Mark Friedenberg is one of the United States of America Pickleball Association’s top ranked pickleball doubles players in Washington State. In addition, he is the top singles and doubles player for his age group in the state. Although it might be because of his age and physical stature his tournament partners and opponents call him Yoda or the "Ancient Master." When it comes to pickleball he is the most knowledgeable player to have ever played the game. He always brings with him a bag of tricks, of which many are exposed in this book.

His life constantly revolves around sports. He’s a "gym rat!" Besides pickleball, he has played baseball, basketball, football, racquetball, softball, tennis and table tennis. And even has several years of coaching experience with the local Little League and Boys and Girls Club chapters.

He has written a book, which is well organized, very entertaining, easy to read and understand, and it contains lots of great pictures that teach you the fundamentals and winning strategies of pickleball. The book is designed for all levels of play, from the beginner up through the best players in the game.

Pickleball, created in 1965, is a relatively new sport. It is well known throughout the Pacific Northwest and is rapidly gaining in popularity throughout the United States and even the world.

Very little has been written on the subject of pickleball. So, I have written a book designed for all levels of play – from the person who knows absolutely nothing about pickleball up to the best players in the game who want to improve upon their skills and learn new tricks. It details the basic fundamental skills and winning strategies of the game. All my experiences have gone into writing this book. It is loaded with excellent instruction, pictures and advice. I’m also including a chapter "exposing" the secrets of the master players too!

This game is filled with excitement! The challenge of returning an overhead smash back into my opponent’s court (although it makes my partners very nervous). The sight of my opponent cringing as my spin shot causes his return to drop into the net. The dodging of a "bullet" as my opponent’s drive shot just misses me and flies out of bounds. The smashing volleys that go back and forth over the net several times. The enjoyment of watching my opponent gasping for breath and in a pool of sweat as he chases down my shots that take him from one side of the court to the other. I love this game!

I believe that pickleball will become as popular as tennis. But it will require a concentrated effort to promote this sport. I can’t do it alone! Your help is needed to spread the word about this fun and exciting game. Conduct pickleball demonstrations, clinics, camps and tournaments throughout the United States. No – throughout the world! Most countries play tennis. So why not pickleball? Corporation sponsorship (i.e., money and prizes) of tournaments is vitally needed. It would provide the "carrot" or incentive to bring together the best players around the world.

I foresee that pickleball, like tennis, will develop a worldwide following. You will see national and worldwide tournament play. Pickleball will become an Olympic and a professional sport. Progress has been made! Pickleball has become an event in several Statewide Senior Olympic programs throughout the United States. The Senior Nationals is another great place to showcase pickleball. It’s just a matter of time before the sport takes off! This game is just too exciting to be left out of the action.

A wealth of information can also be viewed on the USAPA website.

If you have any pickleball questions or concerns please contact me at apbmaster@aol.com or 425-299-7449.

Hope to hear from you soon.