Bet you didn’t know that SCPA has a Junior Olympian among our members! Rick Garcia took first place in a Junior Olympics diving competition at age 12. He went on to earn a gymnastics scholarship to Colorado State University, where he competed in vaulting, trampoline, and floor exercise. He could even do a double back flip!
A Summit County resident for more than 30 years, Rick retired a few years ago as Keystone’s Emergency Services Manager, as well as a Lieutenant in the Snake River/Lake Dillon Fire Department. He lives in Silverthorne’s Eagles Nest neighborhood with his wife Gretchen.
Rick got a glimpse of pickleball drop-in play while working out at the Silverthorne Rec Center and thought, “Wow, what a fun sport.” He started playing with us in 2017, improving quickly given experience in ping pong and tennis (photo at left is from 1971).
This month Rick is playing men’s doubles in his first tournament, the Colorado Open. He plays pickleball with a delightful exuberance.