Frank Amado was in his early 50’s and headed for serious health problems or an early grave. At 5 feet, 9 inches tall, he weighed 250 pounds.
Frank spent more than 23 years with the Tucson Police Department and cannot forget one tragedy he witnessed.
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“I was on cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetic medications,” says Amado. He’s 55, a lifelong resident of Tucson, Arizona, and longtime police officer in his hometown.
In February 2023, Frank started playing pickleball. “My doctor said it may have saved my life,” he says. “Blood work now has [everything] in normal range, all due to the cardiovascular workout from playing so much pickleball. I was playing five days a week.
“It was a new athletic challenge for me and I was hooked,” Frank says about taking up the game with the silly name that’s America’s fastest-growing sport. “I had no tennis or racquetball background so it was going to take some work. I needed that challenge as a former athlete grossly overweight as this stage in my life. A career in law enforcement with regular exposure to trauma builds up and weighs on you. Pickleball was the perfect distraction at the perfect time in my life.
Frank also began eating healthier while getting into pickleball. “I no longer craved the fast food I ate so much of which resulted in healthier options,” he says.
Frank has medaled in 18 of the 19 tournaments he’s played in.
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Frank has gone from playing pickleball five days a week to being around it five days a week. He is the club coordinator at The Picklr-Oro Valley, near Tucson. He’s a good player, too, his DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) was as high as 4.5 and is now 4.385. He’s played in 19 tournaments and won 18 medals. The most memorable was the only singles tournament in which he’s played, in May 2024.
“I was the oldest player in the bracket (50’s playing against 20-and 30-year-olds). I won the gold medal, but it was so exhausting and I’ll never do it again. That’s a young man’s game. I’ll conclude my tournament singles career on top with a gold medal,” he says with a laugh.
“I have no illusions of getting any higher at my age. I now just love the game and playing with anyone and everyone regardless of playing ability. It’s all social and recreational for me now.”
Frank and his three siblings were all good athletes growing up. He lettered in football, basketball, and his best sport, baseball, at Sahuaro High School. “After my senior year in high school, my parents received calls from [major league] teams interested in me in the [player draft] late rounds (58 and beyond). They were told by my parents I would be going to college. I made a few all-region and district teams in high school and decided to go the junior college route after breaking my wrist my senior year.”
During his sophomore year in high school, Frank started dating a freshman named Vanessa Rodriguez. They have been together ever since, having married in 1993. They have four adult daughters and three grandchildren.
Baseball has stayed in the family due to this fun fact: Frank’s youngest daughter, Rylee, is married to Nick Gonzales, another Tucson native who is the second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Frank, meanwhile, decided he wanted to be a police officer. “Loved the idea of serving and protecting the community I grew up in,” he says. “Being a native Tucsonan, I felt a loyalty to give back.
“A 9 to 5 job never appealed to me.”
His first day on the job with the Tucson Police Department after the training academy was September 11th, 2001, the day of the terrorist attacks on America. “That world incident brought the country together and people were passionate about first responders and the job they do and the risks they take,” Frank says. “First responders were held in high regard and people were vocal in their support.”
Frank roles with the TPD included stints as a patrol officer, public information officer, detective and a unit focusing on violent neighborhood crimes. One incident he saw sticks with him.
On June 1, 2008, a man drove through town firing a rifle into houses. During the police pursuit the gunman shot a rookie cop named Erik Hite in the head. Frank was close with Hite, they were the two rookies working the day shift together. “We had each other’s backs, as a matter of life and death potentially,” Frank says. “That incident shook me to the core. That devastation has stuck with me and I carry it everyday. It changes you. The emotional roller coaster is tough to navigate. I will never forget.”
Frank spent 23 and a half years with TPD before retiring in September of last year.
“Fast forward to the end of my career and the incident in Minneapolis in 2020 [the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer]. That horrible incident divided a nation. The very public outcry against police was everywhere and unavoidable. Everyone in law enforcement was guilty by association.
“Bookends of my career. To start, the country was unified and first responders were held in high regard. To end, police were attacked publicly and were being despised. It was time for me to get out.”
Before Frank got out of TPD, he showed his dedication to it one more time. He got the department accredited with the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. “I stuck around to complete it and earn the department its accreditation,” he says. For doing so, Frank received the Chief’s Citation of Excellence.
So Frank got off the streets and into a pickleball club. The jobs as a police officer and pickleball club coordinator couldn’t be more different stress-wise, and he loves the new gig.
Frank’s new job as a pickleball club coordinator couldn’t be more different than his old job as a police officer.
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“This job allows me to continue to serve my community, the pickleball community that is near and dear to my heart. A new wind and a new chapter giving back. I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Frank says.
His goal as The Picklr-Oro Valley Club Coordinator is, “To give every player in our community an opportunity to come play and experience this premier indoor facility. I want everyone to have a premier playing experience to match this premier facility. I want this to be everyone’s home away from home and for us all to be a second family for each other.”
For a guy who saw so much of life’s bizarre and brutal realities in more than two decades patrolling the streets, not much shakes or surprises him. But regarding his new job, Frank says, “I’ve been surprised about how large our pickleball community is and how fast it’s growing.”
Frank’s new home away from home is 15 miles from his old job in Tucson Police headquarters. In terms of the work, it is a world away.
Your answers to last week’s question of the week
· In my last blog I wrote that Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons are among my top five favorite groups ever. It has been widely reported by those who have seen the 91-year-old Valli in concert that he has been lip-synching for at least the past five years. I certainly thought he was lip-synching from my 3rd row seat when I saw him perform about four years ago. So I posed this question: Would you pay to see Valli or one of your favorite performers if you suspected or knew he or she was lip-syncing? Here are some of the answers I received:
Adi Toth, Boca Raton, FL: “No way I pay to see even a suspected lip-synch concert.”
Ted Crawford, Oro Valley, AZ: “I had heard rumors of Frankie Valli lip synching. But at 90, who cares! It is truly remarkable that he is still able to get onstage and perform! Anyone who is lucky enough to be able to experience him performing live is extremely fortunate. It should be a moment that is both relished and savored. He is such a remarkable musical icon!”
Karen Butera, Orlando, FL: “I would pay to see certain performers lip sync, but not all. Sometimes the concert is more than just the performer. The energy and atmosphere and memories are greater than the individual performer themselves.”
Bob Simmons, Sunset Beach, NC: “I probably would not. A live show should be live. I don’t feel it’s okay to be lip-synching,”
David Hop, Tucson, AZ: “In his case, I would make an exception. The answer is yes! He's still out there performing when most other artists at that age are either dead or retired. I would totally understand if he were lip synching at 91. He’s a legend. Just to get to see him live would be a thrill of a lifetime! He still loves performing so, why not?”
Keith Heintzleman, Detroit: Wow, I’d be quite disappointed if I thought I was getting a live performance, and I didn't get one. I might like to actually see one of my favorite performers though, even if they weren't singing.”
My view: On one hand, I want to give Valli and other older singers who lip-synch a pass for giving us decades of great music. Sort of a, “Thank you for your career, you’ve earned this.” But on the other hand, I don’t think lip-synching is fair to concertgoers who pay exorbitant amounts of money on tickets. I would rather stay home and listen to his albums. So no, I won’t see Frankie again or any other singer I suspect is lip-synching. But if you don’t mind spending a lot for tickets and go in knowing about the lip-synching and it doesn’t bother you, of course that’s your prerogative, it’s your money. I just think it’s a rip-off and prefer to remember the singer as they once were and to listen to their hits on my playlist.
Thoughts of the week, not all pickleball
· I thought we were a country whose people believe in giving second chances, but after reading the hateful online comments directed towards Fox NFL analyst and former QB Mark Sanchez, I’m not so sure. From police reports Sanchez, 38, was the aggressor and apparently drunk when he got into a fight over a parking spot with a 69-year-old truck driver in downtown Indianapolis last Saturday night. Sanchez was stabbed and the trucker suffered serious injuries. He is suing Sanchez and Fox. A lot of people seemed happy that Sanchez’ TV career is probably finished. I hope he gets the help he needs and also that the truck driver fully recovers. I am sure those commenters who are gleeful over Sanchez’ situation would have a different take if instead of Sanchez one of their loved ones or close friends was involved.
· The new CRBN TruFoam Waves paddles got some negative reviews, including those from Chris Olson of “Pickleball Studio” and the guys at “Pickleball Pursuit.” I respect them for their objectivity. As I have written before, there are some reviewers who just love every single paddle or don’t review paddles they dislike. I no longer follow them; their credibility is shot with me. I understand that a high percentage of the new paddles are good or have some redeeming features. But let’s be honest, a few paddles plain stink (Adidas Metalbone, anyone?) You need to say that if you are a paddle reviewer. Olson said of the CRBN Waves, “This is the least enjoyable paddle I have reviewed in well over a year.” Comments like that help paddle shoppers decide how to spend their money. Paddle companies send reviewers paddles for free; too many reviewers are apparently afraid of biting the hand that feeds them. Those reviewers are failing consumers.
· As a long suffering New York Mets fan, their collapse this season was painful. A team with Major League Baseball’s 2nd highest payroll, $340 million (behind the Dodgers), failed to make the playoffs. The Mets were beaten out for the National League’s final wild card berth by the Reds, whose payroll is $119 million. As I wrote last week, money can’t always buy happiness, or a playoff team.
· Lobbing is part of pickleball, but I think there is such a thing as lobbing excessively in rec play. I’ve seen a couple of players who lob almost half their shots. You might disagree and think that’s fine, that a good player can return a lob or should learn how to. I just think that in rec play there is such a thing as lobbing too often. Yes, sometimes a lob is the strategically correct shot, and I lob maybe once or twice a game when I think it’s my best option, but I get more satisfaction from a good drop shot.
· I always chuckle when I see a 3.0 player playing with a $300 paddle.
· My back soreness has caused me to sit out pickleball a few days lately. I am legitimately bummed out on those days. I tell myself to be grateful that I’m usually able to play this awesome game five days a week.
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