| USSP MEMBER NEWSLETTER
OCT. 2025 / Vol. 012 |
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2025 USSP National Championships presented by Humana - a Historic Event for USSP!
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From Dec. 5-8, nearly 1,000 players came to the beautiful Pictona at Holly Hill facility in Daytona Beach, FL, expecting four sunny days of pickleball competition. Mother Nature had other plans, but the rain that forced a majority of matches off the outdoor courts did not stop the hard-working tournament ops team, Pictona volunteers, and players from having an incredible week. All brackets and matches still got played in spite of the rain - 2,382 matches to be exact!
Here's a look at the locations the tournament players came from, their ages, and the fun they were having! |
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Prior to the National Championships at Pictona, about 130 people attended the Pickleball Mindset Pro Demo event hosted by Dayne Gingrich and Jill Martin, which was full of interesting and useful tips and takeaways about ways to reframe your mental game.
We felt very fortunate to have Dayne and Jill come to share their valuable approach with us! |
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Our 2026 tournament calendar is nearly complete. We'll be holding our 2026 National Championships at Palm Creek Resort in Casa Grande, AZ in Dec. 2026, and we'll hold over a dozen Regional and Zone Championships leading up to Nationals.
Non-USSP members can play in USSP Regional Championships but players must be USSP members to play in the USSP Zone Championships and the USSP National Championships.
Medalists at Zone Championships will receive first priority to register for Nationals, medalists at Regional Championships will receive second priority to register for Nationals; after that; registration for Nationals will be open to all USSP members. |
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2025 Humana/USSP Senior Brand Ambassador Grassroots Program Highlights |
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The Humana/USSP Senior Brand Ambassador program had a phenomenal year! More than 400 Humana/USSP Senior Brand Ambassador Grassroots events were held between January and December 2025. These included events such as weekly discounted senior open play, "Learn Pickleball for Free" events, senior skill-level round-robins, and senior dedicated drilling sessions. - 22 states held Grassroots Ambassador-led events or USSP tournaments.
- These events gave recreational pickleball players a fun, healthy, and affordable way to socialize with other senior players and form new friendships in their local communities.
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More than 8,000 participants took part in the grassroots events.
- In addition to wonderful free and discounted senior pickleball local programs, many participants were able to form lasting relationships with local Humana representatives who were present at the events.
Thank you to our sponsor Humana for making all of these events possible! |
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| Player Spotlight - Susie Biely
From Tennis to Pickleball Passion |
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When Susie Biely had to give up tennis at age 49 due to a knee injury, she wasn’t just missing the sport, she missed the friendships and the active lifestyle it gave her. For years, she felt the void. But at 62, she discovered pickleball, and everything changed.
Now eight years into her pickleball journey at Robson Ranch, Susie is thriving. She credits the sport with keeping her socially connected and physically active. “You’re never too old,” she says. “Not only can you play pickleball, but it’s important to do other activities too, like walking or gym workouts, to keep your balance and avoid injury.” Susie has always been athletic, playing everything from volleyball and softball to golf and tennis. Even today, she still enjoys golfing and participates in water-based trampoline exercise classes offered at Robson Ranch. |
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Susie has always been athletic, playing everything from volleyball and softball to golf and tennis. Even today, she still enjoys golfing and participates in water-based trampoline exercise classes offered at Robson Ranch.
Her daily routine reflects her lifelong commitment to staying active. “Since my 20s, I’ve done a 30-minute workout every morning before I leave the house. My husband knows, we don’t go anywhere until I’ve finished my workout,” she laughs.
Though she’s only played in one tournament, Susie stays involved through the Apple League, a rated senior league where teams from different cities compete and winners advance to state. She’s excited to be starting a senior team this year. |
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A former USTA tennis player at levels 3.0 through 4.5, Susie admits her first challenge in pickleball was learning to stay out of the kitchen. “Tennis players run right up to the net, so that took some adjusting!”
Pickleball has brought her not only fitness and fun, but a strong community of friends. “It’s the three F’s,” she says, “fun, fitness, and friends.” And to her, one of the most important things as we age is simply being kind.
Susie’s journey into pickleball began with a suggestion from her boss at a shipping department job. “She told me, ‘You’ve got to learn pickleball.’ I’m so glad I listened!”
Whether she’s hitting a ball against the basement wall with her grandkids or out on the courts with friends, Susie’s advice for anyone hesitant to start is simple: “Just try. You’re never too old.” |
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Thank You to our Sponsors of the 2025 USSP National Championship presented by Humana:
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