Pickleball at Silveridge

A Conversation with Club President Mike Savre

“A day without pickleball wouldn’t kill me.

But why risk it?”

That quote is from a poster promoting the game, and if you can identify with that spirit, you’ll be pleased to know that pickleball at Silveridge is PLAY ON, even with the pandemic.

We visited with Mike Savre, President of the Silveridge Pickleball Club, and learned about the comprehensive plan to keep everyone safe while keeping the courts in use. You can read the complete plan at the club’s thoroughly informative website, www.silveridgepickleball.com. The plan’s key provisions are intended to reduce crowds around the courts – a court reservation (made on the website) is required, and players from outside the park are not permitted. Plus, there are rules about players bringing their own pickleballs and maintaining social distance, and a host of other strategies to minimize risk.

The Club website’s homepage at www.silveridgepickleball.com

We asked Mike what reaction he’s getting to the new safety protocol: “We have spent a lot of time working on a plan and just put it out there. We have had positive feedback from the few who have weighed in thus far but I’d have to say the jury is still out. The leadership does appreciate that given our 230+ membership we will likely have 230+ opinions about the seriousness of the threat posed by the pandemic. We’ve tried to come up with a compromise that will allow as many as possible to play pickleball with some degree of confidence. The main thing I wish to emphasize is this:

Please remember that everyone has a different comfort level when it comes to Covid-19. We all need to respect the views of others whether we share their views or not.”

If that happens, the Club is hopeful many will feel comfortable participating in the action happening on the pickleball courts. There will still be all-play time, round-robin play, and for those who are residents but not club members: open-play. And new players will still be welcome, including classes for beginners and intermediates taught by other members, although the number of participants per class will likely be reduced. (At the present time, there will not be advanced lessons offered because that would entail bringing in outside instructors.)

As for those considering taking up pickleball, Mike likes the odds of pickleball winning you over. He’s only been an avid player for one full season, but already appreciates that “It can be as challenging as you would like, but I think the best part is the social aspect. You are constantly playing with and against different people. It is a great way to make friends with others from the park.” And, “the thing I hear all the time about pickleball at Silveridge is that everyone is welcome and you feel at home right from the start.”

MEET MIKE SAVRE

We took the opportunity to find out more about Mike and we’re glad we did. We spoke by phone just ahead of his return to Silveridge. He was in Minnesota, where he’s spent most of his life, and noted, “I’m looking out the window at an earlier than usual snowfall. We’re expecting 4 to 5 inches today.”

While last season was the first full winter as residents for Mike and his wife, Jann, they’ve been coming to Silveridge for nearly three decades to visit Mike’s folks, Bob and Avis. You might know Bob from the golf league that he leads or Avis from her days as a leader of the hiking club.

Mike and Jann have a son and a daughter who both have strong connections with the sport of cycling. Their son, Tim, is an accountant in the Twin Cities who competes nationally at the professional level. Their daughter, Lisa, a professor of psychology in North Carolina, is married to Matthew Busche, twice the U.S. Professional Road Race Champion and a finisher of three European grand tours, including the Tour de France. Lisa and Matthew have two boys.

(PHOTO: Mike hiking at the Aravaipa Canyon last February)

Jann had a career as an educator and Mike spent a good portion of his legal career as a district court judge. He was chambered in McLeod County, Minnesota and served a seven county area that included nearly a million residents. As we briefly chatted about the complexities of a career on the bench, Mike confided that,

“Every day was unique. The months and years flew by. Every day provided an opportunity to make a positive impact on at least one person’s life. When people come to court, they are often at a low point. I could make it worse or I could start them on the road to making their life better. For example, before proceeding with a contentious family law matter, I’d often ask if I could visit with the parties without the lawyers present. I often had success diffusing the situation and cajoling the parties to work with me to find a solution they could both live with. Once, walking to my car, I saw a couple who’d just left my courtroom warmly embrace each other in the parking lot before heading separate directions. Moments like that are what made the job special.”

AROUND THE PARK: AN UPDATE

The head of the park’s management company, George Igault, passed along this update on the park:

“I’m delighted to report that the in-house television channel is up and running. We’ll be able to use it for park information – for instance, if we need to turn the water off for repairs we can put up a notice and updates – and it will be available for notices about events. Also, if you have info or photos for your club you’d like to share on the Silveridge channel, just let Activities know.

And while the record heat this summer delayed us, the winter grass is up and we’re now putting in all the winter flowers. You’ll also notice that the artist who did the designs for the front gates has been back to do a refresh of his designs. I hope you’ll find the park in great shape for the new season.”