Pickleball Magazine 5-1 | Page 54

REGIONAL matters INDOOR NATIONALS TO BE PLAYED JUNE 9-13 IN ALABAMA I n its ever-continuing efforts to provide the very best in competition, the United States Pickleball Association (USAPA) announced the addition of a major championship to its yearly playing calendar. The 2020 USA Pickleball National Indoor Championships will be played June 9-13 at the Finley Center, part of the Hoover Met Complex in Hoover, Alabama, just outside of Birmingham. Nearly 1,000 players are expected, all competing in skill/age brackets. “Coming off a thrilling Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships, we are now adding a major event for indoor play that will certainly draw pickleball’s finest as the USAPA continues to grow this incredible sport throughout the country and beyond,” said Karen Parrish, Director of Competition for the USAPA. The National Indoor Championships will feature five 52 days of events featuring singles, doubles and mixed doubles in skill/ age brackets. There will be a purse of $25,000 for the Open division. Gold medalists from each division will receive a pre-registration spot for the 2020 USA Pickleball National Championships. The sport’s premier event will be played at Indian Wells, California, October 31–November 7. Registration for the 2020 USA Pickleball National Indoor Championships got underway on January 15 at pickleballtournaments.com. The Finley Center is a state- of-the-art sports complex and event venue that will transform its nearly 100,000 square feet of indoor playing space into 32 TO SUBSCRIBE, CALL 888.308.3720 OR GO TO THEPICKLEBALLMAG.COM pickleball courts. A Stadium Court for championship play will also be featured for tournament action. “Aside from being an outstanding facility, the complex also offers Hoover RV Park and plenty of parking for players and spectators alike. We couldn’t have asked for a better facility to stage our inaugural indoor championship,” added Parrish. Additional site information can be found at www.hoovermetcomplex.com. For more information on the 2020 USA Pickleball National Indoor Championships, visit www.usapa.org. •