Pickleball Rocks, the world’s largest pickleball apparel company and one of the most influential supporters of pickleball in many ways, recently announced its 2018 Male & Female Player of the year.  And, we are very proud to learn that the male player is Idaho’s own Dick Johnson.  This is especially significant, because this outstanding award has historically been awarded to great, young Professional players.  And, similar to earlier this year, when Dick received the prestigious 2018 “Personal Best Award” from the National Senior Games, this recent award from Pickleball Rocks is a recognition, not only of Dick’s outstanding major tournament successes, but also of his character and service in many other ways.  On his personal side, Dick has told me he feels really good that these awards are a nice recognition, not just to him, but, to all the “regular people,” and the older people in pickleball nation, both players and non players, who love our wonderful sport and contribute so much to it.
I know that Dick & Lawana continue to promote our Idaho pickleball story to their many friends & contacts around the world.  Personally, I take some pride in hearing about them frequently telling people about our great players and pickleball projects and progress in Idaho…and, that they took some of their very first pickleball lessons from me on the courts in Donnoly only 5 years ago!  I got to know the Johnsons even better when they worked so hard on our very first Hobble Creek Project Committee.
As you will read below, like young professional, Lucy Kovalova, the 2018 Female Player of the Year, Dick won 3 Golds at Nationals in Indian Wells.  He also again won Gold last year at the US Open and 2 Golds at the SSIPA Worlds, and again repeated as the top SSIPA Male Points Winner for his age group.  In just 5 years, he’s completed the “Grand Slam” by winning Golds in all the majors for seniors.  Additionally, he’s medaled, mostly Golds in those majors, for 4 consecutive years (US Open, Nationals, National Senior Games, State Games of America, Huntsman World Senior Games, and the SSIPA Worlds.
Click below to read about the awards given to Dick and Lucy:
http://pickleballrocks.com/2019/01/2018-pickleball-rocks-player-of-the-year-announced/
Dick is now just 2 weeks into his recovery from his second knee operation in 4 years (that is just 3 months after his broken nose and 9 head stitches from a fall in the Gold Singles match at Huntsman!)   Let’s all wish him “CONGRATULATIONS!” and a speedy recovery,

Carson Spencer