Inside look at the RT.12 Community

If you spend enough time around the courts at RT.12 Pickle, you’ll likely hear them before you see them. Laughter, friendly trash talk, maybe even a debate about whether a “drive drop” is a real shot, that’s usually the sign that the Figueras siblings are in the building. Ali, Caryn, and Matt have become familiar faces at RT.12, and in case you didn’t know, there’s also a fourth sibling, Andrea! Whether they’re competing in league play, jumping into open games, or showing up

When Christine Foley first picked up a pickleball paddle two years ago, she wasn’t searching for medals—she was searching for healing. “My story’s kind of sad,” she shared. “My husband passed away, and I was worried about what I was going to do in the winter. I needed something to do.” A close friend suggested pickleball, and Christine found herself with the “Plantation Street group” in Worcester, shoveling snow and ice just to get games in. “We were shoveling courts because

For Michael Nguyen, pickleball began as something simple — a way to unwind after long workdays. He’d grown up playing racquet sports and kept that passion alive through college, but it was discovering the courts at Chauncy Lake that changed everything. “I played a tournament and I won in the tournament — and that was in just a three‑month time frame,” Michael recalled. “The coach who taught me, inspired me. That’s when I realized I really wanted to continue my journey and car

How Their Pickleball Stories Began What began as a casual conversation quickly unfolded into a deeply personal and inspiring dialogue about their journeys into pickleball, their connection to RT.12, and the meaningful ways the sport has shaped their lives both on and off the court. Meet Carolyn and Coach Suzanne Though they’ve been playing for different lengths of time, their passion matches perfectly. Carolyn discovered pickleball just a year ago and instantly felt at home a

Joe stumbled upon pickleball two and a half years ago, and not only is he still obsessed with it—he’s coaching it. Joe’s no stranger to coaching. Before pickleball, he spent 15 years coaching baseball (plus a little football, basketball, and tennis). His advice for every player: drill, drill, drill. “If you’re going to play for an hour and a half, drill for a half hour first,” he says. “That’s how you master your technique.” Sounds like solid advice from someone who walks the

Twins Lisa and Linda — who just so happen to be Coach Joe’s sisters — have been part of RT.12 Pickle for about a year and a half, while twins Vanessa and Veronica joined us just under a year ago. Around this time last year, Vanessa and Veronica took their very first intro-to-pickleball course with Joe and quickly dove into more classes. Motivated by Joe’s challenge to “get better so you can play with my twin sisters,” they quickly became regulars — hitting the courts nearly e

Pickleball may be one of America’s fastest-growing sports, but for Julie Graham, it’s also a story of reinvention and community. As a founding coach at RT.12 Pickle, Julie recently sat down with fellow coach Steve DiPietro and shared her journey and insights. Her story offers a window into the sport’s explosive growth and the personal transformations it inspires. Julie’s introduction to pickleball came at a turning point in her life. In July 2020, she retired abruptly during

This month, Director of Coaching Ted Kosciak sat down with Carmin Szynal, a dedicated RT.12 member whose passion for sport and community shines both on and off the court. Born and raised in Auburn, MA, Carmin’s academic journey is as impressive as her athletic one. After graduating from Holy Name, she earned her undergraduate degree in biology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in New York, followed by a master’s from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and most rec

Jeff Cammuso began his pickleball journey at RT.12 Pickle in mid-January, quickly becoming captivated by the club’s energetic and welcoming community. From the start, he was struck by the generosity of local businesses supporting both the facility and a range of charitable causes. “These companies are generous people and individuals that everyone would want to socialize with and compete with,” Jeff shared. Beyond pickleball, Jeff himself is deeply involved in charitable work

Chuck Arnold and Janet Johnson are two standout coaches at RT.12 Pickle, recognized for their unique dual coaching approach. With Janet having played pickleball for about five years and Chuck for three, both transitioned into coaching after earning their PPR certifications a year ago. Their shared backgrounds as school teachers and competitive tennis players naturally led them to coaching, combining their love for teaching with their passion for the game. As Chuck puts it, “i

Kevin Wentzell, also known as Chief, leads the Corridor 9 pickleball group, which consists of about 60 players from the boroughs and has been active for around three years. When maintaining the outdoor courts became too challenging, Kevin stepped up to lead the group and transitioned their play to indoor courts. Kevin’s pickleball journey began just before his retirement in 2016. A lifelong athlete, he played football, basketball, and baseball in his youth before dedicating o