Regional
matters
continued
Firefighters Trade in Their Hoses for
Pickleball Paddles in Ventura County
L
ike all first responders, firefighters lead very stressful lives.
So it came as no surprise when 32 of them, all from
Ventura County in California, recently made their
way with enthusiastic smiles to the Bob Kildee Community
Park pickleball courts in Camarillo for a friendly, yet highly
competitive, tournament.
One of the event’s organizers, Jeff Golden, a firefighter
himself, knew it would be difficult at best to get that many
compatriots together. “It was a significant challenge to get
everyone together because of work schedules,” he says.
“There were substitutes and subs for subs who were called
in to play, as many on-duty schedules were changed.”
Never to be outdone for creativity, many of the teams
came up with humorous nicknames for their squads, such
as “Tickle My Pickle,” “Net Piranhas,” “The Dinks,” and
“Leftovers,” to name a few. Led by Colette Berney, Ventura
County District USAPA Ambassador, and Trish Zakas,
USAPA Ambassador in Camarillo, the local pickleball
community provided referees for each of the matches.
Many of the firefighters had never picked up a paddle before, but soon found the
game competitive and exhilarating. Golden, who hopes to make this an annual event,
was fortunate to have generous vendors that provided gifts for each of the players
and prizes for the eventual winners.
Firefighters, as do all the people who care for their communities, deserve a break
from their demanding jobs. And what better way than to hit the pickleball courts for
a friendly game.
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