It’s the height of our season, and the Burnt Store Marina Fitness, Racquet & Pool Club is buzzing with activity! Tennis and pickleball players are enjoying some friendly competition, swimmers are making waves, lifters are pumping iron, and dancers are moving to the beat.
We’re thrilled with the 2024 updates, and improvements to our facilities. Our newly resurfaced tennis and pickleball courts now boast new shade covers, a fantastic viewing area, and upgraded landscaping. Inside, we’ve installed new air conditioning, refreshed the bathrooms and front desk area, and added stylish new flooring to the exercise room. We’ve also acquired a “Beast” machine, combining the benefits of a stair stepper, elliptical trainer, and stationary bike.
Our club welcomed 169 new members in 2024, bringing our total membership to an impressive 854! A warm welcome to all our new faces. We offer equipment orientations, beginner pickleball sessions, and a friendly atmosphere fostered by our existing members. The camaraderie and exceptional staff are what I love most about this club. Everyone is so welcoming. The staff consistently goes above and beyond to connect new members with others. From the fitness room to the pool and courts, our club is filled with wonderful people and exciting events. Join the fun by playing or cheering on competitors at our court socials, pickleball tournaments, and tennis league matches.
Speaking of tennis, the BSM Racquettes are playing some fantastic games! Congratulations to Floortje Walther, Cinda Rice Brown, Mif Haas, Kelly Millar, Lori Brandt, and Beth Whitley Siebert on their sweep of the Lakeside Plantation Divas!
To better serve our growing and active membership, we have expanded our offerings with more weights, staff, and classes. Join us for new circuit training and step aerobics classes, along with seasonal line dancing. These classes are not only fun and physically challenging, but also beneficial for your mind, body, and spirit. And let’s be honest, a little friendly competition always pushes us to work a little harder!
A big thank you to Steve Hocker, Operations Committee Chairman, for his incredible time, energy, dedication, and even his grilling skills! We truly appreciate everything he does for our club.
Here’s an update from Steve: “The Operations Committee meets monthly to address operational matters. Established in 2017, the committee includes representatives from various club groups and two members of the Section 22 Board of Directors: Greg Beaton, Treasurer, and Mike Sage, Member at Large. Greg and Mike provide valuable support and guidance to the committee, and act as our liaisons with the Section 22 BOD, keeping them informed of our challenges, particularly regarding overcrowding.”
We’re all eagerly anticipating the addition of more pickleball courts, an expanded fitness center, and increased parking. Here’s the latest on these priorities.
As Section 22 BOD President Mike McFeeley noted in his year-end update, “We began the year with 18 financial priorities. Due to rising prices and labor shortages, we couldn’t achieve all of them. In the coming year, we will discuss several large projects requiring approval and funding.”
While we await final approvals and timelines, we’re pleased to share that our requests have been heard! The three projects directly impacting the fitness club are two new pickleball courts, fitness center expansion, and additional parking.
Due to the club’s overwhelming popularity, we’re implementing new attendance guidelines. We use the Court Reserve app for sign-ups for round robins, socials, and classes. At this time of year, sessions are so popular that many members end up on waitlists. It’s not fair to those on the waitlist if registered members don’t show up.
Our new policy for Pickleball Round Robin is that if members are not present 10 minutes before the start time, their spots will be given to those waiting. If you’ve signed up on Court Reserve and can’t make it, please call the Fitness Center at 941-575-3260. For aqua or indoor classes, please arrive on time. Late arrivals will not be admitted. Repeating no-shows will be restricted from signing up for classes until the day of the session.
