AROUND THE POST
It’s Called Nationals
BY JENNIFER LUCORE & ALEX HAMNER
N
ationals for pickleball! This is the
most prestigious individual and team
competitions, and players from everywhere
descend on the chosen soil with numerous epic
pickleball courts to battle it out, give it their all, to
see who is the best in the world.
Nationals has come a long way—this is the tenth
year of the modern Nationals.
Let’s flashback to the very first Nationals held in
Buckeye, Arizona, in 2009. Yes, Buckeye, because the
Surprise, Arizona, area was a mecca for the sport
and Buckeye is just 10 miles west of Surprise.
The 2009 National Tournament drew almost
400 players from 26 states and several Canadian
provinces. This tournament was open to all ages
and skill levels. The youngest player was 10, and the
youngest at heart was 88! Prize money was $7,000,
with payout in the open divisions (there was no open
senior at the time).
dy to go!
All packed up and rea
Jennifer attended, but only to watch her parents
compete. The next year she wanted to compete, so
she asked her tennis buddy, Alex, to start playing
pickleball. “Hey, we should play a tournament
together! It’s called Nationals.” We showed up the
night before our competition, and Jennifer’s dad, Bob
Youngren, was telling us the rules over dinner. This
was all new to us. “Wait ’til the ref says the score,” he
said. Wait, what? There’s a ref?
Now fast-forward to the 2018 Nationals. A lot has
changed!
Starting with the tournament name. From 2009
to 2011 the title had the year, followed by USAPA
National Pickleball Tournament. In 2012, Roman
numerals began: The Nationals IV, V, VI, VII and
VIII. Then, in 2017, USAPA National (singular)
Championships. And now, with a title sponsor,
2018 had Margaritaville USA Pickleball National
Championships. Phew, did you get all that?
Now let’s look at the 2018 stats. This year’s
Nationals was held at the world-renowned Indian
Wells Tennis Garden, California, and had 2,204
players from 46 states and three countries. The
youngest player was 8 and the oldest 90.
And to top it off, drum roll please, the total
combined cash prize awarded to open medalists was
$75,000. (Heavy crowd applause…)
Yes, pickleball, hold on for the ride, for the sport is
really just getting started in its explosive growth and
serious fun! •
Jennifer Lucore and Alex
Hamner started playing
pickleball in 2010, and have
competed in tournaments
across the USA (and
internationally). Between them,
they have 26 National Titles,
including winning gold in the
Women’s Open Doubles at
Nationals for four consecutive
years (2011–2014). For more
pickleball fun see Jennifer’s
blog at www.allpickleball.com.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 |
MAGAZINE
23