Pickleball players Pat Warren (left) and Debbie Armstrong competed in the intermediate category of the first annual Osoyoos Pickleball Club’s pickleball tournament on Sept. 26. The tournament was held at the pickleball courts next to the Osoyoos Secondary School. Players competed in the novice, intermediate and advanced categories. (Michele Weisz photo)
The competitors were in good spirits on Sept. 26 as they assembled for the Osoyoos Pickleball Club’s first, annual tournament. It was held at the year-old, outdoor courts located next to Osoyoos Secondary School.
Club members Ed and Donna Kriese organized the event at which players were divided into novice, intermediate and advanced groupings. The event employed a round-robin schedule that drew opponents from a computer.
The event began with the novice group at 9:30 a.m. The advanced group finished in the late afternoon.
According to the official Pickleball Tournament Rulebook:
“The first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least a two point margin wins.”
Each person plays for points that are accumulated over six games. The competitors acted as their own referees but professional referee Ed Kriese was on hand to help.
The first place winner from each category was awarded a Tim Horton’s gift card as well as a large, clay garden sculpture in the shape of a chicken.
The chickens were donated by Jeff Hlady whose wife, Krista, incidentally, was awarded the chicken as winner of the novice category. The competitors who came in second and third also received a Tim Horton’s gift card.
The tournament is “not serious…just a fun, social thing as well as being good exercise,” said Carol Taylor, chair of the Osoyoos Pickleball Club.
The Osoyoos Pickleball Club has more than 100 members.
Until recently they had been playing in the Sonora Community Centre gymnasium but many of the members prefer the new courts because it allows them to enjoy the outdoors and because the courts can accommodate more players at a time.
The sport is becoming increasingly popular in the South Okanagan region with organized clubs in towns from Osoyoos to West Kelowna.
Melinda Gates recently told CNBC that she and her husband Bill are avid fans of the sport.
The sport does not group players by sex or age and can be played by people of all levels.
“You can have a senior play a teenager and still have a good game,” said Taylor.
After the tournament was over, player Terrilyn Mandalik said “everyone agrees” about doing it again next year.
MICHELE WEISZ
Osoyoos Times
