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PRO

High heat, drop kicks, random observations and points that amuse are all part of the wide, wide world of sports at the community and national levels.

I need to do some more recruiting. A few years ago, I shared my dream partners for doubles pickleball in a column. Actually, it might have been two columns; I can’t remember. I also can’t remember if said column or columns ran in The Standard and its sister newspaper, the Richmond News, or in Richmond only. Nor can I remember where I put my mobile phone half the time, but that’s another matter.

What I can remember is that I had a continuum for my ideal pickleball partners. On the pipe dream side, I listed pro football quarterback Patrick Mahomes II. On the more realistic side, I listed then-Richmond multisport athlete Donivin Williams as a candidate once he graduated high school, as I told him at least once while covering his varsity 11-man football games.

I can’t recall if I included any Excelsior Springs athletes on my continuum. I do…