At its annual January Gala, the Pickleball Club honored Dale Prentice as its 2025 Volunteer of the Year, recognizing his dedication to mentoring players, training new members, and serving on the club’s Social Committee.

Before moving to Rossmoor eight years ago with his wife, Pat, Prentice led an active life filled with sports. His interests included racquetball, handball, golf, scuba diving, fishing, and abalone diving. Once he discovered pickleball at Rossmoor, the sport quickly became his passion.

Although Prentice had never previously belonged to a club, he soon came to appreciate the strong sense of community and the people he met through pickleball. As his skills improved, he found special enjoyment in helping others learn the game. He became a trainer five years ago and is especially proud of mentoring novice players. Seeing others enjoy themselves while learning brings him great satisfaction, and his encouragement on and off the courts has benefited many members.

Prentice is also in his third year serving on the Pickleball Club’s Social Committee. He enjoys helping plan club events, particularly the popular Hit-N-Giggles and summer barbecues. Committee member Shelley Zell shared that Prentice “is always ready to help, a great problem solver and lovely to work with.”

A native of Whitewater, Wisconsin, Prentice developed his love of sports at an early age. He played baseball, basketball, and football in high school, serving as varsity football captain and being named Homecoming King. After college, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and entered the Pararescue program, serving in Okinawa, Japan, and at Edwards Air Force Base.

Following his military service, Prentice and his wife and two sons moved to Concord, California, where he worked for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District. He retired in 2007 as a Fire Captain after a long and distinguished career. 

Reflecting on his experience, Prentice said, “One of the greatest pleasures of my adult life is being a member of this club. Rossmoor is the perfect place to retire.”