Written by:  Doc Savarese                                         Drawing by:  Peter Copen

If the Oakmont Pickleball Club were to have an ambassador who promotes the game and communicates to potential and active club members regarding club information, Peter Schmidt would be the perfect choice.  His diplomacy skills and knowledge of Oakmont Village is second to none.  He is an excellent resource in providing assistance and support to club members.  As a licensed Real Estate Agent for McBride Reality, Peter has an excellent awareness of all the amenities in Oakmont Village.  Peter stated during the interview that the real estate busines affords him the opportunity to stay active professionally, meet interesting people and promote the life style opportunities here in Oakmont.  He particularly loves taking people on an Oakmont tour (even if you already own a home here), which always includes a visit to the pickleball courts. Many of his former clients attribute their involvement in the game to Peter’s introduction.

Peter and his wife, Maggie (our current Oakmont Pickleball Club President) moved here in 2015 from Palm Desert.  Prior to living in the desert, they lived in San Francisco for 18 years.  It wouldn’t take much convincing to have Peter take you on a guided tour of San Francisco. Having done so, I can attest to being introduced to places I didn’t even know existed. Peter and Maggie love the natural beauty of living in Oakmont (not to mention the various wineries).  Settling in Oakmont, Peter has pursued his outdoor interests, enjoying many recreational activities such as, swimming, bicycling, golfing and hiking.  He considers Oakmont a perfect choice to build upon social relations which has always been a high priority in his life. His excellent social skills coupled with pragmatic attributes contributes to him being an excellent resource as a support person.  

Through social connections, Peter was introduced to Pickleball by none other than Noel Lyons and Jackie Kennedy.  He was immediately attracted to the game because it was, “easy to learn, very social and a lot of fun”.  His wife, Maggie, also took to the game which they now enjoy together.  My first encounter with Peter was on the pickleball court where I was amused by his passion for the game.  At times, I found him to be a little too exuberant where I observed him  falling down while going for a difficult shot.

Recent hip surgery, has taught Peter to balance safety with passion.  He no longer goes for difficult shots and has even learned how to say, “Nice shot.”  My concluding question to Peter was asking him what he has learned from life.  He stated that he loves living in Oakmont however, he is concerned about wild fires and has implemented precautions such as getting solar panels and a power wall.  In conclusion, I’m including the following quotations which best reflect his attitude toward life :

• It’s ok to talk to yourself.  There are times that you need expert advice.
• You don’t need anger management, you need people to stop pissing you off.
• The biggest lie that you tell yourself is that you don’t need to write it down, I’ll remember it.
• Aging has slowed you down, but it hasn’t shut you up.
• One for the road means peeing before you leave the house.

New Player Orientation:  Arrangements can be made by contacting Nancy Lande at 978-2998 to schedule a session.

Demo Loaner Paddles  are available to check out by contacting Doc Savarese at 707-349-9065 (it’s been reported that Doc doesn’t always answer his phone so feel free to leave a message).