“Pickleball is fun, social and what players love most about the sport is they can play for 1-2 hours with friends and family, and no matter their skill level, everyone has a great time and gets healthy exercise.”
Dawn attended college with a scholarship in basketball. She was Head Coach for the College Basketball Team and has been coaching adults and youth in multiple sports for the past 35 years.
Dawn is a Level II Instructor and recent winner of a Gold Medal in Women’s Doubles in Cobourg and a Bronze winner for Mixed Doubles in Midland. She also played Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Women’s Singles at the 2022 Canadian Pickleball Nationals.
As Head Coach of Pickleball Cozumel, Dawn’s goal is to teach you the techniques you need to succeed at the game of Pickleball while at the same time enjoying yourself and having fun. Her keen eye and unique approach make mastering your sport enjoyable and almost effortless!
Sasha came to Cozumel in the mid 90’s for the amazing dive. Then moved to the Island 8 years ago for all things above water, including his golf addiction! (And don’t even get him started on the Dodgers and Lakers!) Now he has become bitten by the Pickleball bug!
He has become an enthusiast and student of the game and plans to spend his final days playing and instructing Pepinillo Pelote.
I arrived in Cozumel from California in 1990. My career in California was as a contractor building custom homes in the San Luis Obispo area. I began my career in tourism working with Sand Dollar Sports in 1990. We have grown from a company of 12 employees to over 100 as of today. There have been periods with over 150 employees but post pandemic we have settled back down to our current number. Water Sports, Diving and Dive Certifications have been our mainstay over the decades we have in business.
In 2013 I bought out my partner and took over Sunset Restaurant and Bar. In 2017 I put together a group of “like minded” marine biologists and dive instructors to create Cozumel’s first “REEF RESTORATION” program. I have played with and sponsored many local sports teams over the years basketball, volleyball, swimming, golf, and triathlon. I participated for 10 years and trained at an elite level in triathlon, competing in 3 world championships. Open water swimming, cycling and pickleball are my current interests.
Scott has lived on the Island since 1998. As Scott being the entrepreneur he is..Scott designed and built “El Golfito”, an all-natural design 18 hole miniature golf course in Cozumel. One night as he was watching tv a show called the “Amazing Race” was on…Wow he said to himself what a great idea and to this day “The Amazing Cozumel Race”, was created! It’s a downtown walking scavenger hunt on steroids. Venue explores various local art and businesses.
Mayan heritage and more, replete with an award ceremony with medals and a balloon drop at a local waterfront restaurant. Scott was an avid golfer but since there was no golf on the Island he had to find something else to do. Scott says..“Pickleball is a great sport to transition to as we get a little less mobile. It’s as much a social event as it is nice, moderate exercise. Fantastic people and fun.”
I have loved sports, and got hooked in the 1980’s on racquetball! Have played with my Chicago suburban friends for years. As we were aging, one of our group who had moved to Arizona introduced us to pickleball. We all came to the conclusion that it was an awesome new sport.
We soon started playing wherever we could, which was mostly tennis courts chalked with pickleball lines, and letting down the net!! Having a second home in Cozumel since 2000, I thought it would be fun to play here!! Talked our friend Scott H into chalking the tennis court at his condo complex, and were immediately chastised by the tennis Nazis!! Thus started our fun on the island. Scott has been greatly instrumental in encouraging pickleball here. Love, Love, Love all of the new friends who have joined the sport here, and looking forward to more playing. PS: I am probably the elder statesman/woman of the group (except for Sasha!)
Tim was raised in Colorado where he played baseball and earned a wrestling scholarship to attend college. Injuries kept him from actively competing; instead however, he focused on earning certification as an Athletic Trainer in the care and treatment of athletic injuries. He furthered his training with the Denver Bronco outreach program. Following college, Tim was a teacher and coach of various sports and was a Head High School Wrestling Coach for over 23 years.
He utilized his athletic training skills for other sports. Tim moved to western Colorado in 1994 and was exposed to Pickleball at his new job as Town Planner. “We would tape off a spot in the public works garage and play garbage Pickleball, but I really wanted to play on a real court.” Unfortunately there were none in the small town where he lived. After retiring to live in Cozumel part time in 2018, Tim heard about this Pickleball group that played 3 times a week. He quickly signed up and has been playing as much as possible. “I can’t wait to play Pickleball and I love to bring others into the sport. It can be addictive especially when it’s great exercise and tons of fun.”
I went to the University of South Carolina on a swimming scholarship in 1966 and received a BS in Education in 1970. I taught school for a year before joining the family business the HW Rountrees Luggage Co that started in 1875.
I worked for over 40 years before I retired in 2016. My wife and I Purchased our first condo in 2012 and a second one we rent in 2020. We now live full time in Cozumel. I enjoy playing pickleball and all the friends I have made.
When I was a child, my mother loved the game of tennis and "forced" me to play as her opponent. My father was a semi-professional golfer with a 30 handicap. He insisted that I learn the game and caddie for him as I received his "expert" advice on the game of golf. I joined the US military at age seventeen. There I spent my years participating in daily Physical Training (PT), which included running 5 miles each day in full gear.
One of the military base commanders loved the game of racquetball and insisted that I learn the game and let him win, and then I could skip PT. This was a unique challenge for me. At some point my racquetball skills were greater than the commanders and I won a match. At that point, it was back to PT for me. Although, I was hooked on the sport. I retired and we moved to Cozumel. My new neighbor Bill told me about an up-and-coming sport called Pickleball.
The first time I played I found it fun, great comradery, and this pickle ball group keeps it very entertaining. Sports are an intricate part of my retired life and although I still love playing golf, tennis, and racket ball, Pickleball rules! Thanks Mom, Dad, Gen. Kohler, Bill and PICKLEBALL COZUMEL!!!
Linda played competitive tennis for 44 years competing in Provincials and Nationals. In 2005 she played in Perth Australia for team Canada in the over 50 category. Due to a shoulder injury Linda was finding it tough on the body to keep playing tennis. Serving was just too hard on the shoulder! Linda heard about Pickleball and thought to herself well I’m 70 years old do you really think I should learn a new sport!
Why not she said to herself it seems to be the in thing! I’ll go and try it! Well that’s all she needed! The bug set in! Linda started playing Pickleball in January of 2022 and she is addicted to its fast pace and smaller court.....Linda says it is definitely easier to pick up and more forgiving on the body! Linda won gold this summer in the Cobourg Pickleball Tournament!
Born in the US but raised in Colombia, I played competitive tennis as a teenager and a couple of National championships paved the way for a tennis scholarship at the Univ of Texas where I graduated as an Architect. After tennis I became a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, I competed in Texas and was also an assistant Instructor. Worked for DFW Airport as an Architectural Project Manager for 11 years until I traveled to Cozumel for a dive vacation and fell in love with the island, started coming regularly until I found an architecture job and permanently moved in 1995. One thing led to another, and I ended up opening a Dive Shop – Deep Blue – in 1996 and have been running it ever since. I have a son 22 years old, and designed and built my dream home, so Cozumel is home. I was super happy to come across this awesome Pickleball Cozumel Club last summer and have been loving learning this new sport and meeting Dawn and Sasha who do an amazing job organizing everything, and all the wonderful people that participate in it, from locals, tourists, and snowbirds alike. I’m hooked!!!
I was born and raised in the Czech Republic. I was brought up to sports from a very young age. As a very young child I started with football and at the age of 10 I discovered the sport of fast swimming with fins. I practiced this sport for 8 years in which I reached the highest level in the whole Czech Republic several times. At the age of 25 I received an invitation from my sister to visit and work in Cozumel. My sister was certified as a diving instructor there and I was supposed to do the same. Unfortunately, my health problems prevented me from doing so and I started working at the El Cid Hotel, where after 16 years as a marketing and travel office manager I quit and started my own business. From the first moment I was charmed by Cozumel so much that I got married and started a family here. Dominik and Daniel are also very sporty. I played tennis and squash recreationally in Cozumel. I also managed to complete the full Iron man race 2 times and the half Ironman 4 times. In June 2023 meanwhile walking dogs at the park met Sasha and he invited our whole family to try Pickleball. We immediately fell in love with the game. Thank you, Dawn and Sasha, for introducing us to this game and for welcoming us into the Pickleball family.
Dawn attended college with a scholarship in basketball. She was Head Coach for the College Basketball Team and has been coaching adults and youth in multiple sports for the past 35 years.
Dawn is a Level II Instructor and recent winner of a Gold Medal in Women’s Doubles in Cobourg and a Bronze winner for Mixed Doubles in Midland. She also played Mixed Doubles, Women’s Doubles and Women’s Singles at the 2022 Canadian Pickleball Nationals.
As Head Coach of Pickleball Cozumel, Dawn’s goal is to teach you the techniques you need to succeed at the game of Pickleball while at the same time enjoying yourself and having fun. Her keen eye and unique approach make mastering your sport enjoyable and almost effortless!
Sasha came to Cozumel in the mid 90’s for the amazing dive. Then moved to the Island 8 years ago for all things above water, including his golf addiction! (And don’t even get him started on the Dodgers and Lakers!) Now he has become bitten by the Pickleball bug!
He has become an enthusiast and student of the game and plans to spend his final days playing and instructing Pepinillo Pelote.
I arrived in Cozumel from California in 1990. My career in California was as a contractor building custom homes in the San Luis Obispo area. I began my career in tourism working with Sand Dollar Sports in 1990. We have grown from a company of 12 employees to over 100 as of today. There have been periods with over 150 employees but post pandemic we have settled back down to our current number. Water Sports, Diving and Dive Certifications have been our mainstay over the decades we have in business.
In 2013 I bought out my partner and took over Sunset Restaurant and Bar. In 2017 I put together a group of “like minded” marine biologists and dive instructors to create Cozumel’s first “REEF RESTORATION” program. I have played with and sponsored many local sports teams over the years basketball, volleyball, swimming, golf, and triathlon. I participated for 10 years and trained at an elite level in triathlon, competing in 3 world championships. Open water swimming, cycling and pickleball are my current interests.
Scott has lived on the Island since 1998. As Scott being the entrepreneur he is..Scott designed and built “El Golfito”, an all-natural design 18 hole miniature golf course in Cozumel. One night as he was watching tv a show called the “Amazing Race” was on…Wow he said to himself what a great idea and to this day “The Amazing Cozumel Race”, was created! It’s a downtown walking scavenger hunt on steroids. Venue explores various local art and businesses.
Mayan heritage and more, replete with an award ceremony with medals and a balloon drop at a local waterfront restaurant. Scott was an avid golfer but since there was no golf on the Island he had to find something else to do. Scott says..“Pickleball is a great sport to transition to as we get a little less mobile. It’s as much a social event as it is nice, moderate exercise. Fantastic people and fun.”
I have loved sports, and got hooked in the 1980’s on racquetball! Have played with my Chicago suburban friends for years. As we were aging, one of our group who had moved to Arizona introduced us to pickleball. We all came to the conclusion that it was an awesome new sport.
We soon started playing wherever we could, which was mostly tennis courts chalked with pickleball lines, and letting down the net!! Having a second home in Cozumel since 2000, I thought it would be fun to play here!! Talked our friend Scott H into chalking the tennis court at his condo complex, and were immediately chastised by the tennis Nazis!! Thus started our fun on the island. Scott has been greatly instrumental in encouraging pickleball here. Love, Love, Love all of the new friends who have joined the sport here, and looking forward to more playing. PS: I am probably the elder statesman/woman of the group (except for Sasha!)
Tim was raised in Colorado where he played baseball and earned a wrestling scholarship to attend college. Injuries kept him from actively competing; instead however, he focused on earning certification as an Athletic Trainer in the care and treatment of athletic injuries. He furthered his training with the Denver Bronco outreach program. Following college, Tim was a teacher and coach of various sports and was a Head High School Wrestling Coach for over 23 years.
He utilized his athletic training skills for other sports. Tim moved to western Colorado in 1994 and was exposed to Pickleball at his new job as Town Planner. “We would tape off a spot in the public works garage and play garbage Pickleball, but I really wanted to play on a real court.” Unfortunately there were none in the small town where he lived. After retiring to live in Cozumel part time in 2018, Tim heard about this Pickleball group that played 3 times a week. He quickly signed up and has been playing as much as possible. “I can’t wait to play Pickleball and I love to bring others into the sport. It can be addictive especially when it’s great exercise and tons of fun.”
I went to the University of South Carolina on a swimming scholarship in 1966 and received a BS in Education in 1970. I taught school for a year before joining the family business the HW Rountrees Luggage Co that started in 1875.
I worked for over 40 years before I retired in 2016. My wife and I Purchased our first condo in 2012 and a second one we rent in 2020. We now live full time in Cozumel. I enjoy playing pickleball and all the friends I have made.
When I was a child, my mother loved the game of tennis and "forced" me to play as her opponent. My father was a semi-professional golfer with a 30 handicap. He insisted that I learn the game and caddie for him as I received his "expert" advice on the game of golf. I joined the US military at age seventeen. There I spent my years participating in daily Physical Training (PT), which included running 5 miles each day in full gear.
One of the military base commanders loved the game of racquetball and insisted that I learn the game and let him win, and then I could skip PT. This was a unique challenge for me. At some point my racquetball skills were greater than the commanders and I won a match. At that point, it was back to PT for me. Although, I was hooked on the sport. I retired and we moved to Cozumel. My new neighbor Bill told me about an up-and-coming sport called Pickleball.
The first time I played I found it fun, great comradery, and this pickle ball group keeps it very entertaining. Sports are an intricate part of my retired life and although I still love playing golf, tennis, and racket ball, Pickleball rules! Thanks Mom, Dad, Gen. Kohler, Bill and PICKLEBALL COZUMEL!!!
Linda played competitive tennis for 44 years competing in Provincials and Nationals. In 2005 she played in Perth Australia for team Canada in the over 50 category. Due to a shoulder injury Linda was finding it tough on the body to keep playing tennis. Serving was just too hard on the shoulder! Linda heard about Pickleball and thought to herself well I’m 70 years old do you really think I should learn a new sport!
Why not she said to herself it seems to be the in thing! I’ll go and try it! Well that’s all she needed! The bug set in! Linda started playing Pickleball in January of 2022 and she is addicted to its fast pace and smaller court.....Linda says it is definitely easier to pick up and more forgiving on the body! Linda won gold this summer in the Cobourg Pickleball Tournament!
Born in the US but raised in Colombia, I played competitive tennis as a teenager and a couple of National championships paved the way for a tennis scholarship at the Univ of Texas where I graduated as an Architect. After tennis I became a black belt in Tae-Kwon-Do, I competed in Texas and was also an assistant Instructor. Worked for DFW Airport as an Architectural Project Manager for 11 years until I traveled to Cozumel for a dive vacation and fell in love with the island, started coming regularly until I found an architecture job and permanently moved in 1995. One thing led to another, and I ended up opening a Dive Shop – Deep Blue – in 1996 and have been running it ever since. I have a son 22 years old, and designed and built my dream home, so Cozumel is home. I was super happy to come across this awesome Pickleball Cozumel Club last summer and have been loving learning this new sport and meeting Dawn and Sasha who do an amazing job organizing everything, and all the wonderful people that participate in it, from locals, tourists, and snowbirds alike. I’m hooked!!!
I was born and raised in the Czech Republic. I was brought up to sports from a very young age. As a very young child I started with football and at the age of 10 I discovered the sport of fast swimming with fins. I practiced this sport for 8 years in which I reached the highest level in the whole Czech Republic several times. At the age of 25 I received an invitation from my sister to visit and work in Cozumel. My sister was certified as a diving instructor there and I was supposed to do the same. Unfortunately, my health problems prevented me from doing so and I started working at the El Cid Hotel, where after 16 years as a marketing and travel office manager I quit and started my own business. From the first moment I was charmed by Cozumel so much that I got married and started a family here. Dominik and Daniel are also very sporty. I played tennis and squash recreationally in Cozumel. I also managed to complete the full Iron man race 2 times and the half Ironman 4 times. In June 2023 meanwhile walking dogs at the park met Sasha and he invited our whole family to try Pickleball. We immediately fell in love with the game. Thank you, Dawn and Sasha, for introducing us to this game and for welcoming us into the Pickleball family.
