ahead individually and beyond moving forward.

To every Captain of the APL, thank you for stepping up, building teams, encouraging your players, and helping matches run as smoothly as possible week after week. Your leadership, time, and dedication have been invaluable, and without you, none of this would have been possible.

And to all of our players, thank you for showing up, competing hard, supporting one another, and bringing such great energy to the courts each week. Whether you were a seasoned player or brand new to league play, you helped make this season meaningful and memorable.

We are especially excited to see so many new players frequenting the OW-VA outdoor courts and expressing interest in joining the league next season, along with many current players eager to come back. That excitement and enthusiasm says so much about the incredible community being built here in Aiken.

Please continue to stay connected and follow updates regarding the APL Program on Facebook at "Aiken Pickleball League" or on TeamReach: Aiken Pickleball League (Code: DinkWithMe777). For any questions or inquiries, please contact the APL Staff at [email protected].

To all participants who confirmed attendance for the End of Season Party, we cannot wait to celebrate with you and close out this wonderful season together. To everyone else, thank you again for being part of the APL family. Have a fun, safe, and blessed summer, and we’ll see you back out on the courts soon!