Pickleball Makes Mexican Connection

Bill Nellis

Bill Nellis took the scenic route to playing pickleball in Tellico Village. Nellis, formerly of Baja, California, retired in the small central highlands tourist community of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. There, “a fellow named Gordon, from Australia, introduced us to pickleball,” Nellis said. “We have a small group of players and have grown to love the game.”

Several months ago Nellis—who once lived in Knoxville for two years and still had friends here—began planning a two-month vacation to our area. One of the first things he did was to seek out a place to play pickleball. A quick Google search turned up one hit: the Tellico Village Pickleball Club. Following an exchange of emails and telephone conversations with Steve LaPilla (the Pickleball Club’s webmaster) and Dan Dyer (the club’s president), Nellis learned that he had to reside in the Village in order to play here. Undaunted, he obtained a two-month rental in the Village and is now enjoying the Village club and its facilities.

Nellis noted that he plays in a competitive but friendly game in Mexico and was glad to find it the same way here. “Your facilities are unbelievable,” he stated, “and I’m pleased that everyone is so congenial.”

For more information about the Tellico Village Pickleball Club, visit their website.